Alaska Veterans have a Sterling Time catching Silver Salmon

 The event was sponsored by Elks Lodge #2706 and free to Veterans. Elks member Diane Sinshaw helped organize the event and said they kicked off the day with a hearty breakfast: 

“We served breakfast burritos, biscuits & gravy, orange juice, and coffee…lots of coffee!” 

 

After breakfast, the Veterans boarded the fishing boats, and all had a very successful expedition out on the Kenai River.

“We gave out coats and hand warmers. Then at around 6 a.m., everyone headed down to the boats. We had 10 boats, and there were four anglers per boat. Plus, each boat comes with a guide. A total of 43 Veterans participated, and five of them were Active Duty from Anchorage. Usually, it takes until the afternoon for all the Veterans to catch their limit of two silvers, but today everyone limited out by noon! The earliest one got back at 9:15,” said Sinshaw. 

For some of the Veterans, catching a silver salmon was a radical departure from their previous fishing experiences.

“Several of them had never caught anything bigger than a crappie before. So, catching a silver was a huge thrill. Silvers are two to three feet long and can weigh 15-20 pounds. Some folks call them ‘the dancing fish’ because of the fight they put up and how they leap out of the water,” said Sinshaw.

Chad Sproul, leader of the Elks Lodge #2706, said the “Take a Veteran Fishing Day” is about more than just fishing, though. It’s a chance to reconnect with fellow service members and with nature.

“Fishing is an event that we put on to help get Veterans back out into not only society but out into the wilderness. It’s to get them on the river, and to let them know that there are people who are here for them. It’s a chance to do something besides just sit in the house or kick around town. This is an opportunity to get everybody back together and have that camaraderie again. It’s also a chance to get everybody back out into nature and have a little bit of fun going fishing. Everybody loves fishing,” said Sproul.

Being on the water, communing with nature has a unique rejuvenating power and calming effect. 

“Water has always had such a healing property for many, many people, and so does being out in the wild. Seeing the eagles fly. Seeing the birds chirp. Hearing the water run next to the boat while you’re just floating along. It’s healing for everybody,” said Sproul.

Hal Dryer served in the U.S. Navy from 1976 to 1980. He likes the fellowship as well as the fishing.

“Ohhhh, I had a great time fishing with my buddies here. I'm making new friends all the time with fellow Veterans, whether at the American Legion or the Elks. This is the second year I've been able to partake in these activities here. It's a relaxing time on the river. It’s a lot of fun to just get out with nature and share a few laughs with the guys that are on the boat. It was a perfect day…going out fishing and catching our limit in record time!” said Dryer.

Though there is no official competition between the services, unofficial rivalries sometimes emerge. For the record, it appears that Navy carried the day. 

“There was a little trash talk going on about who was gonna catch the biggest fish or who was gonna catch the first one. But it looks like the Navy did pretty well because I caught the biggest fish and the smallest fish. Go, Navy!” said Dryer.

After the last boats were docked and everyone was back ashore, the Elks lit the charcoal and served up hamburgers cooked on an open grill.

“All the food and beverages were funded by the Elks Association and private donations,” said Sinshaw. 

After enjoying a delicious lunch, talk naturally turned to the topic of next year’s expedition.

“Next year’s ‘Take a Veteran Fishing’ outing will be held at about the same time. We schedule this event around the 11th of September, but it’s always held on a Sunday. So, the exact date shifts a little bit each year. This year was a fabulous success, and we hope to see even more Veterans enjoying this wonderful program next year. Stay tuned for further information,” said Sinshaw.