The Washington Outdoor Adventure Foundation was contacted in December and told that Natalie’s dream was to harvest a nice elk. The Foundation contacted many hunting operations in Washington, Oregon, and other neighboring states before finding a ranch in Texas that could host the hunt on very short notice. Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions was able to assist in fulfilling Natalie’s dream by sharing the expense of the hunt with the ranch, the Washington Outdoor Adventure Foundation, and others.

The hunt was a great success! In addition to the 7-6 Bull Elk that Natalie took down, she was also able to harvest a gemsbok. After five or six stalks, Natalie was able to put the animal down with a terrific shot!

The Outdoor Adventure Foundation provides hunting and fishing adventures for children under the age of 18 and young adults under the age of 25 with cancer or other life threatening illness. They also provide hunting and fishing adventures for disabled veterans under the age of 40 that are wheelchair bound caused by injury during active service or who have lost a limb during active service. The hunts include big game hunts such as deer, elk, moose, bear and also small game including duck, goose, pheasant and quail. The fishing trips are fresh and saltwater species of many kinds including bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie, salmon, halibut trout and others.

Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions is proud to have helped Natalie realize a dream, and proud to support organizations like the Outdoor Adventure Foundation.

Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions is pleased to announce that author and chef Georgia Pellegrini will be attending this year’s Think Alaskan Pink Ladies Classic at Clover Pass Resort in Ketchikan, Alaska. In addition to participating in the one-day pink salmon derby, Georgia will be attending the seminars and leading the salmon cooking demonstration.

Georgia graduated from the French Culinary Institute before working in “farm to table” restaurants in the U.S. and France, where she drove the heavy farm equipment, harvested the meat and plants for dinner, and prepared the evening’s meal with products fresh from the farm. From these restaurants, she built relationships with the salami makers, fig collectors, and other foragers that arrived at the restaurants. She would journey with these people into the woods and over rolling hills as they collected their ingredients and preserved the food traditions of their regions. The stories collected during this time resulted in Georgia’s first book, “Food Heroes”, which describes the traditions of sixteen culinary artisans across the world.

It was at this time that Georgia decided to get to the heart of where our food comes from – Mother Nature. She bought a shotgun and set her sites on the cutting edge of culinary creativity, weaving the lessons learned in school with the satisfaction of living off the land. These experiences resulted in a second book, “Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time”. The book was named a Best Book of the Month by Amazon and has also been lauded in the New York Times, among many other publications.

The Think Alaskan Pink Ladies Classic is in its second year, following a successful debut in 2011. In addition to the one day pink salmon derby that concludes the trip, participants will be introduced to their Alaskan fishing experience with a day of guided fishing in the waters surrounding the resort, followed by two days of self-guided fishing for salmon, halibut, and bottom fish from one of Clover Pass Resort’s 20’ covered aluminum Thunder Jet boats. The event will include fishing-related workshops designed to not only introduce Southeast Alaska fishing techniques to potential first-time fisherwomen, but to also improve the techniques of ladies that have extensive experience fishing in Alaska.

Entry fees for the event are $1,800 per person. Ten percent of each entry fee will be donated to charity, with five percent being donated towards breast cancer research, and the other five percent being donated to the derby winner’s charity of choice. Included with each entry fee is five night’s accommodations, ground transfers to and from the resort, all meals, one day of guided fishing, three days boat rental, bait and tackle, and fish processing for each person’s catch. In addition, each participant will receive fishing workshops, dockside demonstrations by the resort’s world-class staff, a pedicure, a thirty-minute massage, and a Ketchikan welcome basket.

Clover Pass Resort is one of the longest operating fishing lodges in the State of Alaska, opening its doors in the early 1950′s. The resort is located on the road system about 12 miles north of downtown Ketchikan and on the shores of Clover Passage, a corridor for salmon returning to their spawning grounds each summer. All five types of pacific salmon, halibut, rock fish, and ling cod are available in the waters around Ketchikan. The resort has capacity for 60 guests, with a restaurant, marina, and RV park.

Michael Briggs will be hitting the road again this winter, answering your questions about Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions, life in Ketchikan, and fishing in southeast Alaska. If you’ve stayed with us before, at The Cedars Lodge, Clover Pass Resort, or at Silverking Lodge, be sure to drop by and say hello! It’s always nice to see a friendly face on the road! And if you’ve never stayed at an ASE Resort, drop by our booth, ask questions, learn about Alaska, and take advantage of our show specials – often the best deals of the year!

About ISE: For 36 years the International Sportsmen’s Exposition (ISE) events have presented America’s premier adventure-travel, hunting, fishing, shooting-sports, boat and camping products and services to outdoor enthusiasts at events held during the first quarter throughout the largest western United States markets. Each of the five ISE shows display from 300 to more than 600 leading resorts and lodges, outdoor-product manufacturers, boat dealers, regional and specialty retailers, hunting and fishing guides and outfitters, national and local conservation organizations, state and federal government agencies, and nonprofit groups. Current partnerships with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and American Fly Fishing Trade Association result in booths and show features that appeal to a wide audience, even as the ISE events help those leading nonprofit entities expand their membership count.

International Sportsmen’s Expositions’ reputation as the industry leader in hunting, fishing, and outdoor sports shows is based on our three-decade-long commitment to presenting a broad spectrum of outdoor recreational opportunities as honorable, quality and conservation-informed pursuits.

About OTS: O’Loughlin Trade Shows has over sixty years of experience producing events, including Sportsmen shows in Oregon and Washington. With a packed line-up of family-friendly attractions, new expert speakers and past crowd-pleasers, the Washington Sportsmen’s Show in Puyallup, Washington and the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show in Portland, Oregon are sure to provide a great experience for you or the sportsman in your life. Dozens of experts will be onsite offering hundreds of hours of tips and advice on topics such as archery, elk bugling, fly fishing and double-handed spey casting, the latest in HD sonar, boating and navigation technology and more. It’s the perfect time to begin planning outdoor adventures with professional guides, outfitters and other resources to assist in making fishing, hunting and wildlife-watching trips a reality.

Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions was proud to host the World Fishing Network for ten days this summer as they produced three episodes of “Hookin’ Up with Mariko Izumi”, which airs each Monday on the network. Now in its fourth season, the show follows Mariko around the globe to the best fishing spots on the planet. It was only a matter of time before she ended up in Ketchikan, the Salmon Capital of the World.

The show will put the spotlight on ASE Resorts, with a full episode being devoted to each property: The Cedars Lodge, Clover Pass Resort, and Silverking Lodge. The episodes also highlight the community of Ketchikan, as local artist Ray Troll, local author LaDonna Gundersen, and others join Mariko for a day of fishing and other activities.

The network was so happy with the results of their shows in Ketchikan that season four kicks off with Mariko’s Alaskan adventures. The season premiere takes place at 7:30 pm EST on November 7, 2011 when Mariko visits Silverking Lodge. The Cedars Lodge episode will follow on November 14, with Clover Pass Resort being featured on November 21. Check local listings for the time in your area.

Be sure to tune in this fall for the fourth season of “Hookin’ Up with Mariko Izumi” and get a peek at your favorite Alaskan fishing lodges. If your cable company doesn’t carry WFN, click the link below.

Congratulations to our own Tonja Borer, and her husband Joe, as they welcome a new addition to their family! Born just after midnight this morning, Karsen John Borer weighed 9.5 lbs and measured 20.75 inches as he came into the world. Both mom and baby are doing great!!

John Swan, who won the cumulative weight prize last year with teammate Joe Griffin, took home the prize for biggest fish with an 11 pound coho! Clover Pass Resort crew member, Marie Crane, finished in second place with a 10.5 pound silver.

The cumulative weight prize went to Ryan and Anna Sinkey, our friends from Experience Alaska Tours. Between the two of them, they caught nearly 100 lbs of salmon from the waters in front of Clover Pass Resort, which I am sure they will enjoy as an alternative to all the dungeness crab they get to eat!

In addition to the prizes for fishing, door prizes donated by Knudson Cove Marina, Signature Seafoods, and Lighthouse Tesoro Services of Ketchikan. Silverking Lodge‘s Kelsi Cluff shows off the new rod and reel she won in the picture above.

Congratulations to everyone who participated. Thanks to the efforts of our crew, we can close the door on another successful season at Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions!

August 15, 2011 – Ketchikan, AK – Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions has wrapped up its first annual “Think Alaskan Pink Ladies Classic”. The charity event, held from August 10 through 15 at Clover Pass Resort in Ketchikan, included guided and self-guided fishing, workshops and demonstrations, and culminated with a one-day pink salmon fishing tournament.

“We had been trying to put all of the pieces of this event together for a few years and are very pleased with the way things ultimately turned out,” said Russell Thomas, Clover Pass Resort General Manager. “We felt like our team accomplished a lot of our goals when everyone that participated insisted we set the dates for next year’s event so they could plan on attending.”

Thomas started the planning for the event after talking to numerous ladies while planning trips for the guys in their lives. “I would always say, ‘There’s still room on this list for you,’ and a lot of times the responses were, ‘This is a guy’s trip,’ or, ‘My husband won’t show me how to fish,’ or ‘I would never be able to do that on my own.’ I always thought that if we provided the right setting where women felt like they could ask a lot of questions and get some actual hands-on practical experience, those barriers would be removed and the fear of the unknown would completely go away.”

The fishing-related workshops were designed to introduce Southeast Alaska fishing techniques to potential first-time fisherwomen and to improve the techniques of ladies that already had extensive experience fishing in Alaska. A salmon fishing seminar taught by mother/daughter Ketchikan fishing experts Louise & Misty Pattison started the week off, followed by a knot tying seminar, a cooking class specific to salmon and halibut, as well as practical hands-on boat and gear demonstrations on the dock.

“All of the classes were terrific,” said Jen Elliott, one of the Ketchikan women that signed up to be part of a team. “The teachers were enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and made everyone feel very comfortable, like there were no stupid questions. I’ve fished some with my husband since moving to Ketchikan but still found there was so much about fishing that I could learn.”

It was determined early on in the planning stages that some of the charity work would benefit breast cancer causes. Thomas’s mother, grandmother, and Aunt are all breast cancer survivors. “The cause of educating women, promoting early detection and treatment, and of ultimately finding a cure for breast cancer was something that we knew would not only be important to women in general, but is also something very personal to our family and to our organization,.” Thomas said.

However, Thomas and his team also wanted to find another way to make the event even more personal for the participants. During a brainstorming session they determined that half of the charity proceeds would be donated to breast cancer causes, and the other half would be directed to the tournament winner’s charity of choice. The idea was a hit with tournament participants who signed up representing a host of well-deserving charities including the First City Council On Cancer (Ketchikan, Alaska), Wounded Warriors Project, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and Make-A-Wish Foundation, among others.

Eight team comprised of thirty competitors fished on Sunday, August 14, raising over $5000 for charity. Pam Thomas, a breast cancer survivor herself, landed the winning pink at 4.6 lbs. Her fish netted her charity, the First City Council on Cancer, over $1300. Ms. Thomas’ charity stood to benefit even more, but befitting the spirit of the tournament, she donated half of her portion of the proceeds to the charities of the two women who tied for second with 4.5 lb entries. Cindy Nash (Orange Beach, Alabama) took home $650 for her charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, as did Sylvia Johnston (International Falls, MN) for her charity, the Koochiching County Health Department Dialysis Center.

The tournament attracted the attention of Fishin’ Chix marketing director, Captain Hallie Burnett.  The Fishin’ Chix is a national women’s fishing organization dedicated to providing women access and opportunity to fish.  “The Think Alaskan Pink Ladies Classic embodies the Fishin’ Chix motto to “join the fishin’ sisterhood” in many ways,” said Burnett.  “The slogan for our own tournament series, the Pink Rubber Boots Ladies Fishing Rodeo: ‘No boat, no gear, no experience? No problem!’ was incorporated perfectly into the Think Alaskan Pink event. Both tournaments invite women of all ages and skill levels to participate and both are turn-key fishing adventures that makes it EASY for ANYONE to try this awesome sport.”  That was exactly the type of events Chix founder, Claudia Espenscheid, envisioned when she formed the Fishin’ Chix organization and the reason the Think Alaskan Pink event was an attractive addition to the organization’s calendar.  “The success that the Fishin’ Chix from Minnesota, Illinois, Florida and Alabama experienced at the Ketchikan Ladies Classic is proof that Miss Espenschied’s vision is now a reality, and I was very happy to be a part of it.”

Thomas and his team are already making plans for next year. “Although we accomplished a lot of what we had hoped to, this event triggered a lot of ideas about the kinds of things we could do to make it even more meaningful for participants next year. We’ve already started planning for what promises to be another fantastic week of events!”

Clover Pass Resort is one of the longest operating fishing lodges in the State of Alaska, opening its doors in the early 1950′s. The resort is located on the road system about 12 miles north of downtown Ketchikan and on the shores of Clover Passage, a corridor for salmon returning to their spawning grounds each summer. All five types of pacific salmon, halibut, rock fish, and ling cod are available in the waters around Ketchikan. The resort has capacity for 60 guests, with a dining room, marina, and RV park.

Largest Pink Salmon – Individual

Pam Thomas

Most Cumulative Weight – Team

Pam Thomas

Jaylyn Merrill

Liz Thomas

Barbara Johnson

Largest Pink Salmon – Senior

Sylvia Johnston

Largest Pink Salmon – Youth

Dyllan Borer

Largest Silver Salmon – Individual

Donna Burke

Dates for the 2nd Annual Think Alaskan Pink Ladies Classic

August 7 – 12, 2012

To see more pictures of the event, check out Clover Pass Resort’s Facebook page.

And for up to the minute news about fishing in Ketchikan, follow us on Twitter: @KetchikanFishin

The Cedars Lodge on Facebook

Clover Pass Resort on Facebook

Silverking Lodge on Facebook

In 1776, the founding fathers created their vision of a free nation and instituted it by signing the Declaration of Independence. Today, we celebrate the unalienable rights given to us as Americans: the right to life, to liberty, and to the pursuit of happiness. Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions salutes our flag, our soldiers, and the United States of America, and we wish you all a very happy, and safe, Independence Day.