Alaska Fishing

Clem Tillion, Halibut Cove
	" I couldn't live without fish. We eat it four out of five meals. " Who he is: Alaska resident since 1947. Commercial fisherman, leading fisheries management spokesperson, nine-term state legislator, pioneer of Halibut Cove community. Age: 76 Don't miss: Take a nature tour to Halibut Cove, with a stop at the Gull Island rookery

Why did you come to Alaska?

I came to Alaska on the SS Aleutian in steerage, right after World War II. My doctor thought Alaska would rid me of my malaria - sort of quarantined.

How did you settle in Homer?

My wife was born in California and came up when she was 11 - her folks were gold miners, who came in to Anchorage to build a military base. This is when Nome had 800 more people than Anchorage! We moved out to Homer because Anchorage was so lawless and unsafe - 15,000 soldiers and 9,000 construction workers, 50 men to every woman. Fairbanks didn't have that problem. When I drove there as a single man, police stopped me to see if I had a letter of invitation.

What was Homer like at that time?

Only 300 people in Homer then. When we were first married, the last steamer went out in October and didn't come back until April! There were no doctors, dentists, or electricity. I walked 300 miles to get there, before the Sterling Highway was built.

How has Alaska changed?

Roads and electricity. Electricity made everything possible.

What's one thing you couldn't live without?

Fish - we fish four out of five meals. We didn't know at the time it was so good for us. It's all I could afford. It's what the kids grew up on, but they would rather have had hamburgers and hotdogs.

What's the most challenging thing about Alaska living?

Making your own entertainment. Everywhere else in the world it comes canned to you. It's a good place to raise kids. Not talking about education - talking about self-reliance, knowledge

Who's the most interesting person you ever met living in Alaska?

Hard to come up with just one. Jay Hammond - trapper, bush pilot, former governor of Alaska, architect of Alaska's Permanent Fund, etc. My sweetheart - she's my closest friend, and my banker.

What's one experience or attraction you think visitors have to see in Alaska?

Denali is well worth it if you can get the right ride into the park. If you haven't been to southeast Alaska, Kenai Fjords in Seward are a must! For wildlife, it's second only to Denali.

What's one Homer experience visitors shouldn't miss?

Tours out of Homer are the better than Seward, because the weather is better. My daughter, Marian, has a nature tour to Halibut Cove, with no more than 80 people at a time. You'll go to Gull Island, a bird sanctuary home to nine different species. You can get a lot closer to the birds because of the weather and because they're a lot tamer.

What are top myths that tourists/outsiders have about Alaska?

Visitors always ask, "What do you do here in winter?" Boredom is something that happens to people who live in cities. It's just so busy here - more than you can get done in a day. Constant changes in weather, boats go year round. I try to read occasionally, if I have time! In the summer, the TV never goes on.