Phil Lilley

They're taking one of the bridges out at this exchange so if you're planning a trip to Branson, take another route. Traffic is supposed to be backed up for miles. If you're coming from the west, take James River Express, highway 60 and loop south of Springfield. Not sure about people from the east... but I'd avoid this intersection at all costs. Driving 20-30 miles out of the way is much better than sitting in traffic for 2-3 hours.

We were in one of our pontoons. When you said docks above RB I thought you may have been up where we were. Did you get a water temp?

Did we see you out yesterday? We made it down as far as the gold mine.

This morning our water is brown. I was over at my nefew's last night and it rained but it must have rained alot harder here. They'll need to run some water today to wash it out. Otherwise, the fishing has been pretty good for most. I've seen alot of rainbows cleaned anyhow. Maybe Billy-Bob has some insight.

Pretty cool... the cameraman needs a unipod! He's into the music way too much Thanks for sharing.

catfish- the camp site is http://naknekrivercamp.com There should be some pics there. There's not much to the camp... the neighbors have placed some annoying containers close to Jim's property line and then there's the "Pink Palace" which is close to the cabin which looks terrible. Takes away from the "great outdoors" theme of the place. But until they're moved, we can't do much about it. Jim calls is a "camp" for a reason. It's not fancy. The fishing is the best part of the package. But in time, the camp will improve.

I netted it, put in the live well immediately to keep alittle bit cause I don't like to net a fish, take pics and then release. The livewell was aerated very well with the same water it was caught in. I know browns get stressed easier than almost any other fish but this one must have had a heart attack or something. It didn't make it.

Took the girls to Belks to shop and me, Coy and Joe Howry went bass fishing. We'd done well across from Blue haven last June so we started there, throwing sinkos. Me and Coy texas rigged them and Joe went wacky. Joe hooked the only fish of the afternoon- a 22 inch brown. Nice fish but it didn't live. I put it in the live well and had it under aeration for a couple of hours, thinking it'd be the best thing for it after such a long fight. But it never revived. Very puzzling. Well I shouldn't count it out yet- it's in the minnow tank now but there's not much movement. The water in the area was quite cold- I'd say in the upper 50's. No bass. Several near hookups. He was out of the water less than 30 seconds for the pic.

huh?!

I had lunch with Bill and Becky yesterday... Bill had the AK bug bad, as you can tell. Some other interesting things about Naknek and King Salmon. Naknek is geared totally around fishing. When we arrived in May, there were few people wandering around, few cars and trucks on the road. But as mid June rolled around, the airport filled with young and old from all over the world in route to the canneries in Nakenk. They'll work 6-8 weeks, 16 hours a day, 7 days a week for good money. I've heard as many as 20,000 but that number is very hard to believe seeing the size of Naknek. None have transportation so they walk the road and hitch rides. I picked up several on my trips into town, most didn't speak english. Most were eastern European or Russian. There aren't any car lots, no movie houses, one grocery store, one all purpose store called the "Odd Duck", one hardware store and one automotive store, all owned by the same company- native owned. You see the taxi service all over the place and they keep busy. One place to buy gas in Naknek and 2 in King Salmon. There are 2 marine shops in Naknek that are quite interesting to walk thru. They're geared towards commercial fishing- big ships and big fishing. These places are well stocked, esp at the beginning of the season and extremely busy. Back to fishing- I cannot express how awesome the rainbow fishing is here. It almost gets looked over from the salmon fishing. We didn't get a chance to fly fish in the "rapids" for them but it looked inviting the 2 or 3 times we boated thru the area. As we drifted over the flats (couldn't run them because even in me jet, it was too shallow), we spotted numerous rainbows in the 30 inch range darting away from the boat. Drifting a black wooly (leach) would have been deadly I bet. Bill's right about one thing... there's way too much to explore in an area like this. The lake is still untamed by from anglers. The few times we went out on the lake to fish, I promise you we were the ONLY boat on the whole lake. Take a look on google earth and see how big this lake is. It's the #2 largest in AK. Talked to one guy who said they fished one day up in the Bay of Islands and caught big rainbows and big lake trout at will throwing spoons against the banks. We did well throwing spinners catching northern pike and I hooked one laker. Wish we went back. In the Bay of Islands, there's a cabin you can stay in free of charge (if no one else is there) for up to 3 nights. There's nothing else there. Locals spend the week there after the salmon season (August) for their vacations. The islands shelter the lake from winds. There's NO other lodge, houses- nothing within 40 miles of the place except Brooks which is about 20 miles south by water. The water is no pure and clear, I drank a bunch- best tasting water ever! Just a note- not to put a hard sell on the camp- but Jim is already starting to fill up his camp for 2008. I'm really pushing to raise his rates... sorry but $1695 is ridiculously cheap. His closes competitor in KS is $1999 and they offer no hot meals or guided trips. The closes outfitter who does what he does is $3495 and they're not in a good location at all. NRC is smack dab right in the middle of the BEST rainbow fishing on the river. Even at $2495, which is what I want him to charge, it's a fantastic deal for what you get. He just needs to upgrade general amenities (bath, dining hall, paths, cabins). But who am I?

Kinda messy... but it was picked up before I left. I threw up some shelves and hangers for clients but will do a better job when I get back. Ran out of trim board so there's a couple of doors without. Will put carpet remnant down and paint the exposed floor. No boats pics are of yet.

http://ozarkhunters.com/forums/ http://ozarkssportstalk.com/ Spammers Beware!

http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2007/album1 http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2007/album2 http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2007/album3 ADDED NEW ALBUMS!! To sum up the trip, for me it was exhausting. I bit off more than I could chew with the cabin. I had fantastic help for the first 3 weeks, getting Jim's cabin shelled (he didn't want any more than that), some work on the existing cabins, dock in the water, path beefed up to the cabins, alittle remodeling in the dining hall and shelling in my cabin. I spent the 4th week working my myself hanging and finishing sheet rock, painting and trimming my cabin and the 5th week after guiding finishing everything up. I lost 15 pounds on the trip but it was worth it all. The fishing was unbelievable. Unfortunately, before the river was opened to fishing prior to June 8th, it was alittle tough for the early crews. But rainbows in front of the camp and up to the access about 1/2 mile upstream, you could literally catch huge rainbows at will on spin cast using jigs or swimming baits. Tom Burckhardt and JD Dudley mastered this art and both landed several rainbows over 30 inches. These trout didn't come easy. Most fights lasted well over 30 minutes. Later this season, these trophies will weigh in excess of 15 pounds, beefing up on eggs and flesh in August and September. I was told sockeye's don't eat much when they run the river and they normally eat real small bugs... well they absolutely loved small wooly buggers!! We used a shooting line with weighs/technique we mastered while fishing for kings in Michigan. The clients caught on quick- even Jerry and JD Dudley who swore they'd never tough a fly rod (avid spin/jig anglers). Even tall, lanky Al Waller mastered the drift and was hooking sockeye on almost every cast. The sizes ran small at first but the larger salmon worked their way up later in the week. Streams of fish followed-the-leader all day long along the banks, finding the path of least resistance to the lake and then to feeder streams. They were easy prey for our rigs. They landed sockeye up to 9 pounds but many larger were hooked and lost- just too big, fresh and wild for even 14 lb tippet, fast water and 10 wt rods. Kings were a challenge. We trolled and casted spinners at the mouth of Big Creek on 3 occassions and landed 12 up to 20 pounds. We were hoping for one a a fly but they didn't cooperate. It was slow for other outfitters, we heard. The follow week (this week) is supposed to be peak. The king run is the shortest of the salmon runs and there aren't that many that run the river compared to sockeye. I wished I'd seen more bears... sorry to those who didn't want that but I like them. The crew that were to Brooks on the first trip last week got a treat of a lifetime. I'm happy for them. Al Waller didn't land a fish all day cause each time he'd hook a sockeye a bear would come out of the woods and go after his fish- he'd have to break it off. When we went over on Friday, we found a spot where there were bears close but not in eye shot of us so we fished in peace, for the most part. Wasn't as exciting though. Back to living in Alaska in general... it's living resoucefully. You don't waste much time on things like you do here. No TV, I saw a newspaper a couple of time, making due with whatever the hardware store had and most of the time they didn't have what I needed, empty grocery store shelves at times, prices are double on most items and sometimes triple. Nails, screws and the like are sold by the pound at one price, no matter the type and size, ordering from Anchorage was sometime cheaper than local prices, everyone waves on the road--- and there's only ONE road there. It extends from the mouth of Naknek River at Bristol Bay to the access at our place on the river. Ten miles from one point to King Salmon and ten miles to the end- 20 miles total. The speed limit is 45 cause the paved road is no uneven because it's built on tundra- it sinks! Actually the gravel road from KS to the access and our place is nicer than the paved road to Naknek. And oh yes- whatever the hardware store has at the beginning of the season, after the barge is unloaded, that's all till next spring and the next barge. There's no special ordering. And there's no other hardware store. There is some other avenues to get lumber and appliances- meet the owner of the Fisherman's Bar after 4:30 pm and he'll take you to one of two metal buildings where he has some items for sale. All in all the experience was good. I am supposed to go back for the month of September and guide again for the camp. I really didn't like to be away from home that long... we'll see what happens.

After an email from Bill, I understand alittle more about his beef. BUT I'm still not completely sure of the details and how widespread the problem is. I've never had much of a problem with any of the motor boat or drift boat guides on the water. I know all of the motor boat guides and a few of the drift boat guides. Drift boats have been a recent addition to this lake. I purchased and tried a Hyde Boat about 8 years ago and didn't like it (personal thing). It was one of the first drift boats designed and built for a motor (small hp) but it didn't get upstream very fast at all against current. Anyhow... The 2 major bottlenecks in the upper lake are at Fall Creek and the narrows about 3/4 miles upstream from FC. You have to pass thru these channels to get to large open water above them. If someone is fishing or anchored in or next to these necks, you're going to either have to ask them to move (nicely) or pass thru where they're fishing. All the guide I know of are aware of the traffic they encounter if they're fishing these spots and are understanding and gracious when you pass. It seems there are some new guides who aren't aware of the channel issues. This is what Bill is referring to. I don't want to start anything here -- motor boats vs drift boats -- but there are more and more drift boats coming onto the scene every year and everybody must find a way to get along. A drift boat has the same rights and responsibilities as a motor boat. They have to give way to the channel for navigation and can't expect to have a channel to themselves and their clients. A drift boat experience is peaceful yes but one on Taneycomo does have its drawbacks. You have motor boats sharing the same water - that's just a fact of Taney-life. We all have to get along. It ruins a fishing trip when guides have words, doesn't make any difference who's right and wrong.

Yes. 2 boxes were still frozen. One was unthawed but chilled. We grilled some for lunch today for a bunch of guests... very tasty.

Back safe and sound. Flying standby isn't fun but there's alot of people still in Houston looking for a way out so I'm blessed. Getting affairs taken care of. Like John, I'll report soon with pics. Bill's taken alot of wind out of my sails. He covered alot in his reports. I'm looking forward to the Moore's and John's accounts of the trip. Different perspectives are always good.

In Seattle... on standby. Concerned about the 3 boxes of salmon sitting on the dock in St Louis for 7 hours. Marsha is trying to contact someone there to make sure they're placed in a freezer.

Well... don't know how much battery I have here but am sitting in Anchorage airport on standby for the 12:45 am flight- last flight- out of here. Looks like I'm spending the night unless there's a miracle. But maybe the Lord wants me here for a reason- I'm open. My flight out of KS was late and I missed my flight earlier. Can't begin to report on the trip. Way too much to tell. I hope some of the others chime in and give their accounts. Simply a trip of a lifetime for most I'd say. The new run of sockeye in the river is something to see. A line of sockeye 4-10 abreast marching as an army upstream for 2-3 weeks straight. In Brooks, they were almost bank-to-bank, about 50 feet wide. The bears were amazing, again. The newbees got a thrill to say the least. To correct Bill's assessment of Brooks, there were 85 bears on the 1.2 mile stretch last season. We saw about 30 in our short stay. We got to fly over from KS which was a treat... Jim's wasted his lower unit on a gravel bar on the trip before and 3 of the clients didn't get a chance to go. Got to fly right seat to the pilot on the way back... in an otter. I got the cabin liveable. A few trim pieces short and the front needs paint. I'll have picks... when I get home. The sockeye were extremely easy to hook. We used shooting line, a weight 4 feet up the line and 2 flies- the favorite fly was a #10 purple wooly bugger but we switched to white, brown, olive or black at times. These fresh salmon were entertaining to say the least. Big runs, flips and twirls and alot of breakoffs. Some almost got spooled. The largest landed about 10 pounds. Kings were tough. Trolled and caught about 10 in 3 tries with a 20 pounder the biggest. Tried alittle fly rod but no takers. This coming week should be the best for kings. The trip to Idavane was fun. Caught graylings at will on elk hair caddis (John Jackson did extremely well) and several rainbows up to 24 inches. The walk up was interesting... JD said he's never been so scared in his life. We walked thru tall grass and trees for a mile with alittle bear sign... not much... but it didn't make a difference to JD. JD (Dudley) broke 4 or 5 line class records on sockeye/spin cast jig. 2-4-6-8 and 30 lb... I think. He also was rainbow king landing several in the 28-29 range with a 32 inch thrown in. Caught them all on 2 lb line and jigs. Better go for now. Lots of pics to follow- if and when I get home. Am I ready to get home??? Oh yes!! Way too long to be gone, even to such a place. I don't look forward to the heat though!!!

I've caught a couple... but very little fishing for me. Marsha caught a 24 incher last evening. Got a pic but it will have to come later. I'd say our crew this week has caught and released 40 over 20 inches, 6 over 30 inches.

Lots done. Our last building crew is heading home tomorrow. We got all of our building projects done yesterday. Jim and I will finish next week. Both our cabins are done except for wall covering... there's very little to chose from in this part of the world. Sheet rock is $24 per sheet... breakage, I guess, in shipping. We can get paneling for $27 but I don't like how it looks. I'm going to use siding and wanescoat my bedroom and living room and staple plastic till next fall or next spring. My cabin is 12 x 24 with a 6 foot porch and Jim's 16 x 24. We picked up my boat from King Salmon yesterday- ran it upstream to camp since I didn't spring for a trailer, yet. Running thru the rapids was an experience!! Big water and boulders, winding back and forth, some of the passages only as wide as the boat. It's a 22-foot, alum, semi-V, 6 feet wide. Lots of room- pretty much wide open. I bought the spider frames and seats like they use in river boats on the White and they've works very well so far. The console is mounted center-front which is nice cause you can see the boulders you're about to hit. The 150 E-Tec is a horse. There were 4 of us in the boat and it raced through the rapids. We found more morels yesterday- just down the road between here and the lake access. Went clamming last evening. Droved to Naknek, onto the beach outside themouth of the river (Bristol Bay) and drove the beach (experience in itself) up 5 miles to the "spot" locals like to clam. Incredible sight- from normal water line, the ocean was well over a mile from that spot in several places. The tide is -5 which is 5 feet below normal. Normal tide is about 30 feet. We walked out about 1/4 miles to where we found hundreds of claims laying all over the ground. We filled several buckets before Tom exclaimed the tide was coming back in. When we left it was picking about 10-15 feet per minute, kinda like Taney when the water comes on times 10. Clams are soaking and we eat them tomorrow. Took Marsha fishing when we got back. Midnight I think. Took the boat upstream about 1/4 mile to the access where Paul had been fishing while we were clamming. He caught 12 rainbows from 20 to 27 inches, mostly on jigs or swimming minnows. Marsha hooked one on the first cast- jumped 6 times and threw the hook. Hooked another and did the same. I hooked one and it threw the hook too. All in 30 minutes- we got cold and headed in. Went out on the lake this am with the guys. Wanted to go to a cove where Jim has caught Char. Couldn't get there because the straight we needed to cross was too shallow still. So we cruised the lake and looked for deep rocky banks for northern pike. No luck but the lake was slick and very beautiful. They guys are going king fishing with Jim this afternoon. Marsha and I have things to do in town. The kings are moving in, as reports go. We did see 2 roll at the mouth of Big Creek yeterday. High tide is 3 pm at KS and that's when they are going to try to be there. We'll see. Oh yea- John- your package arrived!

In town for another lumber yard stop (big bucks) and laundry (also big bucks). Would love to open a laundry mat here- we spend about $130 each time we wash between the Johnson's and us. Filled the truck with gas just now- $65. It's $4.23/gallon. They don't change the price for a year- they get a year's supply once each year and they just got this years delivery. Price dropped from $4.60 to $4.23 which I'm sure is a welcomed sight for locals. It's cold and rainy here today. We got the roof panels and tin up yesterday on our cabin. Insulated the ceiling too. Picked up the wiring for both Johnson's and my cabins. We're trying to put in long days so we can fish the last part of the week. Want to go halibut fishing too. News of kings coming into the mouth of the river... town is really getting busy esp the ship yards. Should be just a couple of days and they'll sound the bell. Here's are some pics... random again. I'm almost out of battery and need to get off. The cabin being built is ours on the river. Don't have any pics from yesterday's building. Another pic of Tom's 32 inch rainbow

Sorry- I didn't mean to even post it cause I couldn't get the pic to attach. Having a very hard time with this connection. It's a wireless from a tower 2-3 miles from here... and then the speed is dial-up speed. I wait 1-2 minutes and then get a time out. May not get any more pic uploaded till I go to town now- it's getting worse it seems.

Oh yea- here's a nice rainbow Tom caught night before last. It was slow but he did catch one- fish of a lifetime. Oh yea- here's a nice rainbow Tom caught night before last. It was slow but he did catch one- fish of a lifetime.

Zach... honestly I've fished very little since I've been here. Been trying to get everyone else in fish. Today we went to Brooks and fished the river. Was met by a 6.5 year old female bear roaming the lodge area and beach. One of the guys accidently got within 30 feet... got a good pic anyhow. I know the age cause I asked a ranger. Tons of big rainbows in the river- amazing. The guys working here are not fly guys so I rigged them with spinning gear, a float and a #10 black or olive wooly bugger and they did well. There's quite a few leaches moving thru the rivers and the rainbows and keying in on them and smelt. Nothing huge landed- 20 inches or less. Steve, a friend of Jim's from Anchorage went with us and is experienced on Brooks. He caught a couple dozen rainbows from 18 to 28 inches. I did catch one at the last minute on a dry... a #22 emerger... ran me up and down and finally broke me off 24 inches. So I haven't gotten into my fly box... using swimming minnows and jigs in the lake so far. Will have time to fish more this next week hopefully. If it didn't make national news... go to the Anchorage newspaper and check out the bear that killed and ate 2 moose calves in someone's front yard. Just blocks from where we stayed. Oh yea- here's a nice rainbow Tom caught night before last. It was slow but he did catch one- fish of a lifetime.

No kings... they may be late. Usually they head into the river with high tides around June 15 but our river is still low and cold. We'll see. They have opened commercial fishing as of June 4th but the boats are still in the yards in Nakenk. Town is getting busy with cannery people- lots coming in on planes everyday at King Salmon. Lots of Russian college aged kids the other day when Paul came in. They looked like lost puppies.