The fishy bounty of 2006 makes this a joyfully difficult time to be an Alaska angler.

Do you head south from Anchorage to intercept the red salmon pouring into the Kenai River almost a million strong?

Or do you point the motorhome north to the streams along the George Parks Highway in search of the silver salmon that stormed through Cook Inlet while commercial fishermen were beached by what seemed like a disastrous Kenai River red run early on?

Or maybe you want to go east to Valdez where the charter halibut fleet is now making its mark with big flatfish. A Valdez Halibut Derby record 344 pounder was hauled up the docks on Friday, putting Valdez -- at least momentarily -- ahead of the Homer Halibut Derby in the monster fish category.

But wait, there's more.