Phil Lilley

I like the chart... so much I added it to the flow post (other pinned topic). Worse- November- before it turns.

Gage is only in operation durring fall and early minter months.

Norfork Dam Penstock 1 Norfork Lake Tailwater Gages on only in service during fall and early winter months.

Gage located at penstock #4 below Bull Shoals Dam Gage located at penstock #5 below Bull Shoals Dam Gage located at the State Park just below the dam a couple miles Bull Shoals Lake Tailwater (Right Bank, 300 yards D/S) White River at Fairview, AR Gages are only in operation during the fall and early winter months.

Gage located at Table Rock Dam Gage located at College of the Ozarks, mile 17 Be very careful with larger trout during low DO periods. Don't use 7x or even 6x tippet and "fight a big trout to death". Note- around the outlets the DO level will be higher because the outflow is rich with o2. If you foul hook a big trout, break it off. Don't fight it to death just to get your fly back. And if you're a knuckle head and think you can keep a foul-hooked fish... well you'll have to live with the fact that you really didn't catch it legally or ethically, in anyones book. Sorry- I've seen this happen several times.

http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Repo...rofiles/do2.txt http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Repo...rofiles/do1.txt Each year in the fall, our tailwaters experience a 'natural' occurrence. Our lakes stratify (separate into levels of density and temperature) and cause "less than desirable" water to flow into their tailwaters. Each tailwater is alittle different as to severity and timing but the bottom line is that dissolved oxygen levels plummet to the point that either liquid o2 is added to sustain life or operation of the turbines is adjusted to achieve the same result. The problem is the Corp only has to keep the levels at minimal levels, barely enough o2 to keep our trout alive and active. We see fishing slow down at times as well as after hooking some trout, they roll over and give up easily, "no fight in the dog". These charts are worth looking at occasionally. I wouldn't gage a fishing trip by them because they can be alittle deceiving. A couple of things to note- sunlight adds o2 to water- so does wind. At night, the level will drop to their lowest and early morning you'll see it bottom out sometimes. Also, when fighting a trout, especially a big trout, you can literally fight the fish to dead if it's not landed quickly and released carefully. But sometimes a big trout will die after being caught no matter what you do... it just happens. That's why I suggest it you foul hook a big trout, do not fight it to the net- break it off! If you're upset about losing a bug- come by the shop and I'll replace it. I'd rather give a couple of flies away then see a dead trophy on the bottom of the lake because some knot head didn't want to lose a sow bug. You can find these links on OA's Useful Link Page here - http://ozarkanglers.com/useful.php

Got out about 5-7 pm this evening and boated up to Lookout. I though I may cast a dry along the bluuf bank in search of a rainbow or two but the surface was covered with leaves so I went to plan B and threw a jig. White 1/8th oz caught a 16 inch rainbow right off the bat but no other takers till I boated up to the dam. Oh yes- they were running 2 units. Stopped just down from #3 outlet and drifted the same bank looking for fish surfacing- only a couple. Threw the jig and drifted down to Lookout and caught one other rainbow and a nice 16 inch brown before calling it quits- I was cold.

I don't use outlook but if you can see the image, right click while your curser is on the pic and 'save as' - put it in a pic folder. Then you can go back and select it from you image program. But again, not sure it will work for outlook.

http://ozarkanglers.com/2006_fly_swap.php

As far as bringing fish home, rainbow limits are very restrictive. But you can either book a side trip out of Naknek for Halibut or buy it and have it shipped for much less than getting it in the states. Only if you go later in July can you catch and keep salmon. I myself am going in June because I'm going early to help do some remodling work at the camp... then staying on for guiding a couple of weeks hopefully. But all this has to be cleared with Jim's plans. The river is very low early (June-July)and builds to it's highest level mid August. It had dropped a bit while we were there.

Just a quick note... Equipment= I used 2 rods- a 4 piece 9' 5 wt for rainbows and a 4 piece 9' 7 wt on everything else. Templefork. Used a Dan Bailey reel and both shooting and floating line but you could get away with floting only. Used 1/8th bullet weights to keep the fly down. Flies- beads for eggs, wooly buggers in black and purple #4, 6, 8's and would slide a bead on for an egg sucking leach. Popsickles were good for pinks and silvers. That would get anyone by. If you go early (mid June till mid July), no eggs- woolly buggers and streamers for rainbows. They chase the smelt that migrate out of the lake to the ocean and they go wild on them just like bass on shad.

I think it's going to be $1650 for 6 nights. Includes lodging and all meals, 2 trips over Naknek Lake to Brooks and Margot Creek (weather permitting) and a boat (double occupancy) for the rest of the trip. I think Jim will take the group over the river one day and show the good spots. Airfare will cost you about $1000 to get to King Salmon. Lisc for me was $80 (14 days). There may be a shorter trip lisc.

Just read this topic... kinda getting back slowly. OA started as a trout site back in 1997. I reported on Taneycomo, wrote articles for this lake and such. Then I wanted to branch out a bit and tried to get reports from our guides as well as marinas on TR- if you've ever tried to call a marina for a report, you'll understand when I say that's a tough job- getting any detailed info from them. Most reports you read on even guides sites are general in nature but that's bass fishing... esp during the dog days of summer. But I tried. Bill Babler has helped emincely, reporting and writing articles. Bull Shoals was, and continues to be the hardest to get information on. Then several years ago, the we added the White and Norfork Tailwaters- then the Current, Eleven Point and North Fork of the White. REports and articles by Sam Potter, Brian Sloss and Brian Wise. The key was details and consistency. They did a great job. Then the forum in Nov, 2005. Had no idea what to do with it... I knew if I added all the other lakes, river and streams, OA would be lacking in maps and articles. But this isn't a short termed deal. I look to keep adding information on all waters AND am always open to ideas. Dutch- you're always welcome to give your opinion and it will be respected. Trout fishing does dominate the forum mainly bacause of it's beginnings. I'm promoting the forum at Lake of the Ozarks, Truman, Grand and Stockton hoping to add more bass fishermen. But I believe I have more forum competitors in the bass fishing world. Thanks!

Glasses... nothing is working so I'm doing alot of squinting. My eyes have about had it for the day. Next June - not sure of the dates yet... I know I have a week blocked off and am going to add a week. Hope to go up for 2 week prior to work on the place.

Vince brought this trophy in this am for a pic before releasing it. He caught it downstream of the resort on a crank bait. 24 inches about 7 pounds.

I put together a page of pics and information for everyone. Hope you enjoy! http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2006

OK the pics are ready. I did alittle research on the area and posted it with the other info. Hope you like it. http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2006

King Salmon, Ak is an old US Air Force Base that has recently been reactivated because of 9/11. If you download goggle earth and search for King Salmon, you'll see the runways clearly. Follow Lake Camp Rd from K.S. to the east until it deadends at the river... that's the public access/boat ramp. There's a road that cuts off and goes south called Mike's Rd. Google has butchered the overlay of it's marking of the road though and the image is not good at all- but Jim's Naknek River Camp is just upstream of the cove that looks like a bird's head and directly across the river from the long narrow cut/cove across the river. The small airstrip north of the small lakes on the road to their place belongs to a guy who retired as a state ranger. He has 2 planes and still does some flying for the state. He finds dead walrus on the beach, amoung other interesting items such as very old fishing net floats, and lands on the beach to retrieve them (he has tundra wheels on the plane). He cuts off the heads of the walrus and boils them, leaving the skull and teeth. Some of the teeth are 30 inches long and 10 inches in diameter. He can't sell them because he's not part of a native tribe but gives them away as gifts to friends and relatives. He and his wife lives there year round, the only ones out on Lake Camp that do. And yes they do keep the road clear out to the access in the winter. They get up to 4-6 feet of snow pack per year. Last winter Jim said a local told him they had an unusual cold spell- 10 days when the temp didn't get above 20 below. Naknek is 10 miles west of King Salmon at the mouth of the river. It has several canneries and lots of ship yards where fishing boats are stored onshore. They are only used for about 4 weeks each July to net salmon. The fishing time and catch is closely monitored by Alask Fish and Game to insure a good spawning crop. In the early 1900's, king salmon populations were almost depleted because of netting. Even today, they don't see the large kings (over 100 lbs) because the gene pool of the large ones is gone. The canneries import over 2000 workers to clean and work the plants, mainly college aged kids from east Europe and Russia. They work 12-15 hours per day and make good money. They are housed in a series of trailers that line the main road. Naknek has a annual population of 600.

Haven't got the pics done yet but will write me version of the 10-day trip. I differ with Bill assessment. I know he's had some great trips, floating rivers and such, but the fishing here isn't that tough. It's alot like Taneycomo with 3-4 units running BUT there's alot of places to get out and wade. Pressure- we'd see 6-12 boats on a 7 mile stretch. They were on one particular bank alot and that's where we caught alot of our silvers. But we caught silvers on the flats the first week stripping the normal silver flies- bright and flashy. Caught all the pinks you ever want on the same flat this week- same method. I caught a good number of rainbows drifting eggs (beads) on spin and fly from a boat. I took 2 of the Johnson kids using spinning and drifting beads and a split shot and they had no trouble catching 18-22 inch rainbows. Naknek River is challenging and it's not back woods... but it's nothing like the Kenai- no where close. Better fishing and not half the crowds. Margot Creek. Located east of Brooks, this little stream was full of rainbows, char (Dollies) and salmon... and oh yes bears!! We saw most of and had all of our close encounters here. All told I figured we had over 40 bear encounters on the trip- some were the same bear but many were not. We drifted beads again here, using shooting line and weights. Not alot of weight as Bill mentioned. Fishing for silvers on Naknek I used very little. But the swift water in Margot and Brooks warrented more lead to keep the fly on the bottom. My favorite time is when I can see the rainbow or char, cast to it and make a perfect drift- hook and land it. I did this several time on Margot Creek. Brooks. We boated to Brooks 3 times in 2 weeks. Bear haven in July but they had headed to the high country, smaller streams and easier pickin's. We did see a couple-3 or 4 here. Rainbow fishing was excellent on the lower river but tougher on up in the faster water, upper river. Brooks Lake is beautiful! I've mentioned being resourceful... if nothing else on this trip I've come away very much more grateful for what we have. In King Salmon and the communities around, EVERYTHING has to be shipped in, mostly by barge and some by air. Everything is more expensive so you try to make due with what you have- if you're fixing a motor or repairing something in the house. Driving to town at $4.40 per gallon will make you think twice about going for a loaf of bread. Jim & Phyliss are starting something 99% of us only think about- starting a vew business at 50 years old... and from practically scratch. It reminds me of our first years here at the resort... we had to be resouceful- we didn't have the mony to hire or buy new things. But they've picked a wonderful place to start it! More later. WalMart didn't have the glasses I need and so my eyes are buggy...

I could require varification of membership... when someone new registers the program automatically sends an email with a password to log on- then once on you can change the password. Some forums do this. I didn't in the beginning cause I had too many people complaining about the new format in fishing reports (the forum). I didn't want to complicate it further. I could do it beginning now- I think. We'll see- when I get caught up.

Well- I'm in Naknek, Alaska at the local library. Weather hasn't been too bad till today- mid 40's, winds 15-25 and rain. I heard it was supposed to be 105 at home today... which one would you pick?? I've landed pink, silver and sockeye salmon, rainbow and char (dolly). Pinks up to 5 lbs, silvers up to 7 lbs, sockeye up to 9 lbs, largest rainbow only 6-7 pounds and char up to 3 lbs. We've fished the Naknek River, boated to Brooks and fished the river and the mouth of Brooks Lake and fished Margo Creek yesterday- best day of the trip so far. Saw 12 bears, 2 sets of mothers with cubs. No close calls, if you don't call 40 feet close. Looking forward to exploring more small creeks and catch some bigger char and rainbows. The sockeye are old-hat. The silvers are fun on the flats in the big river. Oh- of course- all on fly. Here are some pics... got some great video too. Bear Class at Brooks Camp (required) First bear on the river. He stepped out in back of me while I was fishing- about 30 feet away. Bill and I had to cross the river (quickly). He went on up and bothered the rest of the group before leaving. 60 minute boat ride to Margo Creek. Foot print Leftovers. Sockeye in an eddy. Jim Johnson with a Char. Junior sniffing out his next "snack". Nice rainbow. Char. Jim- bear eating a sockeye behind him. Rainbow. Bill posing for a pic. This was the lake looking toward the glaciers across Naknek Lake. Too many beatiful scenes to take pics of and they don't do them justice. I did manage to "swat" my eye glasses off my head Wednesday (high dollar prescriptions) so I'm fishing with a handicap. I'm still out fishing Bill! And if you ever go to Alaska- don't ever hold a male sockeye by the jaw for a pic... I have 8 bandaids on my left hand as a reminder to not do that again. Blessings!!

True- but I haven't had to ban anybody yet... the spammers hit and run and never come back. They don't care. They're just hoping for a few hits before they're discovered and topics deleted. That's what I see up to now.

Up to 30 emails that I know of. Mr Schoonover won't know what hit him... no response to a deluge of emails.

Well- I didn't send it out till 4ish yesterday and alot of people probably had already left work... yes I've found most people on the forum check it from work, not at home. So we should get more activity on Monday. Also, non-members who check the board should send a note. Copy and paste the address and go.