Posts Tagged ‘alaska fishing lodge’

Biggest king of the year for Alaskan Resort caught and accidentally dropped overboard at dock.

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
Guide Matt Romaine, Alex Cosmakos, Aaron Day (left to right).

Guide Matt Romaine, Alex Cosmakos, Aaron Day (left to right).

John L. Beath
SalmonNews.net & GoFishMagazine.com
Dateline: June 25 – Prince of Wales Island Alaska, Waterfall Resort – Biggest king of the year for Alaskan Resort caught and accidentally dropped overboard at dock.

After resort guests returned from a long day of successful salmon fishing, two off duty resort employees decided to go fishing for king salmon. Fishing guide Matt Romaine, from Mission Viejo California took rookie employee/angler, Aaron Day, from Springfield Oregon with him. Day had never caught a salmon in his life and hoped to catch a king salmon at least as big as the resort guests brought to the dock every day. Average king salmon in these waters range between 20 to 50 pounds and always have shiny bodies.

When the two anglers arrived at the small bay on the southwestern side of Prince of Wales Island, they quickly baited two rods with cut-plug herring. Earlier in the day Romaine’s guests had taken limits of king salmon mooching cut-plugs within 20 feet off bottom. Salmon from dozens of rivers in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon feed their way south along these shores to provide world-class king salmon opportunities for anglers. This small bay had massive schools of candlefish spawning in the sand which in turn attracted salmon to the baitfish buffet 24/7.

Following Romaine’s instructions, Aaron Day free-spooled his tightly spinning bait 100 feet to the bottom, engaged the reel and slowly began retrieving the bait. While reeling he felt his bait get picked up followed by his rod arcing into the water. At first neither angler knew the fish was the largest king salmon taken by anyone at the resort that year. The battle included long runs and lasted 45 minutes before Day finally brought the big Chinook salmon within reach of Romaine’s waiting net. It took both anglers to lift the fish heavy net into the boat. Following celebratory yells and high fives, Romaine called the resort dock and said they had caught a monster king salmon and would be returning in half an hour.

Word at the resort spread fast among employees and guests. When Romaine’s aluminum boat approached the dock more than a dozen people waited to see the big fish. Dock workers grabbed the bow and stern lines, tied the boat up to the dock tight against the boat’s bumpers. Someone slid a large fish tote next to the boat, just like they do with every returning boat. Romaine reached into his fish box, cradled the big fish and stretched over his boat’s gunwale to drop it into the tote on the dock. The site of the big fish caused an eruption of loud cheers. Seconds later a loud symphony of gasps followed by silence blanketed the dock. The big fish had slipped out of Romaine’s arms and slid between the boat and dock, into 50 feet of cold Alaskan saltwater.

All eyes looked into the clear water with shock. Several bystanders helplessly watched the fish glide underwater away from the dock and boat. Someone yelled, “Get Alex, hurry!”
Alex Cosmakos, from San Clemente California, is a resort fishing guide and avid free diver. Alex came running with fins, mask and swim trunks in hand. At the bottom of the dock ramp Cosmakos yelled out, “I’m getting naked, turn around.” He stripped off his clothes and slid into his swim trunks in about three seconds flat. He then jumped onto the docked boat, put on his fins and mask and jumped feet first into the water. He took two deep breathes, bent into a pike position and kicked hard toward bottom. Cosmakos stayed underwater quite a while, searching for the fish and then spotting it 40 feet from the boat in 50 feet of water. His head broke the surface; he gasped for air and yelled that he found the king. Several deep breathes and another quick downward pike left his fins kicking the air and then water as he propelled himself to the bottom. With the sun setting, he did not have long before it would be to dark to find the king. If he could not find and grab the king now it would be lost forever.

Over one minute later Cosmakos’s hairy head broke the surface. He gasped for air and began side-stroking toward the dock, with the fat, heavy and very long king salmon tightly gripped in his left hand. The scene looked like a scene from Bay Watch, but the rescues swimmer was saving a fish. Three pairs of hands reached over the dock and securely took possession of the fish from Cosmakos – the hero of the day. Cheers erupted on the dock with screams of “Yes.”
The monster king salmon pulled the resort’s certified scales to 63.6 pounds, the biggest fish taken at the resort for the year and the biggest fish for Day, the undisputed angler of the day, week and year at Waterfall Resort. The hero of the day, however, was Cosmakos, the second angler that day to land a 63.6 pound king salmon — with his bare hands instead of baited hooks.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Travel Writer Pete Ottesen Reports on Waterfall!!

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Veteran travel writer Pete Ottesen (standing, left) fished Waterfall in June with retired banker Max Bojiko. Both men are from Stockton, CA. This was Max’s first ocean fishing trip and refers to his visit to Waterfall as “the fishing experience of a lifetime!” Pete details their adventures & catches in Stockton’s www.recordnet.com. Click here to read Pete’s article.

Pete Ottesen Party

Pete Ottesen Party

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Last Minute Rates! A Few Spots Open!! Get In On Big Action!

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Waterfall’s Summer Specials! Don’t miss out on fishing Waterfall this season! A few late July & early August dates still available and Booking Quickly! Contact Mike Dooley now to take advantage of our last-minute special rates: 800-544-5125 or wfreservations@kpunet.net ! Are you the next “Donald Roberts?” Don’t let the “big one” get away, call Mike Dooley now!

Mike Dooley, Reservations Manager

Mike Dooley, Reservations Manager

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Halibut of the Week

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Azmin Ghahreman, San Juan Capistrano, CA,
with his 191.6 lb. Halibut on 7/10.
Guide Everett Athorp.

Azmin Ghahreman

Azmin Ghahreman

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

King of the Day

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

James Kalhorn, Colorado Springs, CO, enjoys his King of the Day photo op! Guide Colin McCrossin. Ryan Warling, Simi Valley, CA, caught a
48 lb. King the same day! 7/14.

James Kalhorn

James Kalhorn

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

To the “Victor” goes the … Largest King to Date!

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Guest Victor Dubois, Henderson, NV, tops the King of Kings Tournament Leaderboard with his 51.3 lb. King caught on 6/18. There’s still time this season to break Victor’s record! Largest King caught at the Resort to date by Staff is the 63.6 lb. King caught by PM crew kitchen chef Aaron Polar Bear Day on 6/23! Victor’s Guide: Kurt Ferse. Aaron’s Guide: Matt Romaine

Victor Dubois

Victor Dubois

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Back to Back KODs! Back to Back Brothers!

Monday, July 12th, 2010
Kirk Brown, (left) & Cory Brown (right).

Kirk Brown, (left) & Cory Brown (right).

Proudly displaying their “trophy” caps for winning Kings of the Day 2 days running are the Brown Brothers. Cory Brown, (right) Chandler, AZ, 34.2 lb. King on 6/27! Kirk Brown, (left) Irvine, CA, 39.3 lb. King on 6/28!

The Brown Brothers

The Brown Brothers

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Waterfall TV Show to Air on Fox Sports West July 11 & 13!

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Michael Fowlkes, Executive Producer, Fox Sports, announced that Waterfall Resort will air on Fox Sports Net West in the Southern Californiz area in July. Special interest & historical stories will be included as well as scenes of the fast-action fishing for which Waterfall is known! Air Times: July 11, 10am and July 13, 2pm.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

They Keep Getting Bigger! 63.6 King Caught at Waterfall! Then Dropped!

Friday, June 25th, 2010
Waiting at the dock!

Waiting at the dock!

Guide Matt Romaine attempts to load the King into the tote.

Guide Matt Romaine attempts to load the King into the tote.

Aaron Day and his 63.6 lb. King pose for the cameras!

Aaron Day and his 63.6 lb. King pose for the cameras!

Alex, Matt, Aaron & the King!

Alex, Matt, Aaron & the King!

The "Jump"

The "Jump"

Matt & Aaron swim quickly to the dock!

Matt & Aaron swim quickly to the dock!

After the jump!

After the jump!

Guide Matt Romaine, Diver Alex Cosmakos, & Aaron Day pose with Aaron's King after Alex's "save!"
Guide Matt Romaine, Diver Alex Cosmakos, & Aaron Day pose with Aaron’s King after Alex’s “save!”
Guide Matt Romaine & PM Kitchen Chef Aaron Day pose with Aaron's 63.6 lb. King caught 6/23/10!
Guide Matt Romaine & PM Kitchen Chef Aaron Day pose with Aaron’s 63.6 lb. King caught 6/23/10!

Guide Matt Romaine, Boat #8, went out crew fishing yesterday afternoon and ended up catching the largest king of his career! Aaron Day, PM crew kitchen chef, affectionately known as Polar Bear, actually hooked it after being told he had 5 more minutes left to fish before they had to start heading home to make curfew. Talk about a 63.6 lb. buzzer beater. Naturally the news hit the camp before they even got back so everyone was waiting at the lower dock for them to pull in. As Matt pulls out the monster to put in his tote, every guide’s worse nightmare happens… he fumbles it. Shock and awe followed by genuine outrage spread like wildfire. Lucky for us, one of our new guides, Alex Cosmakos, Boat #3, is a diver and dove in to retrieve it. The full spectrum of emotions was experienced last night, and it was totally worth it!

Waterfall tradition dictates that when a guide catches his first 50+lb. King of his career he has to jump in. Matt Romaine has caught a 50+ lb. King before but never a 60+, so he had to jump in. In Aaron’s case it was the FIRST King he’s ever caught in his entire life, and it was 63.6 lbs!

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Group of the Week

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Waterfall Tradition! McCarthy Building Companies, Orange County, CA, celebrates Waterfall’s first 50+ lb. King of the season. Victor Dubois (2nd from left) caught his 51.3 lb. King on 6/18/10! Tradition dictates that when a guide brings in his first 50+ King, he must jump into the water upon returning to the dock. The celebration continues for those guests who brought in the 50+ King. They are honored with a champagne toast! Guests include: Victor Dubois, Paul Dudzinski, Ryan Heeter & Shawn Martin.

McCarthy Building Companies, Orange County, CA. Victor Dubois (2nd from left) celebrates his 51.3 lb. King on 6/18/10!

McCarthy Building Companies, Orange County, CA. Victor Dubois (2nd from left) celebrates his 51.3 lb. King on 6/18/10!

  • Share/Save/Bookmark
alaska fishing lodge « Water Fall Resort