Category Archives: Fishing

My Alaska Delivery of Halibut and Salmon Arrived In New Hampshire

Posted on by
Reply

As I wrote  a few weeks ago, I purchased some Alaskan Salmon and Halibut from Tanners Alaskan Seafood.

My 24 hour Alaskan delivery arrived frozen, as promised. Here are the fish packs below.

I made a baked pistachio crusted halibut with butter herbs and lemon. It was spectacular. Looking forward to a Sockeye Salmon dish soon!

Yes, it is expensive but in June I will catch some myself and bring many pounds home.  Gotta get my Omega 3’s! Below my dishes, pistachio crusted halibut and sockeye salmon w/herbs and lemon. So fresh and delicious. 

More soon…

 

 

My Twister Arm Trainer Progress for Halibut Fishing – One Month In

Posted on by
Reply

I love this arm and hand trainer for $30 on Amazon. When I received it, I tried to close it like the woman below. I got it almost half closed/collapsed on one try. Today, I just did 10 reps fully closed. Wow!

On the hand grip, I did twenty closed grips last month. Today I can do an easy sixty.

My arm and shoulder muscles are growing and strengthening very well.

The secret of using these devices is that they can be used anytime, especially when I watch TV. 

Secondly, at home, reeling a deep sea rod and reel with 10 to 15 pound weights on the line and the drag set to just lift these weights is a great to mimic a real halibut.

I will work up to 20 pounds at some point. It is not easy, that’s for sure but will simulate catching a fish near to 100 pound class. That’s my strength goal and to keep fishing for more big fish on the same trip.

Alaska is on my mind… 

 

My Exercise for June Alaska Halibut Continued…Adventure Takes Preparation

Posted on by

Some visiting Alaskan halibut fisherman get the shock of their life when a really big halibut bites their line and zaps every ounce of strength from their arms and body trying to land such a creature. Fisherman have to stop fishing on the trip just to recover as their arms ache and are like jelly. I watched a video of a 40 year old stout fisherman reeling up a huge fish. He need a 10 minute break so one of the mates took over for a bit. They strapped a fishing belt on him and took 30 to 40 minutes of unbelievable struggle to get the beast to the surface where they shot it twice. It took 4 men to bring it over the gunwale. That is why I am preparing. 

I am in week 3 of my halibut fishing exercise routine. Having said that, I feel great. I had to return to the Gym today and moving forward, I did some treadmill cardio, stomach and our many shoulder muscles to strengthen besides my many home exercises. 

Besides, another snow storm or two or three is headed our way in New Hampshire. I need muscle strength everywhere for that. The most recent storm dumped 16 inches overnight this past week. In and around Boston, some older men had heart attacks etc. Pace yourself and research things you can do like exercise in advance. 

My exercises have also got me to think about the quality of my food and its nutritive value for my body and mind. You too! Some YouTube research enlightened me on super foods for brain and body like salmon, blueberries (especially wild) and eating eggs for breakfast. 

Having a fishing, hunting, hiking etc. goal in front of me helps keep me in better shape.

Good Health Takes Effort on Our Part. 

Big Alaskan Game Fishing Like Halibut Requires Conditioning and Upper Body and Arm Strength

Posted on by

As an older sportsman, without conditioning to fight trophy size fish, I have an opportunity to seriously damage my upper body, shoulders and arms if I am not in shape for reeling in say up to 100 pound halibut pulling him up from say 200 to 300 feet.

Or catching numerous lesser fish from similar depths and then hooking a whopper.

Accordingly, core conditioning and working my upper body and arms is essential before the trip. It will take me at least 3 months or more to get in shape and stay in shape. It’s all about stamina as I will be on a fishing rod every day for hours. 

Below are some exercises that will aid in building stamina and muscle strength. 

I have a rowing machine for cardio, stomach, back and arms. Below is my inexpensive $179 Yosuda Machine that I have been using for this past year. I like it for my daily exercise, quality and price (some assembly required).

But that may not be enough . Hand and arm strength is essential. Below, I bought a “Twister Arm Trainer” set from Amazon for $25 dollars. I love it because I can exercise while watching tv or news. 

 

In case of muscle cramps and lactic acid buildup, I purchased some Theraworx® Muscle Cramp and Lidocaine roll on products to test before my trip. If they work, I will have them in my tackle box. 

Ultimately, I want to be very prepared mentally and muscle wise for multiple Alaskan adventures in just a week. I eat well and daily take Balance of Nature fruit and vegetable capsules (I swear by these for their positive effects on my overall health). 

Don’t let your older body keep you from being at your best in the outdoors. Some say check with your doctor if unsure of these exercise thoughts. I say as President Trumps says, Fight, Fight, Fight!

Good Fish Hunting!

 

 

My Alaska Fishing Adventure Booking Just Happened

Posted on by

Life is too short. I have a bucket list and Alaska is on it.

Physical Map of Alaska. It shows the physical features of Alaska including its mountain ranges, rivers and major lakes.

I get email invitations from hunting and fishing outfits now and again, and found one that works for me.  Fishing Alaska is achievable on my bucket budget.

I booked 6 days with a large well established outfit along the Kenai River (Alaskan Fishing Adventures www.alaskafishing.com ). I have no personal experience with them at this time but expect the very best. 

I will surely write and video on my trip in June 2026.

I will be fishing primarily for halibut and salmon as we encounter them.

Just Some Of The Species That You Can Catch On Our Boats.

Yellow eye is a deep water rockfish that is a prized catch as well. All fish are filleted, vacuum sealed and frozen for return to New Hampshire.

One such trip includes a fly-in to fish salmon and view the neighboring brown bears fishing near us.

 

 

We catch fish with rod and reel… brown bears catch them with teeth.   

Needless to say lots of pictures and video. 

My Job is to get in shape, especially my arms, to reel in these huge fish. 

Good Fishing!

 

 

Installed Impressive Stryker T-Top On My Key West Bay Reef 216

Posted on by

Recently, I installed a brand new Stryker T-Top on my Key West Bay Reef 216. It is an impressive product. The aluminum welding on assembly parts is unbelievable.

It came to me shipped and unassembled in several pieces. It took me several days to assemble and install. 

Best boat canopy investment I have made! Maybe a top for you to consider.

Good Fishing!

Newfoundland Bay-cation – Puffin Love

Posted on by

The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a beautiful bird. Camera in hand, I photographed them among the craggy rocks and islands. 

Copyright 2024 Photo by Ed Hale

Here in Newfoundland, along the Bonavista peninsula, the town of Elliston is home to thousands of Puffins who come to land, mate and raise their young.  Like many of you, I am not a Puffin expert but I just love Puffins.

Their satirical eyes and orange beaks are captivatingly reminiscent of parrots and the long beaked Toucan. 

Spending most of their lives in the open ocean, Puffin dive, often down to 50 feet or more using their wings like penguins and feed on small fish like sand eels and similar size fish. We human visitors flock to see them each year in spring and summer. They are hunted in parts of the world for food but not here in Newfoundland. Off shore along Elliston below, they like nearby islands where there are few predators to bother them.

Copyright 2024 Photo by Ed Hale

Elliston, by-the-way, is also home of the worlds most numerous root cellars, where historically, locals store their hard earned seasonal vegetable and food larder. Below, immaculately built stone faced root cellar,  the door fit snug to keep vermin out. 

Copyright 2024 Photo by Ed Hale

I hope to cod fish here soon but regulations restrict cod fishing to weekends and Monday’s to five fish per person. My wife and sister-in-law inherited land and a home on the shores of Newfoundland where we visit with cousins, and perform upkeep on the property. Being on the shore, we get out and cod fish when we can.

Local seiner’s got some capelin (a small very edible fish) and I was gifted some to grill. Years back we were grilling them near midnight, my first capelin ever and initiation was to bite the head off my grilled fish.

Smoked Caplin Tonight

I gutted cleaned and brined them for an hour in a sea salt bath. Then smoked them on my dome charcoal smoker for an hour, I made enough for two more meals to smoke with fishing friends and more beer. It’s a tough job but… someone has to do it. Might as well be me. 

Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved

I did so with a grin and washed it down with cold locally brewed beer made of 20,000 yr old iceberg water. It was fabulous!

Enjoy!

© Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved.