Russian River: Fish and That Guy

[AlaskaHippie]

Did a run down to the Russian yesterday, leaving the Valley around 1430, got to the parking lot (Pink Salmon) at about 1800.

Started at the Falls and worked my way down to the confluence, returning to my rig around 0100. I had the best luck upstream, specifically near the falls, most of the sockeye are holding in the upper stretches, but there ARE fish at the confluence coming through in bursts. It took some work, but I left with fish.

Oh, and here's an update on That Guy:

To That Guy who was drinking Pyramid Ale at some point near the Falls: Awesome brew dude. I picked up the empty bottles you left strewn along the bank and tossed em in the trash bag I carry.

To That Guy who cleaned his catch on the viewing platform upstream from the Red Salmon staircase: I chucked the poorly filleted carcasses into the middle of the current, I woulda added em to the trash bag, but it was early and I wasn't real keen on being a chum bag for Bears.

To That Guy who stepped INTO the hole myself and a few others where fishing: THANKS! We really appreciated you wading right into the pod of sockeye holding there, and I swear, I wasn't aiming for the seat of your waders when I hooked 'em......Twice.

To That Guy who apparently decided to put new mono on his reel AFTER he got to the river, and couldn't quite find one of the dozens of receptacles specifically placed EVERYwhere for discarded fishing line: I picked up that birds nest you left on the island upstream from the confluence, added it to the trash bag.

To That Guy at the confluence with the baitcaster rig, that had a 2/0 hook with at least a 1oz sinker 3" above it: I really enjoyed the demonstration you where putting on with those RIPPPPPPING drifts!! You where da' MAN! I mean WOW you where hooking 4 fish to my 1....Sorry if my loud braying of "LOOK HE SNAGGED ANOTHER ONE!!!!!" threw you off your game, it was a shame to see you slog off towards the Ferry empty handed....And I swear, I wasn't the one who initiated the applause as you left.....

To That Guy who smokes Kools: Menthol? Seriously? I grabbed the empty pack you left in the middle of the boardwalk and added it to the bag.

All in all it was a great time, I got dern near my and my proxies limit(s), came out with a backpack full of filets, and a leaf bag 3/4 full of souvenirs from That Guy.

 

[iofthetaiga]

I have a childhood memory of my dad saying "That Guy doesn't have the brains God gave a p*** ant". Pretty amazing that you both are acquainted with That Guy! It sure is a small world, isn't it?

 

[sayak]

I hate that guy... well, I seriously dislike him anyway, and he's everywhere!

 

[NRick]

That Guy is why I don't venture down there very much any more. Sad to be push out by an ingrate, but, sigh, life is short and I have other, more enjoyable things to do.

 

[AlaskaHippie]

That Guy is why I don't venture down there very much any more. Sad to be push out by an ingrate, but, sigh, life is short and I have other, more enjoyable things to do.

I float the Upper regularly, but some of my earliest memories of fishing are as a kid, on the Russian, chasing Reds with hipwaders on and an Eagle Claw rod in hand. So I try to get up to the Falls once a year during sockeye. It's such a magical place, and the recollections of time there with my Dad, and now as a Dad, will always draw me there.
That Guy will always be That Guy, but I'm not going to let him keep me from following that old trail that leads up the river to so many amazing places. On the river, and in my soul.

 

[Anythingalaska]

I'm glad we don't see much of 'That Guy' here in Southeast. Few people, lots of fish, nice and quiet.

 

[ThatGuy]

I swear I've been home working on projects! Wish I was out catching fish....:shot:

 

[AlaskaHippie]

I swear I've been home working on projects! Wish I was out catching fish....:shot:

Ouch!!!
Sorry Man.

Tho' I did get a good laugh outta the reply.

 

[Roland on the River]

AlaskaHippie, your to be commended. First, I enjoyed you "THAT GUY " stories.

Second, picking up OP trash is very commendable. Who knows, it might become a trend.

Anyway, enjoy a safe summer and thanks for being "THAT GUY" LOL

 

[BlueMoose]

Ugh~ That guy not the one working so hard seems to find his way to the Upper Gulkana way to much as well. As Always Hippie great post and Rock On. About 7 years ago I was drifting some clients on the Upper G when I get to the camp site I am going to use I clean it prior and after its use. Short version of the story: I start a fire in the pit lean over to put more wood in and help it along and some Jack Wagon decided it was a good place to bury a used up repellent can in the old ashes which I did not see and it decided to release whatever is left into my face about 2ft away! If I ever find "That Guy" it will not be a kind conversation.

As stated Hippie Rock On!!!!

 

[AlaskaHippie]

Ugh~ That guy not the one working so hard seems to find his way to the Upper Gulkana way to much as well. As Always Hippie great post and Rock On. About 7 years ago I was drifting some clients on the Upper G when I get to the camp site I am going to use I clean it prior and after its use. Short version of the story: I start a fire in the pit lean over to put more wood in and help it along and some Jack Wagon decided it was a good place to bury a used up repellent can in the old ashes which I did not see and it decided to release whatever is left into my face about 2ft away! If I ever find "That Guy" it will not be a kind conversation.

As stated Hippie Rock On!!!!

That Guy never ceases to amaze.

A couple of years ago I was running a Goodnews float, after leaving the lake the most often used Night 1 Campsite is a fairly short float down to a tributary. We rolled in and I was likewise policing up the area prior to unloading the rafts, and scattered ALL over the campsite where these funky looking cigarette butts. I usually carry a gallon ziploc in my waders for misc trash and I collected em up and put them in it, as we continued down river over the next few days every camp, or fishing hole, we stopped at had these same weird looking (silver and shiny) butts sprinkled around. It really began to piss me off and I kept adding em to the ziploc. Around day 5 we where looking for a spot to stop for lunch when we rounded a bend and saw a camp with gear easily recognized as rental gear from an Air Taxi. As we got closer I could see that the guys in camp where European....I waved the other raft in our group on by and stopped in to say hello.
Sure enough the 3 guys where Swiss, and 2 of em where smoking cigarettes with shiny silver filters/butts. After we exchanged greetings and compared notes on how our respective floats where going I noted yet more of those butts sprinkled around camp.
These guys where raving about how nice and remote the river was, and that we where the only folks they'd seen all trip. I told them I knew they weren't far ahead of us, and that I had expected to see them that day before dinner based on the sign.
One of them asked how I knew we where close to them, and that was the opening I'd hoped for.

"Because it hasn't rained in 5 days, and all of your garbage I've been picking up reflects that it hasn't gotten wet" at which point I pulled the ziploc out of my waders, containing well over 100 cigarette butts, and in not so polite terms explained to them how effing disgusting I found such behavior to be, and that we where getting picked up by the same air taxi, and I would be sure to let the pilot/owner know what slobs his clients where.

As I pushed off and floated by, I waved, one guy waved back, the other 2 where busy picking up butts.

That Guy sometimes runs in packs, and is multinational....

 

[limon32]

I sure wish enforcement would do something with the pictures and fpeople give them of violations, or let a few of us be "volunteer" enforcement who could actually write tickets, its so frustrating watching that kinda crap knowing they'll probably get away with it for their whole life.

I wonder why they don't take some of the concession money and hire a couple summer enforcement guys, I'd gladly pay $11 rather than $10.25 if it helped them hire a few more, plus I wouldn't have those quarters in my pocket!

 

[4merguide]

Oh, and here's an update on That Guy:

Unfortunately, other than the guy with the snagging hook who you probably know how old he was, "That Guy" is probably more like "Those Kids". For the most part (not always of course) from what I've seen, kids are the ones that seem to care less about what they do out in the field, lake, or river. And when I say "kids" I'm usually referring to those around 21 years old or less. For some reason their parents never taught them respect for the outdoors. Maybe we should be saying don't be "That Parent" and teach your kids...!!!

Many years ago on the Kasilof I remember a couple kids, around 15-16 or so that had "camped" (ie partied/slept) on the river bank where everybody fishes. Needless to say they had a pretty good mess laying there in the morning/afternoon when they woke up hungover. We noticed the kids start picking up their gear as they prepared to leave. As we fished, we all kinda looked over our shoulders as they did so and noticed that the garbage wasn't being picked up as well. One of the guys next to me fishing nicely said to them, "Don't forget that stuff too ok?" And they looked at him like he had a third eye. We kept on fishing. A slug of kings came through, the fishing got good, and I/we lost our attention towards the kids.

Next thing, I start hearing this commotion going on up stream. Apparently when we weren't watching those kids took off running up the bank WITHOUT their garbage. None of us had seen them except the guy that had spoke to them. As I watched, I saw the guy, (a big man) who had chased them down, drag those two boys....one in each arm, out into about 3 feet of water and proceed to dunk them quite hardily. He would dunk them, lift them up and say, "You gonna get your garbage now???!!!.......dunk them again, lift them up and say, "You gonna get your garbage now???!!!"...etc... After about the third or fourth dunking, he held them by the shirts around the back of their necks and calmly walked them back to their "camp". Soaking wet they began to pick up their crap.

I know that if somebody was to do that today he'd probably get thrown in jail.....unfortunately. But somehow, someway, people/kids got to start having respect for the great outdoors.

I'm glad it was a warm sunny day that day or those boys sure woulda been cold.......

 

[4merguide]

Oh and btw ......"You must spread some....."

Well, you know......lol.

 

[Anythingalaska]

Unfortunately, other than the guy with the snagging hook who you probably know how old he was, "That Guy" is probably more like "Those Kids". For the most part (not always of course) from what I've seen, kids are the ones that seem to care less about what they do out in the field, lake, or river. And when I say "kids" I'm usually referring to those around 21 years old or less. For some reason their parents never taught them respect for the outdoors. Maybe we should be saying don't be "That Parent" and teach your kids...!!!

Many years ago on the Kasilof I remember a couple kids, around 15-16 or so that had "camped" (ie partied/slept) on the river bank where everybody fishes. Needless to say they had a pretty good mess laying there in the morning/afternoon when they woke up hungover. We noticed the kids start picking up their gear as they prepared to leave. As we fished, we all kinda looked over our shoulders as they did so and noticed that the garbage wasn't being picked up as well. One of the guys next to me fishing nicely said to them, "Don't forget that stuff too ok?" And they looked at him like he had a third eye. We kept on fishing. A slug of kings came through, the fishing got good, and I/we lost our attention towards the kids.

Next thing, I start hearing this commotion going on up stream. Apparently when we weren't watching those kids took off running up the bank WITHOUT their garbage. None of us had seen them except the guy that had spoke to them. As I watched, I saw the guy, (a big man) who had chased them down, drag those two boys....one in each arm, out into about 3 feet of water and proceed to dunk them quite hardily. He would dunk them, lift them up and say, "You gonna get your garbage now???!!!.......dunk them again, lift them up and say, "You gonna get your garbage now???!!!"...etc... After about the third or fourth dunking, he held them by the shirts around the back of their necks and calmly walked them back to their "camp". Soaking wet they began to pick up their crap.

I know that if somebody was to do that today he'd probably get thrown in jail.....unfortunately. But somehow, someway, people/kids got to start having respect for the great outdoors.

I'm glad it was a warm sunny day that day or those boys sure woulda been cold.......

Seriously?! That's awesome!

 

[Fin Chaser]

""To That Guy at the confluence with the baitcaster rig, that had a 2/0 hook with at least a 1oz sinker 3" above it: I really enjoyed the demonstration you where putting on with those RIPPPPPPING drifts!! You where da' MAN! I mean WOW you where hooking 4 fish to my 1....Sorry if my loud braying of "LOOK HE SNAGGED ANOTHER ONE!!!!!" threw you off your game, it was a shame to see you slog off towards the Ferry empty handed....And I swear, I wasn't the one who initiated the applause as you left.....""



Launched at Sportsmans this morning and snuck across to the bottom end of the sanctuary island before heading down river. Plenty of folks lining the bank on the other side. I'm pretty sure That Guy was at it again this morning. Long leader, lots of weight, constantly "setting" the hook. All those around him sure seemed tired of his antics. He was hooking a lot but couldn't seem to get one to shore. Even my nine year old daughter asked me "dad what's he doing?".......

 

[cmo1977]

Thanks for helping clean up the river Hippie. We always try to bring an extra garbage bag down with us to carry out the trash we find.

Did a run down to the Russian yesterday, leaving the Valley around 1430, got to the parking lot (Pink Salmon) at about 1800.

Started at the Falls and worked my way down to the confluence, returning to my rig around 0100. I had the best luck upstream, specifically near the falls, most of the sockeye are holding in the upper stretches, but there ARE fish at the confluence coming through in bursts. It took some work, but I left with fish.

Oh, and here's an update on That Guy:

To That Guy who was drinking Pyramid Ale at some point near the Falls: Awesome brew dude. I picked up the empty bottles you left strewn along the bank and tossed em in the trash bag I carry.

To That Guy who cleaned his catch on the viewing platform upstream from the Red Salmon staircase: I chucked the poorly filleted carcasses into the middle of the current, I woulda added em to the trash bag, but it was early and I wasn't real keen on being a chum bag for Bears.

To That Guy who stepped INTO the hole myself and a few others where fishing: THANKS! We really appreciated you wading right into the pod of sockeye holding there, and I swear, I wasn't aiming for the seat of your waders when I hooked 'em......Twice.

To That Guy who apparently decided to put new mono on his reel AFTER he got to the river, and couldn't quite find one of the dozens of receptacles specifically placed EVERYwhere for discarded fishing line: I picked up that birds nest you left on the island upstream from the confluence, added it to the trash bag.

To That Guy at the confluence with the baitcaster rig, that had a 2/0 hook with at least a 1oz sinker 3" above it: I really enjoyed the demonstration you where putting on with those RIPPPPPPING drifts!! You where da' MAN! I mean WOW you where hooking 4 fish to my 1....Sorry if my loud braying of "LOOK HE SNAGGED ANOTHER ONE!!!!!" threw you off your game, it was a shame to see you slog off towards the Ferry empty handed....And I swear, I wasn't the one who initiated the applause as you left.....

To That Guy who smokes Kools: Menthol? Seriously? I grabbed the empty pack you left in the middle of the boardwalk and added it to the bag.

All in all it was a great time, I got dern near my and my proxies limit(s), came out with a backpack full of filets, and a leaf bag 3/4 full of souvenirs from That Guy.

 

[snowcamoman]

Years ago on the Upper Gulkana I found a campsite that had a bunch of trash left behind. I picked up the garbage and put it in with my trash on the raft. The people had also left behind some of those collapsible camp chairs that they had folded a couple legs on. I tossed them on the raft and floated on down river. Much to my luck, these clowns had their name written on the fabric of the chairs. Two days later we pulled onto a gravel bar that had another couple rafts on it. I chit chatted with them a little and quickly noticed the name on their coolers. I meandered back to my raft and brought back the broken chairs and laid them across their coolers, reminding them that it's a Wild and Scenic River and I'd appreciate it if they kept it that way. They stuttered and lied about "forgetting" the chairs, but they got the point. It's sad what some slobs will trash up and then complain when it's ruined down the road. Good job on helping keep the wilderness cleaned up Hippie.

 

[pyrohobie]

What pisses me off is seeing the same kind of crap down here in NW Michigan. Some horses rears don't give a rats ass what we have here in Northwest Michigan. When the Salmon runs starts-they come up from the cities expecting we need to kiss their rears because we couldn't live without their spending money.

Sorry to hear you have the same type of clowns up there also.

 

[sayak]

What pisses me off is seeing the same kind of crap down here in NW Michigan. Some horses rears don't give a rats ass what we have here in Northwest Michigan. When the Salmon runs starts-they come up from the cities expecting we need to kiss their rears because we couldn't live without their spending money.

Sorry to hear you have the same type of clowns up there also.

Ha ha! I'm pretty sure that your NW Michigan = Kenai Peninsula.