Steve Merlo: Father-daughter Alaskan excursion is quite a catch
| Thursday, Jul 23 2009 09:44 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Jul 23 2009 10:15 PM
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Bridget Carver proudly displays her very first King Salmon, whopping 44-pound fish taken on a recent father/daughter adventure to Sitka, Alaska.
Gabby Tkac and Bridget Carver of Bakersfield show off their day's limit catch of 45- to 80-pound halibut taken out of Sitka, Alaska.
The halibut, rockfish and salmon were definitely biting last week when Andy and Nicole Paulden, Steve and Megan Starbuck, Craig and Bridget Carver and Jon and Gabbie Tkac ventured north to Sitka, Alaska for four days of family bonding, relaxation and fishing.
Guided by Kingfisher Outfitters, the father/daughter group found the excursion very much to their liking. After a short walk to the boat each day from their lodge, each party member managed to catch their limits of Coho and King salmon, assorted rockfish, and literally a ton of great-eating giant halibut.
"It was a chance to spend some quality time with our daughters," said Jon Tkac, a local area businessman. "We ate good, had a great time and caught lots of fish, including quite a few whoppers. My daughter Gabbie managed to catch a 33-pound King salmon and then topped that with an 82-pound halibut, all by herself. Kinda makes the ol' Dad feel real proud..."
Gabbie Tkac wasn't the only one reeling them in. Nicole Paulden landed lots of big silver salmon along with some giant halibut, while Megan Starbuck tried to sink their boat with large salmon and even bigger flatties. Bridget Carver captured two huge King Salmon weighing 40- and 44-pounds each, along with a limit each day of halibut ranging from 40-75-pounds.
"Daughters who fish---kind of a neat principle, isn't it?" added an equally proud Andy Paulden, partner in a local CPA firm. "And the girls say they're ready to do it again next season."
"It was a special opportunity for us to spend quality time with our daughters in a non-typical location--Alaska! It was one of the most memorable times I ever spent with my daughter Megan," offered Steve Starbuck, another Bakersfield-based businessman.
"We work hard so we can do these things with and for our kids," said Craig Carver. "The girls all had a super time, even when they weren't reeling them in. The food, the service--well--the girls have already informed us that we're all going back next year. The trip really brings things together for the family."
Which, to this writer's way of thinking, is the only way to go. Take your kids fishing--not necessarily to Alaska--but somewhere where you can both share in the outdoors and all it has going for it. And probably the worst thing that can happen is that the communication between parent and child will grow even stronger than the one the kids have now with their computers and X-Boxes.
I've often said that it is the women of America, rather than our kids, that will save our hunting and shooting heritage. Each year, thousands upon thousands of women are picking up the shooting sports with or without an old man tagging along, and I think it's great and about time.
LADIES-ONLY SHOOT SCHEDULED
Okay girls, it's now time to put up or shut up. The Kern County Gun Club, in conjunction with the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited, has scheduled a Ladies-Only trap and skeet shoot for Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Kern County Gun Club. Beginning at 8 a.m., the shoot will pit both beginner and experienced shotgunners against each other in a Lewis System, which gives every individual a chance to win.
By the way, even if prospective shooters do not own a shotgun, there will be plenty of loaner guns on hand, so no excuses! Come on out and have a good time breaking clay birds with the rest of the gals.
The cost of the event is only $40, which includes all targets and lunch. Shooters will fire 25 trap and 25 skeet targets in a day filled with shooting fun, great food, lots of prizes and huge raffles. Contact Cyndi at (661) 765-5818 or (661) 205-8569 to sign up or garner more information on this neat experience.
The Kern County Gun Club is located on the north side of the Buena Vista Lake Recreation Area fence, approximately one mile west of Enos Lane. The gun club, a state of the art shooting complex, offers trap, skeet, 5-stand and a top-notch sporting clay field.
The club is open for practice from 11 a.m. Wednesdays until 7 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. The grounds are closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
HUNTER SAFETY COURSE OFFERED
Just in time for opening day of dove season, Kern Shooting Sports will hold a hunter safety course on Aug. 15-16. Call (661) 325-8725 for more information.
