By Clyde Noel

Fishing is a waiting game. You watch your rod tip and jump, and when the tip inches toward the water surface, you start reeling in your salmon.

World traveler Dick Henning said Alaska is the only place to fish as he reeled in his limit of 18 coho silver salmon last month. Others in the eight-member Los Altos fishing party caught their limit of coho, halibut and a sprinkling of true cod, plus two 16-pound king salmon.

The Los Altos fishing group spent the last week of August in Alaska at Whaler’s Cove, a fishing village southeast of Juneau. They also visited Mendenhall Glacier and Red Dog Saloon.

Dropping No. 4 spinners for coho and circle hooks into 250 feet of water for halibut, everyone in the party brought home a 60-pound box of silvers and a 40-pound box of halibut, lingcod and king salmon.

Most of the Whaler’s Cove boats caught their limit of coho (six per person) before noon and then headed into deeper water to chase halibut and lingcod.

“It’s the way fishing is meant to be,” said Jim Sievers of Los Altos Hills. “At least once or twice in your lifetime.”

Dick and Sharon Powers opened Whaler’s Cove in 1986. They still operate it today. When the floatplane arrives from Juneau, Sharon greets everyone with a welcome hug.

The lodge is wedged between towering conifers on tiny Killisnoo Island in southeast Alaska. Inside the lodge are taxidermist examples of wild life in the area.

Your bags are taken to the rooms while you enjoy a buffet and make your own lunch. You purchase a 5-day Alaska fishing license. Fishing boat assignments are made and you are fishing by 9 a.m. the day you arrive.

Fishing is done in protected bays and fjords and fresh water fishing up small tidal rivers is by fly-fishing.

Daily fishing logs are kept for more than 20 salt-water bays and fishing grounds. Guides know what runs each month from records.

Pink salmon arrive by the millions in June. Chums arrive in two runs, one in June and one in late August. Chinook fill the rivers in mid-July while coho peak in late August and September. Halibut, Dolly Varden, and lingcod are available all season.

Fishing each day is different from the previous day.

You leave in the morning fired-up with promise and anticipation of a new area and a new experience better than the previous day.

“It’s a freezer-filling experience,” Farrell said. “I’m beginning to release some back in the water because I couldn’t carry all of them home.”

Humpback whales feed on herring and killer whales patrol kelp beds. Bald eagles perch and watch from pilings and bears look for salmon. Along with fishing, it’s a study in nature as you look to the banks.

It was a pleasure to have Tom Aubertine as our guide. Aubertine is a retired school administrator and lead guide for Whaler’s Cove. Along with teaching us fishing skills, we learned a lot about the Alaska school system.

Other members of the fishing trip were, Guy Farthing, from Cupertino, and the writer of this story.

For more information on Whaler’s Cove log onto www.whalerscovelodge.com or call 1-800-423-3132.