Passing on a legacy

We spend every extra penny of our income and time chasing fish.

If you want to know what’s important to a man, watch how he spends his time. More mornings than not, Butch or I will turnover and say, “You won’t believe the fish I caught in my sleep last night.”

It’s true — we eat, breathe and sleep the adventure of fishing. One of our favorite conversations while sitting on the ice for hours is what would happen if we caught a fish so big it wouldn’t fit through a 10-inch ice hole. It’s a problem dreams are made of, and not a day goes by that I hope it doesn’t happen.

I have noticed that people who specialize in certain hobbies love nothing more than watching someone new come along and become as excited as they are the first time they experience the hobby for themselves. This is true for Butch and I, and is the main reason we launched Ehmann Outdoors. In short, we wanted to be able to share our love for fishing and hunting with a focus on ice fishing with anyone who was interested. Our goal is to introduce and encourage others new to Alaska’s outdoors to become as passionate about it as we are, and simply put Ehmann Outdoors is that platform.

Since October, we have been shocked at how many opportunities we have had to share our knowledge of ice fishing and the outdoors with others. From seminars, to becoming volunteer hunter education Instructors for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, there are opportunities around literally every corner, if you’re looking. People ask how we find time, and as we laugh and look at each other we silently know what the other is thinking; we make time. We are born and raised Alaskans. We love the outdoors. We love being together in the outdoors and want everyone else who is interested to be encouraged to discover the same thing about Alaska — it’s the best place on earth.

As we move into 2013 and reflect on 2012, we want to take a moment to appreciate two significant adventures that happened in the last year. The first was during our dismal king season in the Mat-Su. I have fished Montana Creek for Kings the last 12 years. It’s something I look forward to all winter. I can nearly cry leaving it for the last time in the season knowing I won’t be back for another year. Throughout the years I have come to know the names of the folks I fish those same banks with, and each year when I go back I enjoy catching up on the cards we have been dealt over the last year.

This last summer was no exception other than the really weak king runs. Butch and I had been planning a weekend up north to fish for Lake Trout and we were short a house sitter, so I decided to stay back. After Butch and his cousin were on the road for less than an hour I heard the news; they were going to close Montana Creek for the rest of the king season Sunday at midnight. I was shocked and saddened. I had less than 48 hours to get my Montana fix for the season!

I called Butch to let him know my predicament and he agreed. I couldn’t miss this window to fish, but he also wanted me to take someone along so I wasn’t alone. A quick call to my girlfriend and we were off. As we hiked down to the river I was out of breath telling her stories from the last 12 years. I couldn’t wait to share this experience with her. We fished hard that day and put in long hours. We ended up both releasing a king and I knew I wanted to come back the next day a mere eight hours later to stand on the same banks one last time.

I remembered that Butch had suggested I call our family friend Jess who had just moved to Alaska and had yet to catch a fish. As the phone rang at nearly 10 p.m., I knew one thing for sure; Jess was going to think I was nuts, so when he answered I said the only thing I could think of. “Wanna catch a king?”

To my surprise, Jess was game. I told him to be ready and meet me at 4 a.m. the next morning that we were headed to Montana Creek. I needed to tie up new rigs and set up a couple more rods before we were ready for day two at Montana Creek. Turns out Jess was new to using a bait caster, new to feeling a strike and new to fighting a king. The best part was Jess’s attitude, despite me being a girl, he never once gave me a hard time about explaining the ropes.

It wasn’t a couple hours later and Jess accomplished the mission, he set the hook and all the color left his face, and the battle was on. I knew my job was keeping him calm and the line tight, so I stayed by his side with quick reminders. Luckily for me he’s a natural so he had the fish ready for release in short order. After we released the fish and had several rounds of high fives, I told Jess the bite was on and to hurry up and get back in the water. I was surprised when he sat in a camp chair and folded his arms above his head to declare he was going to take a moment to let it sink in. Right there I chuckled and realized how lucky he was, he just got the taste of IT. The IT that we spend all our time and money on, the IT we dream about when not on the water. I figured fair enough, savor the moment. That day Jess mastered using a bait caster and caught and released two king salmon.

Jess has since gone on to acquire his own gear and fish multiple locations successfully. At the end of the summer I ran across an ADF&G contest called “Get ’em Hooked.” To enter, you had to take someone fishing who had never been before in Alaska. More good news! Jess fit the bill and I entered us in the contest. Three months later I got word that we won the contest!

I couldn’t be more proud. When I got the news I literally screamed in excitement, and I couldn’t wait to tell Jess. Being able to help someone experience catching a king salmon for the first time is high on the list and something I will remember for many days to come.

The next adventure that ranks high on the list happened this last weekend while ice fishing. This winter we had a cold snap early on that helped thicken the ice on lakes around the Mat-Su and make for great ice fishing opportunities with greater access to the lakes. Because the snow had either blown away or was melting, many anglers have been able to drive onto the ice and fish just feet from their trucks. This luxury always helps when bringing younger kids out ice fishing. Keeping them warm and entertained is key, and on this particular Saturday we were excited to have not only our daughters, but a family friend who brought her two kiddos out on the ice as well. We were grateful for the warmer temps and with steady catching we had no problem keeping the kids entertained.

Our daughters have spent more time than normal out on the ice this winter catching fish, so we were all rooting for Jillian, our friend’s 4-year-old, to catch her first fish ice fishing. It helped that Jillian is fearless and surprised us all by not mentioning being cold for the hours we were out on the ice. Along with being a pretty fearless 4-year-old, she’s also determined and was heart-set to not only catch a fish, but figure out how to jig and feel a bite all on her own.

It’s not hard to see what’s so special about this little girl and I thought to myself that this is the essence of why Butch and I do what we do — providing opportunity for kids and adults to experience fishing and hopefully get them hooked for life. My thoughts were broken with a squeal and I looked at the surprise on Jillian’s face.

She had a fish on!

As we all cheered her on she reeled it up and watched in amazement as it danced and wiggled on the end of the line. We always like to see what kids do next … they either reach right in and grab their fish or you can see on their face they aren’t into actually touching the fish and soon lose interest. Not Jillian. She grabbed the fish in one hand, rod in the other and happily obliged as I asked for a picture. The picture says easily 1,000 words in this case and I thank Jillian for giving us yet another memory that we will treasure forever.

When we think about fishing it’s true we think about the fish so big they won’t fit through an ice hole. But we also think about the memories we’ve been able to be a part of. As important as chasing trophy lake trout is, Jess holding his first king or Jillian with her first ice fishing fish are the memories that we will cherish for many years to come. I can’t help but think how neat it will be for Jillian to show her own children the picture with her holding that fish when she was 4 years old.

I hope Jillian and Jess both continue to love fishing and ice fishing, and we hope that fishing becomes part of each of their legacies. If the opportunity ever presents itself for you to take someone new out fishing or to the outdoors on an adventure it will certainly be worth the extra effort.

Jehnifer and Butch Ehmann are local outdoors enthusiasts who live in Palmer.