Fishing For a Compliment

1. "In the early summer of 1991, when looking for guide service on the Kenai, I had the very good fortune to be introduced to a young guide in Soldotna by the name of Jim Rusk.  On that summer afternoon he put us onto a large number of fish and it became apparent that his knowledge of king salmon fishing on the Kenai was extensive.  I learned that he had been fishing the river since he was a young child and knew of areas where fish were holding that other boats never fished.  That knowledge, combined with an unrelenting drive to put fishermen onto fish, set him apart from the other guides on the river.  Over time he has put that same skill, knowledge and drive together to become an expert on fishing the Kasilof as well.  Over the next 17 years, with Jim as my guide, I have caught nine king salmon in the 60 pound class, 2 king salmon in the 70 pound class and 1 king salmon in the 80 pound class as well any number of smaller fish.  Whether fishing for kings in May, June or July: silvers in August and September or rainbows and dolly's in the fall, Jim has always been the guide who provides success.  Over those 17 years he has also become a good friend to the group of us who have had the pleasure to fish with him."   Don Jorgensen Londonderry, NH

I chose Jim Rusk because of the level of confidence he showed when I interviewed him and, every day he showed me that confidence was not misplaced. Our boat consistently caught more kings than other boats on the river. We caught several kings that were 50 pounds or more, including mine that was 62 pounds ( I let one go that was under 50), and when king season was over, we caught our limit of silvers every day. The biggest kings and great silvers are found in the Kenai river, and nobody knows the Kenai river like Jim Rusk.

David Altrowitz

Minnetonka, MN

 I STARTED FISHING IN ALASKA IN 1990, I FISHED WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT GUIDES, WE CAUGHT A FEW FISH BUT AS A GROUP. I THEN GOT TO FISH WITH JIM RUSK,WE ALL CAUGHT FISH (OUR LIMITS FOR EVERYONE) WE CATCH FISH NOW AND TURN THEM BACK SO WE CAN KEEP CATCHING FISH. I FISH ON THE KENAI RIVER EVERY YEAR AND JIM IS THE ONLY GUIDE I WILL GO WITH. I HAVE CAUGHT ALL SPECIES OF SALMON WITH JIM AND EVEN RAINBOWS AND DOLLYS. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED FOR CHOOSING JIM RUSK AS YOUR GUIDE HE IS GREAT.     BRIAN WORKMAN   ALPINE,UTAH.