Fishing Recap by Long-Time Angler Jim McLendon
Angling Unlimited began running fishing trips over a quarter of a century ago. We’ve earned a long list of loyal customers, many who return every year. In our new blog feature, “Client Stories,” some of our fishing friends share their AU fishing experiences with you and provide insights into what keeps them coming back for more.
Each of these stories is unique. Some of these clients come with family, others with friends or co-workers, and some come alone and join other groups. We have king crazy clients who only come in May or June. We have Coho fanatics who wouldn’t consider anything but the last half of August. Our new blog feature provides our long time fishing friends an opportunity to share why they continue to choose Angling Unlimited over all the other options out there. This client story features Gene and Mary Grommesch of Minnesota.
Three years ago, Gene Grommesch conducted a simple Internet search for “mooching.” He’d done the down-rigging drill on the Great Lakes and wasn’t impressed. He was looking for a more rewarding way to catch salmon. When he learned about mooching, he knew he needed to find a charter company that practiced the technique. His research brought him to Angling Unlimited. Impressed with our knowledge and experience on the subject, he booked a trip for three friends and himself in 2012. He enjoyed it so much that the following year, he and Mike (who also fished on the 2012 trip) decided to bring their wives, Mary and Linda.
They booked a three day trip in late-July to fish with Captain Ben. They stayed in Waterfront Suite D which, like many of our suites, enjoys great views of the water.
“We were quite impressed with the accommodations and the breathtaking view,” said Mary. “After a hard day of fishing, it was very relaxing to sit on our deck, have a drink, grill some fresh fish from the daily catch and enjoy the scenery.”
Gene and Mike both thought the fishing couldn’t get any better than the 2012 trip, but they were pleasantly surprised. They experienced the record salmon run with daily limits within the first two hours each morning. After salmon fishing, they also filled their limits of halibut and rockfish.
“One of the things I like is that you can go salmon fishing, halibut fishing and rock fishing all from the same boat on the same day,” said Gene.
Gene, Mary, Mike and Linda in 2013
A highlight for Mary was catching the largest halibut, which was 65 pounds and because of the slot limit it had to be released. But, that didn’t stop her from retaining bragging rights for largest fish of the trip. They were also impressed with the non-stop action they had salmon fishing. The action kept the crew busy and it was chaotic when everyone had a fish on the line, but they still managed to land all the fish! Their trip was also graced with fantastic weather, which let them enjoy their time off the water equally as much as their time on the water.
“One nice touch was the tent event where we got a chance to meet and talk to other captains, crew, hostesses and clients,” said Mary.
On their flight home Mary turned to Gene and said, “I hope you had a great time with the guys the first year, because you realize now that I’ve tasted the Angling Unlimited experience, you won’t be coming back without me!”
They enjoyed their trips so much that they shared the experience with friends. A few trusted their endorsement and booked trips. In 2014, Gene and Mary plan to bring their son Chuck, daughter Carrie and son-in-law Scott.
“They thought we would never ask!” shared Mary. “We are looking forward to our Alaska Family Fishing Adventure with Angling Unlimited for 2014.”
For more great stories, visit our “Client Stories” page.
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