Phil Lilley

Gas is 2.79 up here. Lots of things are cheaper- go figure???

Yea- I'm surprised. By now I thought you guys would have posted your pics and fishing reports and all... I thought you were going to have a pretty good number attend. I was hoping to hear all about it before I left for King Salmon but I'll guess I'll have to wait I know Mr & Mrs Ducky were excited. I knew it was their anniversary but didn't know it was their first! No wonder they're still making goo-goo eyes at each other! John- did the water cooperate for you? We leave for KS this afternoon at 1 pm (4 pm your time). Weather has been summer-like for AK... sunny, light breeze and 65. We'll see what KS has to offer.

Day #2 Slept in till 5:30 am (8:30 at home). Headed to Seward, AK and took a 6 hour cruise out to see some animals. The drive over was beautiful and the cruise was too. Snow covered mountains everywhere. Short story - cause it's 2:22 at home and I'll feeling it! This is just a taste of the drive over. This is the dock at Seward and the boat we took out. Sea Otters Orca Whales- 3 pods of 2-4 in each pod. They were following the salmon in. Seals- sleeping by day and feeding at night. The name of this glacier slips my mind but it was a 1/2 mile across and 300 feet high at the water. We saw small pieces fall and it kept making pop sounds as loud as a canon. Very cool. Saw 3 Humpback Whales but this is the only one that would show his full tail. This is our crew. We saw eagles, black bears, doll sheep, wild goats, puffins and lots of other birds. Couldn't take enough pics of the islands and mountains but didn't do them justice. Shopping for a few last minute items in the am and heading to King Salmon at 1 pm- be there at 2 pm. Then off line for a while. Hope to be on again soon. Blessings!!

I agree on the 5/15 no gas thing... it's something people have to try to think they're doing something. As for our rates... our base rate is set pretty low. I feel we're doing alot of people a service keeping them as low as they are. I feel like we could raise our rate 50% in the 'season' and fill up just as fast cause again, they aren't building resorts on this lake anymore, they're tearing them down. But it's not my desire to do that. We make a very good living and so do the people who work for us. I'm not in this life to see how many toys I can accumulate, actually I like giving them away (where needed).

ok- showing my mental aging. AARP not AAA You know...

Being in the 'room' business, I understand why they do it. It's supply and demand- economics 101. At the end of the year, a motel has to make a profit to stay in business (simplified version). Because Joe on the corner is getting $29 per night in a slow time a year, most everyone else with the same amenities will get the same rate. But when everyone's full and there's big demand, motels 'make up' for the low rates and get higher rates, when they can get it. Hopefully the average rate meets their budget. We started at the very beginning to set our rates as low as our budget could stand with a flat, year-round rate. Why? Cause it's much simpler to remember one rate than a bunch of rates. That and we can get away with it. We offer amenities that no one on the strip can match so we have little competition. We can get $59 in the dead of winter when some motels get $19. Then we get $59 in the peak of season when a simple motel gets $79. But then we're not 'normal'. Don't even get me started on AAA (AARP) discounts. We've always tried to give young families a discount and NOT the retired folks. I always figured AAA(AARP) -aged people have had their chance to build a nest egg but younger people have not had the time and need alittle help, esp with kids. That's why we don't charge for kids under 18 (as "extra"). But I have to say, we got our AAA (AARP) cards not long ago- I told Marsha I'd never use them. The FIRST time she called and got a room in St Louis, she mentioned AAA (AARP) and got $40 knocked off the rate. It ticked me off they'd charge that much more for non AAA (AARP) members (younger people) but did I take the discount- you bet cha! yes this was edited...

Cooper Creek would be perfect I'd say. If you want to concentrate on just the trophy area, take out at Riverpointe Estates but it will cost you a couple of bucks.

TroutBeads.com have mottled up some of their eggs. Don't have to paint them with nail polish like we did last year. They really look great.

"Fished a tournament that year at red 11 on Grand. Water was 4-5 ft deep in there motel " That's why we didn't buy Red 11 back in 1979... we looked seriously at it but the mold and threat of flooding every 4-5 years made it an easy decision. Did catch a bunch of crappie off their dock while camping at the resort (they weren't open so I stayed in a popup in the parking lot).

I am new at this Alaska fishing but hopefully I'll learn a bunch this summer. I would say eggs, leeches and flesh for rainbows. Bright streamers in pink, purple and red for silvers. There's dozens of names of silver flies... but the brighter they are the better, esp in milky, glacier water. We use beads for rainbows. http://troutbeads.com is a great place to get them.

I'd say pray for clouds and rain. That's when the whites come up the best.

My wife's folks are from Greensburg/Mullinville, Ks. We were just out there a few weeks ago for her grandmother's funeral. I've spent alot of nights in the Best Western Motel hunting and visiting... it's one of the only buildings standing in the town.

I leave in 14 days... bought my Samsonite bags today and have my stuff laid out. Boxed them up twice already but changed plans... I'll learn. You know- this stuff should be plan on the COE site. If not, I need to put a FAQ page together on TR. This is one thing that needs to be put out there cause I have seen people swimming off the south side. I thought it was odd. Should be signs at least! What were the fines?

For those new guys and even the absent minded old ones (like me)- I have a new batch of OAF bumper stickers on order, free for the taking. Just PM your mailing address and I'll put one in the mail. Phil

One of these days I'll hire Sam- would love to fish with him. Just need to find the time.

Levi will be sporting a OAF has next time we go fishing. Gotta keep as neutral as possible

Much brighter morning this am than Wednesday. Much less topwater action, more boat traffic. Started close to the Belle with grubs and swimming minnows and first cast Levi hooked a smallie. We worked several gravel banks on both side of the big boat and caught 9 SM and a bunch of gogs. No keeper SM- coupld of 14's. Hit one spot where there was a rock formation off the bank in 10 feet of water and there were fish all over it. Fun time but no whites. Bill said they weren't coming up till 9-11 am but I think today's going to be too nice a day for them. Left at 8 am. Nefews Ryan and Levi with a couple of gogs. Ryan said I would take a pic of his smallest fish.

I do like the idea of using ethanol even if it's the same or more than gas/oil. But the jury is still out on ethanol- how it's made and all.

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you've done well. Like I said, I'm not sure if the SM are done spawning... I didn't see any signs of activity nor did I see any females with big bellies. They were all cookie-cutter in shape.

You guys must be over 50... time for a checkup?

Terry- did you get that off KY3's site? KY3 is trying to get me to do some advertising with them and they sent me some links... I noticed that all their fishing info came out of Arkansas! And this was one.

This is how I see it. Before the internet, what did you have? Word of mouth, newspaper and radio. The internet offers almost EVERYONE a chance to get and give current and detailed information on just about anything. Unless you had a party line to hundreds of anglers, you wouldn't know a fraction of what you can learn on the internet- a forum like this and many others. But even with a party line, if no one spoke, it's useless. Sorry, for those youngin's who don't know what a party line is- look it up! What I'm getting at is no report is dumb or insignificant. For many who don't register or post, typing is a problem and writing/spelling is another. Some people have a hard time navigating a forum. I am, for one, appreciative of all who type out a fishing report- any reports. And I know there's hundreds of others out there that feel the same way.

Dan has reported problems with email notifications not working- does anyone else have problems with it? He said it stopped after we switched servers last week. Thanks!

Yesterday was a great fishing (catching) day. Weather was perfect!

I do! Would love to see it.