Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: Mud Bay offers chance at halibut fishing — without the puking

Reeling ‘Em In: Mud Bay offers chance at halibut fishing — without the puking

Slamming 10 to 40-pound flatfish with salmon tackle in shallow water is addicting.

Reeling ‘Em In: Mud Bay offers chance at halibut fishing — without the puking
Reeling ‘Em In: Snagamania starts at Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon

Reeling ‘Em In: Snagamania starts at Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon

The tides are going to be rockin’ some righteous change-outs

Reeling ‘Em In: Snagamania starts at Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon
Reeling ‘Em In: Not even dinosaur-killing virus can stop Nick from his report

Reeling ‘Em In: Not even dinosaur-killing virus can stop Nick from his report

It’s time to take a look at fishing report for the week of June 25 - July 1

Reeling ‘Em In: Not even dinosaur-killing virus can stop Nick from his report
Anglers fish at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on Saturday, June 15, 2019, at the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Reeling ‘Em In: Bobber snaggers have skills of bread mold

A look at the southern peninsula’s fishing conditions

Anglers fish at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on Saturday, June 15, 2019, at the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Reeling ‘Em In: Blackmouths getting bigger at Fishin’ Hole

Reeling ‘Em In: Blackmouths getting bigger at Fishin’ Hole

Things are much better this season compared to the last go around

Reeling ‘Em In: Blackmouths getting bigger at Fishin’ Hole
Reeling ‘Em In: Chinooks starting to hit at Fishin’ Hole

Reeling ‘Em In: Chinooks starting to hit at Fishin’ Hole

The best is yet to come, if you know what you’re doing.

Reeling ‘Em In: Chinooks starting to hit at Fishin’ Hole
New England Patriots Deatrich Wise Jr. #91 in action against the Los Angeles Rams during NFL Super Bowl 53, Sunday, February 3, 2019 in Atlanta. The Patriots won 13-3. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)

Unhinged Alaska: The big bowl that wasn’t

By halftime they were ready to switch to the highlights of the earlier Puppy Bowl.

New England Patriots Deatrich Wise Jr. #91 in action against the Los Angeles Rams during NFL Super Bowl 53, Sunday, February 3, 2019 in Atlanta. The Patriots won 13-3. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Unhinged Alaska: You think this is cold?

Unhinged Alaska: You think this is cold?

I have received several emails text-mumbling about the sheets of cold air blanketing the area lately. Why, I’m not quite sure. They must be coming… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: You think this is cold?
Unhinged Alaska: A different kind of gift

Unhinged Alaska: A different kind of gift

Dec. 11, 2018 nearly slowed my Christmas spirit roll to a complete stop when Old Man Winter suddenly showed up flinging copious quantities of freezing… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: A different kind of gift
Ponders from an old, semi-benchwarmer

Ponders from an old, semi-benchwarmer

Now that major feasting has morphed into refrigerator raids on leftover stashes left unguarded and not frozen into future homemade TV dinners, it’s time to… Continue reading

Ponders from an old, semi-benchwarmer
Rusty Taylor and his partner, Danny Williamson, carve 50-55 pumpkins annually on Halloween. (Juli Leonard/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS)

Unhinged Alaska: Bobbin’ for Apples

If you take a quick peek around the corner of tomorrow, you will see Halloween lurking there. It used to be a time where diminutive… Continue reading

Rusty Taylor and his partner, Danny Williamson, carve 50-55 pumpkins annually on Halloween. (Juli Leonard/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS)

A different kind of stash

A few weeks ago, my bride picked up a chest cold that was so nasty her coughs and sneezes began to register on seismic meters… Continue reading

The Bobber Boys strike out

Well, Mother Nature certainly has been bouncing through a few schizoid moods lately. One week she came in styling, all gussied up in a fleecy-clouds… Continue reading

The northern horde descends

My wife and I never travel on Memorial Day weekend for three reasons. The first being that we would be heading into a mass of… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: The strange saga of the Roundup Man

I’m starting to think that spring may be finally getting off its ample duff to roll up its sleeves and warm things up around here.… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: Big Duke and the hawks of spring

I have recently rebooted my attempt to meditate and have achieved a personal level of bliss of just under thirty seconds before something goes sideways… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: The Winter Olympics Sleep Deprivation Syndrome

It has taken a few weeks but I can finally walk a few steps without falling asleep while crossing the front room. This newly acquired… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: Shaken, not stirred

So, there I was all kicked back in my recliner surfing the aging buffet of recycled movies on HBO wondering if it was worth keeping… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: High Arctic memories

An old buddy contacted me just after the first of the year and I was a bit stunned because I haven’t heard from him since… Continue reading

Unhinged Alaska: Let’s try this again, Santa

Dear St. Nicholas, I’m certain that you are going to look at the return address before opening this letter and experience immediate blood pressure issues.… Continue reading