Here's where we need to keep track of the "improvements" and lessons learned form AK 2008 to improve the experience in 2009...
1. Home made PVC assembled rod cases for stowing assembled rods on the raft so they don't break. We need to make some this winter and send them up to Mike.
2. A bigger tent that all of us can sleep and stand up in. That way if we have bad weather we can just put the chairs in the tent and hang out for a few hours until the we warm up or the weather clears etc.
3. Put the chairs somewhere convenient on the raft so we can easily get them off during the day and sit and relax... one of the biggest challenges was fatique because we'd fish so hard and then get exhausted. If we take breaks during the day we'll be able to fish more effectively for longer.
4. Red bull during the day??? (see #3)
sounds good.
5. Spinning rod for fishing while floating, casting the fly rod while floating was nye unto impossible. Just bring one spinner and we can take turns usinig it.
6. Sterno logs for instant fire- take as many of those as we can bring.
7. A big net for landing those monsters???
8. Better waders and much warmer clothes (of course 09 it will probably be hot and dry the whole time, but better safe than sorry)
9. Cargo net for ease of anchoring down gear in the raft- that would have been a real time and effort saver.
10. Hi Def video camera... Han's vid is so much higher quality than mine, you can really see the difference when you watch on a hi def TV. I may get a new hi def camera before we go.... maybe.... Also, we need to shoot underwater images of fish landing and releasing, that would have really cheeried out some of our fish fighting scenes.
11. Two remote control detonators for fireworks. (Bear Control)some of these things we ought to mail up to Mike, before hand? oh, and more Licorice.
That's what I can remember, feel free to add to it...
12. Updated will- although most of my valuable fishing gear will likily parish with me, someone may want my shotgun and hunting vest and someone will definately want my Bird Dog- you remember that trout pointing son of a biscuit eater, the old Dunstan Retriever!
