Even 12-year old boys can catch big fish in Alaska. The example of Daniel Thorsness who managed to catch a 47 lb. trout at Lake Clarence in Alaska in 1970.

The more than 320 lakes to fish in make Alaska one of the most desirable fishing locations in the world. While Lake Trout is the most common type it is also home to Rainbow Trout, Northern Pike and Salmon.

Alaska houses some of the largest Lake Trout around. It is believed that their massive size is due to the difficulty in catching them. Local anglers focus more on the for sure catch leaving a lake trout for anyone who enjoys a bit more of a challenge.

Lake Trout, which is a member of the char family of fish, is residing in the deeper parts of Alaska’s lakes.

The Alaska Range, Brook Range, Bristol Bay watershed, the Alaska Peninsula, Lake Clark National Park, areas of the Kenai Peninsula, and lakes on the north side of the Chugach Mountains are great locations for lake fishing in Alaska. Some of these locations are very remote and require the use of ATVs, snowmobiles, or foot hiking to reach the lakes.

Insight on the habitat and behavior of the Lake Trout gives the angler an advantage over the novice angler. Some tips:

1. Lake trout can be found near the top of the lakes and shorelines in spring and then gradually further in the deeper cooler waters as the temperature rises.

2. When fishing in shallower water or near inlets or outlets of streams off lakes, use small crank baits, gigs, fly streamers, spoons or spinners.

3. It is a good practice to keep the baits away from the boat to lower the vibration and sound that could divert the lake trout from the bait.

4. During early summer the best fishing grounds are located in the deep cool waters while the shallower waters are best in late fall.

5. Lake trout spawn during September through November.

6. A water temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit or less is preferred by Lake Trouts.

7. Best bait is the preferred diet of the Lake Trout.

8. Killing the catch immediately and letting it bleed in the water is a good way of reducing the possibility of attracting bears. - 14089

Doris Ballamore operates here own fishing website called (http://fishinginalaskaguide.com/) Alaska Fishing where she writes regularly articles like (http://fishinginalaskaguide.com/fly-fishing-in-alaska/) Fly Fishing Alaska.

by Doris Ballamore

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Alaska, too, has festivals of its own. Every state does have one. Alaska has its Alaska Folk Festival which is held every spring, in the good month of April, when the air has warmed up a bit.

The event is practically free; there is no admission fee, any charge for concerts, the dances or any of the other events. It’s an event of humanity for the folks around the state. Everyone is encouraged to join and be a part of the event. Novices, amateurs, professionals and experts are openly welcomed, and there are no auditions whatsoever. Just the submission of applications and its done.

The Alaska Folk Festival is an open event for people of any age. It is usually visited by most people from around the country and around the world. It is a very extensive festival, with its audience of varying demographics, culture, location, age and interest. But the festival caters to everyone and anyone.

The history of the AFF started around 1975, with the title of the First Annual Southeast Alaska Folk Festival. The first event was proven to be a success, thus it had continued on to become a yearly event.

It had went on until the event became a well-rooted tradition for the people of Alaska. The main theme isn’t really of the modern times but the style and culture of the Alaskan musicians. Contrasted with a guest artist, it displays the varying differences and the similarities of each and everyone.

Even then and now, the festival continues to be a non-profit endeavor that continuously brings in crowd upon crowd of performers and culture-enthusiasts. It is a meeting place, a venue for people of one heart; for those who want to preserve and discover the subtlety and art of the Alaskan way.

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by Mercie Hallow

The state of Alaska is famous for its cold weather, snow covered landscapes and diamond willows. Diamond willows are tree barks that can be found on most American states including Alaska. Diamond willows are very pliable and a woodworkers dream. Diamond willows make excellent canes, staffs, walking sticks and souvenir items for your Alaskan trip. Diamond willows are found everywhere in Alaska.

Diamond willows are seen everywhere in Alaska and Alaskans are very proud of this piece of wood that can only be harvested there. Through the woodworkers creativity many things can be done through a diamond willow. Diamond willows can make excellent souvenir items as they are very pliable and soft. Objects can be inserted through them like small clocks and candles. It is also a good toothpick holder, staff and key ring.

Diamond willows can be located at dense areas of an Alaskan forest. Theyre location are sometimes known through mosquitoes. Mosquitoes tend to swarm places that are diamond willow laden. There are also bears in this part of Alaskan forest. A hiker may want to follow specific hiking instructions and precautions to be successful in hunting a diamond willow tree and successful in coming home alive and in pieces. Bears often attack when startled so try not to do anything that can surprise these creatures.

Diamond willows have diamond like designs on its branches. These formations do not really resemble a diamond but are elongated brown colored shapes that are actually the trees heartwood. They are extremely pliable and indeed, a woodworkers dream.

Alaskan Crafts and Fairs Festivals are full of crafts made by Alaskan artisans. These crafts used to be a simple hobby that transformed into a small business. Bazaars are a great place to see small business people displaying and selling their pieces of art. In Alaskan fairs, handcrafted goodies out of diamond willow can be seen. A tourist will most likely stop and buy this piece of wood that is truly charming and useful.

About the Author:

Mercie Hallow is a writer and a hands-on mom who has knowledge about business opportunities at home. Visiting craft shows such as the Alaskan craft fairs will open ones spirit on endless possibilities possible with a creative mind. If youre staying in Alaska, Mercie Hallow suggests checking out the Alaskan craft shows for more homemade goodies done by creative people.

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Here is an Alaskan festival that is more on the focus for wildlife than anything else. The Whale Fest Kodiak.

The Whale Fest Kodiak is a week-long event that features the whales in their natural habitats. Commonly featured are the orcas and the gray whales that pass through the small island of Kodiak, in Alaska. It’s more of a small scale festival, featuring several lectures about the whales, art shows and galleries, movie features, activities by the local schools and by the community as a whole.

The whole event actually lasts for ten days, in celebration of the migratory return of the whales from the Pacific Ocean to the waters of Alaska. The first inhabited stop is the island of Kodiak, off the gulf of Alaska. This is the height of whale-watching, and the visitors are not disappointed by the outcome. A lot of the resident whales aren’t camera shy, and some do well with posing for the cameras.

Admittedly, it is not the festival that draws the crowd in but the mammals themselves, as their population and their immense numbers are a rare thing up in the North. Most tourists consider whale-watching as the center of the festival, and the locals couldn’t digress with this fact. For after all, the festival started with the migratory routes of the whales.

This year, more events have been added to spice up the festival. Scientific lectures, music shows and games to forums; all focused to not only educate the guest, but to entertain as well. The festival also does well to bring income to the island of Kodiak. The community receives a lot of visitors on the height of the festival.

The festival is also a good place for school goers, those who want to see marine action up-close. Most schools take their kids up north for this annual event.

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A lot of crafts endure time. They are the tangible products of a person’s soul and are able to outlast the artist on many occasions. We humans are different from animals in the respect that rather than adapt to our environment, we shape it to our needs. But what if your craft is ephemeral?

One of the more interesting crafts is the art of carving ice sculptures. Ice carving is unlike most other crafts simply because the medium the artist uses vanishes in a week or so at most. All that will be left of the piece are photographs snapped by art-appreciators.

But it is for this exact reason that ice sculpting is very special. That you are able to put a piece of yourself in a chunk of wood is a remarkable skill. But, in this case, an artistic eye isn’t just what is needed to create ice sculptures; due to the unwieldiness of the material, power tools such as chainsaws are sometimes called upon to carve away at the ice. So knowledge of engineering is needed as well as artistic vision.

Because of these many skills, ice sculptures are marveled greatly; sometimes even more so than their more permanent counterparts. Here in Alaska, for instance, there is a World Ice Sculpting event held every year. People from around the whole world gather to this important event to see these fleeting but immortal renditions of talented craftspeople.

Arts and crafts provide a glimpse to the inner artistry of the craftsperson as most are pieces of their soul that live on after the artist. Ice sculptures, on the other hand, can be even more special, because they live far shorter lives than the human hands that shaped them from the block of ice. It is something that will outlast both object and creator.

Ice sculpting is one of the many crafts by the people who live in the largest state. For those interested in hearing more about crafts in general, search for the various craft fairs and festivals in the happening in Alaska this year.

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