96-year-old woman catches 35-pound king salmon on Kenai River
Published Thursday, July 10, 2008
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Stumble It!KENAI -- Les Anderson may have reeled in the largest fish on the Kenai River, but if records were kept for the oldest person to catch a fish, Lois Tucker might take the prize.
Tucker, who will be 97 in October, fished the Kenai River for the second time ever on July 1 and reeled in a 35-pound, 41-inch-long king salmon all by herself.
"When I got my big fish I sure whooped and hollered," she said. "My son filleted it and we froze it and I'm going to have a fish fry for my Sunday school class."
Tucker came to Alaska from Grand Junction, Colo., for the summer to visit family and friends. An avid angler, Tucker said she fished in Valdez and Seward and had fished at Anchor Point before her Kenai River trip.
Soldotna guide Tim Hiner, owner of Tim Hiner's Fishing Alaska, took Tucker, her son Dwayne and his wife, Darlene, out on the river on July 1. Tucker said Hiner had taken them up and down the river for about two hours when the king bit.
"We have to set the hook and from then on it's my gosh and golly," she said.
Tucker landed the king, while Darlene snapped pictures, she said.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience," she said.
According to a letter written by Darlene, Tucker's fish was a fighter. The fish kept getting heavier and Tucker tried hard to keep her pole tip up and reel. Dwayne Tucker held the pole up while his mother reeled and when the fish made it into the net, Hiner turned it over to Tucker.
"I got him, I got him," Tucker said. She gave Hiner a big hug. "Boy, wait until I tell my Sunday school class I got my fish. And is he a big one!"
After 31 years guiding, Hiner said Tucker is probably the oldest person he's taken out on the Kenai. He's guided about seven people over 90 years old, but the oldest was 94, he said.
"That lady was such a sweetheart," he said. "She fished two weeks ago and had such a fun time. She would be such an encouragement to so many people who are thinking about doing it who are think they are too old or handicapped."
A few of Hiner's customers that are over 90 brought in kings, but he said Tucker may have caught the largest one yet.
"I never had a person 96 years old," he said. "And here she is a lady. I told (Dwayne) you guys ought to put a picture of your mom in the paper."
Tucker said it took a lot of hard work reeling her fish in, but she didn't want any help.
"She said he's mine and I'm bringing him in," said Nori Wilks, a friend of the family from Ninilchik.
Wilks said Tucker went clamming in Ninilchik and brought home some big clams.
Darlene said they'll stay in Alaska for another six weeks. Tucker wants to visit Katmai and Kodiak to see the bears, she said. Tucker also wants to try her hand at another fish, she said.
"We'll see if we can top that one," Darlene Tucker said.
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Amazing...
Way to go.
Whoooaaa. Way to go! Never too old to have fun fishing.
Way to go, Lois Tucker! You are an inspiration to us all! And, teaching Sunday school too. I'd love to see a picture.
WAY TO GO GRANNY TUCKER!!! Your never to old to enjoy Alaska fishing.
That is just too cool, I hope I'm that active & feisty at that age!
good for her!
Give a woman a fish, and she eats for a day.
Take your grandma fishing, and the whole Sunday school class gets fed!
What a great story!
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