Saturday Shoutout / Deneki Does It Right

14 comments / Posted on / by

Ben West with a nice rainbow  Photo by Louis Cahill

Ben West with a nice rainbow Photo by Louis Cahill

I know I shouted out to Deneki just last week, but this is serious.

Today’s shoutout serves two purposes. To share some great Alaska fishing content and to set the record straight on a few things. I hope you will read this and indulge my rant. It’s from the heart and it’s something I care about so thanks for reading.

I f€£king hate river drama! It’s stupid, it’s inappropriate and it’s a waist of time. Attention fishing guides…stop being a bunch of bitches!

I’m sure you all know that I have a long and happy history with Deneki Outdoors. It started as a business relationship, quickly became a friendship and now can only be described as family. It is an operation I know intimately and am proud to be associated with. They are in my opinion, the best in the business.

From the management to the guides and the staff they are a dedicated and ethical operation. They care about their people and they care about the places they fish. I know this first hand and from years of experience. There is a reason that so many folks working successfully in every part of the fly fishing business, got their start at Deneki. Deniki gets it right!

So my ass is on fire this morning because someone is spreading lies about my friends on Facebook. Seriously, I am now having to waist my precious time on high school fishing guide bullshit. I do, however, think it’s important that someone set the record straight.

On the Kanektok river, where Deneki operates Alaska West, the king salmon fishing was closed this season. That’s tough luck for a fishing lodge but they dealt with it. Its a no-brainer for the guys at AK West. The lodge put a self-imposed catch-and-release regulation on king salmon in place a couple of years ago. They lost some clients over it but they did it because it was the right thing to do. Because their conscience told them to.

Someone (a competitive lodge) has started a rumor that the guides at AK West were targeting kings.

THIS IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

I was just at AK West and talk to the guides about the situation. None of the clients were happy about it but they all towed the line and avoided the king salmon. It’s a law, it’s a good law and it’s one that Deneki supports. At least one king salmon that I know of was caught by accident. It happens. A king salmon ate one of my flesh flies while I was trout fishing two weeks ago. It’s unavoidable and the Alaska state troopers know that.

There are two things that have fed this rumor. First of all, many of the AK West clients are Spey casters. They are European anglers who use two hand rods and they fished them at AK West. Most of us know that you can target any species with a Spey rod and that it was not designed specifically to target king salmon. The guys at this competing lodge are gear anglers and may be ignorant to this. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Secondly, an angler who did catch a king salmon, by accident, was caught on video by a friend. He apparently lifted the fish for the video. This was stupid and irresponsible. I’m sure he was caught up in the adrenaline rush of landing a king, but I will not condone it or excuse it.

The fish was released unharmed and I do not feel that this anglers poor judgment reflects poorly on the guides at Alaska west. I know these guys. They are conscientious guides to play by the rules. I know this for a fact. There is nothing more important to me than the ethical treatment of fish. If you’ve read anything I’ve written you know that. I would not associate myself with anyone who did not respect regulations. I would be the first to call them out.

This is only the latest in an ongoing feud between the two lodges. This has been going on for two seasons now and, enough is enough. It’s time to put an end to it. I will say this to everyone involved both on the river and the internet.

Stop being a bunch of high school bitches! You are making us all look bad.

There is nothing more important on the river than respect. The respect you show the fish, the resource and your fellow anglers. If you can’t show respect, you’re a disgrace to the angling community. Take up another sport. We don’t need you.

If you are looking for an angling adventure I can not recommend anyone in the business more sincerely than Deneki Outdoors. I have no dog in this fight, that’s just how I feel.

Now that I have that off my chest, enjoy these great articles on Alaska fly fishing from Deneki.

 

Swinging For Chums

 

Mousing For Trout-Try A Strip Set

 

4 Posts About Rainbow Trout

 

AK West Video by Magnus Jepson

 

Louis Cahill
Gink & Gasoline
www.ginkandgasoline.com
hookups@ginkandgasoline.com
 
Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter!
 

Follow Gink & Gasoline on Facebook:

14 thoughts on “Saturday Shoutout / Deneki Does It Right

  1. The point you are wanting to make is totally overshadowed by your unacceptable language in a public forum. Go look in the mirror and ask yourself who is it that really needs to clean up their act.

    • No one is forcing you to read it, Jeff. If you don’t like it, don’t read the blog. Louis has every right to use whatever language he pleases.

      Louis – I must admit that I think you wrote this a day or two too early. You seem to be a little fired up right now, with good reason. No one likes their friends (or family as you may consider Deneki) being targeted in a malicious way. This post doesn’t put anything to rest though. In my opinion, this post is an extension of the high school drama you are referring to. Your point isn’t lost, but could have been stronger with a little less anger behind it. Sometimes a guy just has to rant, though, I get it. This little mess, on top of countless other examples of stupid drama, are exactly the reason I never want to be in the fly fishing industry. Too few people, far too polarized. I don’t need the politics. I’ll just drink some beer and go fish!

      • I happen to like reading G & G, but yes I do take offense when, in order to do so I am forced to read Louis’ “f” bombs. I note that in the original post there was no attempt to even disguise the “f” word, but in subsequent posts it was changed, but the intended word still obvious.

        This isn’t the first time Louis has pushed the envelope with language in his posts, but this was the first time he dropped the “f” bomb. He has lost my following. The only reason I opened this post under his name was to read your response.

        I hope the management of the G & G blog is following this because I bet that I am not the only one who is put off by Louis’ unnecessary use of bad language. If he can’t make a point without using bad language then he has a problem expressing himself.

        G & G management, take note that I am “voting” by making the choice to not read anything posted by Louis. I look forward to the day that Kent take over the blog posts again.

        Just speaking my piece.

        • None of this counters any of what I said. No one cares if you take offense to Louis’ language except you. Don’t read the blog if you don’t want to. It’s a free country. I’m sure Louis knew the risks of losing readers prior to posting curse words. There are still plenty of readers who aren’t sniveling little b*tches and don’t give a f*ck if Louis swears. I hope I didn’t offend you…

          • We are all entitled to our own opinions and moral standards. Even those who don’t have any.

  2. Great Job! I host trips to AK West too–hands down proffesional! These guys work so hard to set the standard for the rest to follow. This kind of behavior needs to end, not just in AK but everwhere.

    Keep up the good work!

    SK

  3. I have had the pleasure of fishing with Alaska West more than once on the Kanektok and can only and honestly second what Louis is stating here. I do not even know who this other lodge is but I know that the Deneki guys are first class and would never, ever condone what is being rumoured here. I know first hand how respectful they are of regulations.

  4. Because I don’t have an issue with cursing I have no moral standard? Well, Jeff, I hope you don’t fall off your high horse. You’re a pretty long way up there. Maybe you should concern yourself more with yourself and not with others. I bet I treat all people with more respect and dignity than you, and yes I curse often. I live by the philosophy that actions speak louder than words.

    • If you choose to use foul language that is your choice. If I choose to take a stand against it that is my choice. Has nothing to do with being on a “high horse.” BTW, I don’t have a horse and do not consider myself “above” other because of my choice.

      “Nuff said, we need not draw this endless discussion out further.

      • Last week Merriam-Webster added the words, adorbs and amazballs, to the English dictionary. I don’t think the English language is at any risk from me. Sorry if my choice of words or my conviction offends you. They were not meant to be polite. Words, any words, can be hurtful when used with malice. As for profanity, grow up. There are no magic words. I have little interest in convention. I am proud that G&G comes to you unfiltered. You should never doubt that I say what’s on my mind. “The F-bomb” as you call it is likely the most commonly used word in the English language. It is a wonderfully expressive word and that’s why we use it so often. Lastly and truly, it pleases me to no end that you consider G&G a public forum. Nothing pleases me more. You may criticize me all you like and I will let your comments stand, because I respect you. For at least as long as I am doing all the work and paying all the bills on this public forum, I will use whatever language I see fit. I ask that you extend me the same respect. Thanks Jeff. I truly appreciate your support of G&G.

        • Louis:

          You passionately stood up and spoke out against what you considered to be an injustice regarding the folks at Deneki and I respect you for that. As you put it, you are a man of conviction, don’t ever change that.

          I personally believe that our society needs a lot more people who are willing to stand up and be heard and speak out when we witness a person or group who is lying about someone or fostering any sort of an injustice. We have far too many weenies out there who are way too willing to just stick their head in the sand and hope “it” goes away before it lands on their door step to deal with.

          Like you, as for “convention” I could not give a damn less. (that is a Will Rogers punctuation mark) I am personally about as far out of the conventional box as one can possibly be without getting locked up. I have spent most of my life in one stew or another for speaking out and standing up for what I am passionate about and for my convictions. As with you, I don’t think anyone ever has to wonder where I stand on an issue.

          I have enjoyed reading your past posts and have found them both informative and educational. If you look back through the archives, I have responded on numerous occasions complimenting you on a recent post. I took the same liberty to speak out against your use of language. If the “F” bomb is really the most commonly used word in the English language, I personally find that sad. That is one of my passionate convictions and I respectfully make no apology for it. A fine man named Will Rogers once said that there is no greater punctuation mark than a well placed hell or damn. I personally don’t think that Will meant for the “F” bomb the be included in that line of thought.

          You absolutely have every right to use whatever language you want in your posts. I also have every right to hit the delete button on any of your future posts if I see what I consider inappropriate language.

          Respectfully,

          Yr. Irish Frnd. in Oregon.

Leave a Reply to Jeff Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Captcha loading...