Working in Alaska with fishing guide company
BY JONATHAN KANE
Wyatt Landrum, a graduating senior at Wood River High School, grew up in the Wood River Valley and has a passion for the outdoors.
That’s probably why he’s so excited to be leaving for Alaska this week for the summer to work with a fishing guide company.
“It’s a dream come true,” Landrum said. “I’ll be what is called a dock hand and we will be on the Togiak River. I’ll be helping with the clients and all their needs and assisting on a variety of tasks.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska for fishing,” Landrum said. “A close friend of mine worked as a commercial fisherman and he told me all about it and it got me really excited. I also have a family member up there that is a helicopter pilot. Plus, I’ll be doing what I love – fly fishing for salmon and trout!
“My dad started taking me fishing when I was about 9 years old,” Landrum said. “I started fly fishing at about 15. My best memory was when I caught my first brown trout at Silver Creek. It was really exciting because it’s a unique fish with a unique pattern and really fun to catch because they put up a good fight.
“Learning was pretty hard,” he said. “It took a few months to adapt to it and learn how to cast and tie knots.
“I got a fly-fishing kit for my birthday and it’s going pretty good. I just tied my first brown drake fly that I’m using at Silver Creek.
“It’s so beautiful down there and it’s really fun because of the slow-moving water,” Landrum said. “It’s also incredibly quiet.”
Landrum also likes to hunt and used the principles of Native Americans for his senior project, creating tools based on their technology.
“I made three arrows and a spear the same way Native Americans created them,” he said. “I got the idea from a friend that is a primitive bow hunter. He has experience and he knows what he’s doing and how to get it done. I really look up to him.
“The arrows were created from bamboo and I made and sharpened an obsidian tip. I attached the tip, after sharpening it with antler tips, with sinew from an animal and pinesap to attach it. Each one took about five hours to make.
“They turned out great,” Landrum said. “They flew really straight and spun naturally. I was really happy that something I could make could actually work.”