new rock slide

[tkurk]

http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,...323116,00.html

"While dip-netters have been ignoring a road closure on O'Brien Creek
Road due to a landslide for the past three years by simply driving
four-wheelers and vehicles beyond the slide area all the way to Haley
Creek, another rockslide about one-half mile down the road may put an
end to that.
"It's a pretty major one," said Taube. "It's all rock."
Dip-netters were able to clear away the first landslide with shovels to
make a path big and smooth enough to drive over, but that will be tough
to do with the new slide, he said.
"Officially the road is closed and now, there's more reason for it to
be," he said."



So, how much do the charter boats charge to take you to a honey hole on the other side?

tkurk

[Paul H]

Rats!

I heard it was $65, but don't know if it'll be more this year with increased fuel costs, would imagine it might be.

[Contender]

I chartered down last year. I was told by the charter (Hem) that things had shut off at midnight the night before but we paid anyway since we had gone down there to fish. We were one of the few spots that caught many fish that day and we limited out for two of us. We were on the road side of the river not the other side too. I think the cost was $75 but it may have been $65. If you limit that isn't too bad but it is a pretty expensive trip anymore what with gas from Fairbanks and the charter cost.

[KirovPDR]

Any updates on the new slide? Has it been cleared at all and is it passable for ATV's?

[Jktimm]

Update and link to Hem / Copper River Charters

Hem raised his price to $90 RT to cover fuel costs.

http://copperrivercharters.net/index2.htm

Hotline number is 907-823-2200

Anyone hear how this weekend went? We are going Thursday.

[wildog]

Hem raised his price to $90 RT to cover fuel costs.

http://copperrivercharters.net/index2.htm

Hotline number is 907-823-2200

Anyone hear how this weekend went? We are going Thursday.

We went and dipped at Chitina below the bridge Sunday morning. It was slow. Boats did much better than us on shore. Also saw three kings netted, two on shore, one from a boat, but overall slow. Apparently netting was hot Saturday morning from 0200 to 0800 though.

[AkBubba]

I went on Friday

I used Hem's charter to drop me off. Yep it was $90 (ouch). However, everyone I saw limited out. It was the best that I've seen in my 9 years here. I tossed back more kings than ever and the quality of the reds was awesome.

This is a good year for escapement. They shut down the commercial fishery just in time to let them zip past in mass.

[AKArcher]

The New Slide...

Has anyone gone down to see just how bad the new slide is?

Is it passable, or is it the new "end of the road"?

Thanks!

[KirovPDR]

Good question AKArcher....I asked but only got info on the charters down there. Kinda like an advertisement for the charters and no info for the do-it-yourselfer.

I'll be down there tomorrow regardless, and will either be able to get through on ATV, or dipnet from the shore elsewhere.

[KirovPDR]

Just got back and MAN what a time!

The "rock" slide is being navigated by trucks...and I limited out as did 3 other people with me.

The "confusion" about taking a charter is just that. Fish from the bank where there are good eddies and a back flow and you'll do good. Especially if there is a big "bubbler" at your spot!

Also...it pisses me off when your in a one person spot doing well, and some people think they can come in and dipnet 15 feet away from you and you'll NOT get pissed off about it. If someone is there...stay the HELL out! When I finally said something the "people" were offended. Of course they brought their entire family, duck taped an aluminum crutch to the end of their dipnet, and I caught 10-1 fish (me 10 them 1). They weren't happy. These people were actually told by one of my daughters that the spot was full too...they came anyway and tried to take the spot over by sheer numbers and rudeness!

Have fun at Chitina...the run was GOOD on Thursday morning throughout the day!

PS. The thread on what color and type of dipnet holds true except: There is no difference between a Kenai dipnet and a Copper dipnet. Use the same color for both places. I used a black net and caught 3 in 10 hours...used a green gill net and limited in 4 hours. The larger the better!

[Fullcurl]

Chitina Disappointment

Well, just goes to show how hit or miss it can be in Chitina. Got to Chitina Friday afternoon. Talked to several people including Sam, one of the Charter guys. The river had come up dramatically and fishing dropped off the same. Lots of people were getting skunked and even the overnight charters were averaging only 6-7 fish/person. I used to go down and pay the night before so I could "reserve" a spot. They no longer let you do that. So I showed up Saturday morning at 4am to get in line. Only 5-6 folks in front of me. By the time Hem showed up there were 30-40 people in front of me. I guess if you leave your cooler it saves you a spot. Since I'm not aggressive enough to cut in line I got stuck toward the end. The fishing was so slow they ran out of spots to put people and were highly recommending folks not go out on the charter. So I bagged it. Didn't even get my net in the water. First time I've ever got a zero at Chitina. It was super crowded there, I'm guessing because of the supplemental period. I went to check the new rock slide. Four wheelers can easily navigate it. Even some vehicles can get across if your ballsy enough. When I got there it was big traffic jam because a guy with a Dodge Dakota was high centered on the new slide. No one could get across either direction. If I go back this summer I'll bring a 4-wheeler and skip the charters. Hem is predicting the river will drop soon and fishing will pick up this week. On a positive note, Saturday wasn't a total waste. I had my fly rod and float tube with me and had a ball catching rainbows. My recommendations for going would be to be ready to go on short notice when you hear fishing is good, even if it means taking time off from work during the week. Only ATV should try to navigate the rock slide. If you do intend to drive a vehicle across, you better have 4-wheel drive and high clearance. Something like a Ford Ranger or Tacoma would work. Full-size trucks are a no-go. Gas is about 10 cents a gallon cheaper in Chitina then Glennallen, FYI.

[Sheepshooter]

Chitna update

Made it to Chitna on Friday night and got in line for Hem's Charter @ 4:30 AM. After his first trip down the canyon, Hem delivered the bad news and about 75% of the folks packed it in. Finally got on the Charter and in the water @ 11:30 AM. We ended up with 20 fish caught between 6:30 and 8:30 PM and had to leave on the last charter @ 8:30 PM due to no boats running on Sunday. Most likely would have limited out if we could have stayed a little longer. We saw many cars going up and down the road past the lower rock slide and some catching salmon on the road side of the canyon. Almost all of the fish arrived @ 6 PM. Fishing should be good any day now. Also saw a cow moose floating right down through the canyon. Make sure you are wearing a PFD and tied off on a short rope that will not allow a fall into the water. A guy almost died there last week. Hem pulled him out of the water. Best of luck to all.

[akhunter02]

update

Went to Chitina and fished Tuesday, the two of us limited in about 6 hours. Sunday and Monday was very slow according to the Fish Bio we talked to Tuesday. The big push started about 4 am, should be very good till Friday or maybe even Sat. Short wheel based rigs with 4 WD and a ballsy driver can get over the Landslide, not for the faint of heart for sure.

[Chitina]

rock slide update.....first hand report

hey I manage the guestbook at the Chitina Dipnetters Association website and will forward this guys observations on the "new" slide.
Location: back at my desk--anchorage Comments: I read my post on what the road to Haley Creek is like, and I'm gonna post a little more info here . . . .
As far as getting a vehicle over those slides is concerned here's my 2 cents.
The first slide is the more treacherous one simply cuz if you make a wrong move, then it's a tumble down the cliff to the river. It's not much different from last year--so if you remember it from 2005 it'll look the same.
The second slide is the more easily passable one. As I said earlier, it's just an excellent opportunity for someone to high center their vehicle. I've got a Toyota 4WD truck and I had no issues. We saw some shorter wheel base cars beyond this slide . . . . Subie Outback, Subie wagons . . . . I don't think our Subie Legacy would get back there--wheel base is too long and we'd end up leaving the exhaust system behind if we even got over the apex. I think that if yer gonna drive back there you'll need a medium sized 4WD vehicle with some clearance.
Charter folks got the whole Haley Creek camping area monopolized which was a little annoying . . . I like to camp next to the river. Still, at the present time, there's plenty of places to set up a tent and plenty of places to dip yer net.
And, just hanging out in the Chitina wilderness is worth the drive from Anchorage. . . =)

I find this useful as an early trip left me with a few reds and a king. Having gone with a new guy I didn't really feel like having him take his $30,000 pickup across even the old slide. I and my $1,000 rig have no problem driving down the canyon, that is if it can make it. Sounds like it can, as it had not much trouble last two years, little bit of scrapping here and there but came back with my muffler.

[Chitina]

a furthur discription of the "new" slide

sorry should of put this in the privious post, but its the same guys earlier post on the "new" slide


"The first slide in line is still the more hazardous one just because of
the convoluted surface. The second is just an opportunity to get high centered, kind of like two ramps that meet at an apex. Fishing went well for
us--we worked it, but we got some good sleep with the rain pattering down on
the tent and tarp also. We'll be heading back again to fill out the permit
. . .