Fish tales and the rest of the story

I’ve returned from The Last Frontier with a new moniker: The Halibut Queen.

Yes, my new title is self-imposed, but only because I discovered my aptitude as a fisherwoman. On the day we traversed the fish-filled waters around Homer, Alaska, in our friend’s boat, I was the first one to reel in a halibut. And not just one but two fish on the same line. What prowess, I thought to myself.

I also caught the biggest halibut of the day, a 27-pounder I was sure must be a record-breaker as I fought the mighty fish. I still have the bruises on my leg because I was instructed to anchor the pole on my thigh for leverage. We were only allowed to keep two halibut apiece, so the smaller fish were tossed back into the sea. We also caught plenty of cod.

Here’s what really happened.

Our friends, who regularly fish in and around Homer, know exactly where the best halibut fishing is, so when I dropped my line I immediately had a bite. The fish practically jumped into the boat all afternoon.

I’m really no fisherwoman at all. I don’t like to touch the slimy things, so our hosts put all the bait on my hooks, handled the fish when we reeled them in, and then spent two hours filleting our catch afterwards while we watched. (My husband, the meat processor, is fully capable of filleting fish but recently had shoulder surgery and had to take a back seat during the fishing activity.)

At the fish-processing tables my 27-pounder suddenly looked pretty measly next to the guy who had caught a 104-pound halibut.

Even though I didn’t do anything but hold the fishing pole, it was still a great adventure and we brought home 60 pounds of frozen fish.

On our last day in Homer, the King of Norway arrived by boat after touring Kachemak Bay. Was he there to meet The Halibut Queen? It was my birthday that day, too, and surely word of my fishing finesse and Norwegian heritage already had spread far and wide.

No, it turned out King Harald V was in Alaska to talk with scientists about climate change, not to see me and worship my fishing ability.

I like my version of the story better, and that’s the beauty of a good fish tale. Sometimes the whopper is all in one’s mind.

Demersville artwork finds a home

Two weeks ago I wrote about a huge piece of artwork that featured a three-dimensional wooden town scene of Demersville, the long-defunct town that used to exist about 20 miles from the north end of Flathead Lake.

I promised Charlene Madieros, the daughter of artists Bud and Synneve Reeves (both deceased), I would try to find out what happened to the beloved piece that was featured for many years at the Sizzler restaurant in Kalispell.

Charlene had wanted to buy her parents’ artwork at the auction of restaurant furnishings held after the Sizzler closed, but could only afford to bid $200 and the piece sold for $350.

Even though I mistakenly called the piece a painting instead of a wooden town scene, I received a wonderful email from Kathy Owens, who wrote to say her sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Duane Haugen of Billings, bought the 3-D Demersville scene and plan to display it in their restaurant, the Bull Mountain Grille in Billings. She asked me for more information about Demserville and the artists so they can display a special plaque alongside the artwork.

Charlene was thrilled to learn her parents’ beloved artwork has gone to a good home. She thanked me for my “expert sleuthing,” but all I did was put the word out. It’s the power of the press to bring people together that never ceases to amaze me.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.