whiteriverinnmoose

I think I will have some Sockeye sea kitten on the grill tonite. It kind of has a ring to it don,t you think ? Moose

Shad are on the Whites' shores below Bull Shoals Dam .With the cold weather, and the high generation the temps call for, the shad should continue to come through ! Moose Visit My Website

Eyeballing fish is an ineffective way to hold fish. It has been proven to blind fish ,and one Northern pike told me it hurt like heck .It is better to lip the fish or hold it under the belly and lift ever so gently .No one wants to catch a blind trout .It is hard enough for them to find a size 20 midge in murkey water . Moose PS: Gotcha ! didn't I ! ha ha

I dont use a scale when I am fishing by myself . I just say how big I want my fish to be 4 or 5 times . Then I start believin it , so its not really a lie when I tell somebody about it . It is unbelievable how many huge fish you can catch by employing this method .Most importantly it is incredibly accurate up to any weight or length . Tight Lines, Moose

Michael , I hear she has you trained well .Oh yes ,very well indeed ! The word is that you dive over the side of moving boats in Alaskan waters just to confirm large fish sightings ,before you tell her where to cast . Now that is my kind of guide . Your friend, Moose

Bill , It does help when you have a larger group . Round trip to Brooks on Katmai Air is under 200 .00 .And if you have 3 people you can fly a smaller plane like the one James and I flew out in on our moose hunt . Depending on the size of the people you could maybe get 4 people , but 3 for sure . Many of the flyouts are under an hour . The smaller plane,A cessna 206 is 400.00 an hour , way less than a beaver . The weight limit is 850 lbs .3 hours at 400.00 is 1200.00 . Thats 400.00 a head for 3 people at 45 minute flights . With a charter ,Brooks ,Margot, Idavain , and one of the good rivers we flew over on the way to the Ugashik are all under 30 minutes . I didn't want to split hairs .There is a B@ B there that would save on rooms for two or 3 also . These are all just my opinion ,after researching it while I was there . Jims operation is still a very good deal in my opinion ,and with the ability to add flyouts ,its a great deal . You get what you pay for ,the more frills the more dollar bills ! Moose

Hey guys , Interesting subject . Great river for big bows ! I fished my butt off last year and caught 3 over 30 inches.33 inches was my largest and it weighed around 12 lbs . Certainly not a 10 pounder behind every rock but they are there .I stopped counting fish between 24 inches and 29 inches at 20 , but I suppose I caught around 30 or 35 conservatively . I looked at doing my own thing next year and these are the prices I came up with .They are all on the high side except the hotel but I'm sure you can rent a house for less per person .Just my opinion .The flyouts are not to brooks or Margot which would be considerably cheaper than some other destinations. I would certainly go to one or the other , maybe both . Especially if pricing was important . motel per person 112.00x 7 nights 784.00 meals 50.00 a day x 6 300.00 flyouts 4 @ 450.00 a day 1800.00 naknek 2 days with guide 300.00 a day 600.00 Total 3484.00 You could do this easily on your own .If you fished the Naknek with boat rentals instead of fully guided and went to brooks one day you would shave 500.00 to 700.00 off your total price . I dont see how someone could do this deal for less than 2800.00, but you could certainly do it for that .Hot showers ,good meals {Eddies is Good},great fishing ,Beds made every day ,flush toilets ,and fishing in the exact same places the 7000.00 a week people are fishing .Now thats what I,m talkin about .Maybe I'll see yall up there . Moose

Bob, WOW!! that sounds like a truly great trip .I've never caught an Atlantic Salmon but it is definitely on my list . Lets see ,bears,salmon(wild) lobster dinners 3 nights in a row.Only 2000.00!!. I think I can handle this . Thanks for the great info . Moose http://www.thewhiteriverinn.com

Ah Bill , I am at 27 days and counting . Its like Christmas in August except better .I've been painting beads ,spooling new line , buying new rods and reels etc.. When are you and Phil coming in Sept. ? Ill be there between the fifth and the twentieth of Sept. Maybe we will get to take each others pictures holding 34 inch 15 lb. rainbows , just like your story .Only one small change ,I don't want mine to jump alot .You know , the whole hook throwing,line breaking thing . I hope to see you there! Moose Chuckin and Duckin: now thats what I'm talkin about!!!!

Phil,They are still running at Norfork,but they have cut them way back.Maybe they will turn them off tomorrow.The water release at Bull is suppose to equal 1 1/2 additional generators.Its up about 2 ft across from our lodge and still looks very fishable to me.If I only knew if they were going to let a lot more out. Lets cross our fingers. Moose

Well it has finally happened.Bullshoals opened all 17 gates about 6 inches.Lets hope they can keep up with inflow with just 6 inches open.We will hope and pray for the people downstreams' sake. Moose

Hey guys, I always considered myself a conservative,and after taking the test,you guessed it,I is one!!!What do you know about that.I guess that means I can only keep one limit of fish per day.Maybe I should move to Ozark county where there are no closed seasons and no limits.Ha Ha,no offense intended. Moose

Phil, I hope the boat picture didnt upset you.We took two boats as there was no way we all would have fit in one.Im not sure but there was also a day that Jim Or Phyllis came up the lake later because 2 of the guests got none of their luggage and they kept being told "it will be here in the morning".I think they finally at least got their own rods with about 2 days left in the trip.I dont know if you have ever had your rods and reels not show up, but it must be one of my worst nightmares.I ALWAYS carry my rods,reels,waders,boots and gortex jacket ON the plane.That way if nothing else shows up I can still fish. Please keep us posted on your trip coming up with pictures and commentary if you can.Im sure envious of your long stay.Tell everyone I said Hi and that I left my Filson coat on Jims dashboard.I hope he doesnt think it was my tip,HA HA.Tell Bill Babler I said Hi and you guys leave a couple of thirty inchers unscathed for the next group.Good luck and careful of the bears.Im like you in the fact that I really like the bears.I got home and looked at my pictures,and for every one of a fish or scenery,there were four or five of the bears.They made my trip extra special. Tight Lines, Moose

Here's a few pictures from my trip..it just covers a little bit.I hope yall get just a little enjoyment from these pics.But as usual a camera just doesnt do the magnificence of an awesome place justice.Enjoy! Phil,The deer is the one I got last year in your hometown area.

Phil, The trip was great and the fishing better.I feel myself going into a deep depression and severe alaska withdrawal syndrome.I didnt have good weather for the flyout to eggagik,but the silver fishing on "the little Eggagik" was very good.Thats the new name given by Jim to the rocky flat across and downsteam from silver point.Next time I go maybe we will hit it at the same time and get to chuck and duck together.Im going the last week in august 2009,for sure for one week but probably for 2 or 3.one week just isnt enough for me. Jim told me you were from the Parsons area.I have some land leased from Alfred Manners next to the ammo plant,Im sure you probably know Alfred or Danny or some of the family.The deer hunting there and the turkeys are phenomenal.I was lucky enough to get the biggest buck of my life there last year.It was a 172 inch gross 11 point with 53 inches of mass measurements.Im sure Ill never beat it but Ill sure love trying to.Are you hunting over there this year for deer? I told Jim when he comes down in December you all will have to come down and stay with us for a night,on the house ,or for sure Tina and I will cone up and we can all go to dinner. I hope you have a great time on your next trip up and ill look forward to reading about it.Ill post some pictures hen I get somebody to help show me how.Im a dunce with computers. Moose

Hey There Guys and Gals, A very pleasant surprise is the only way I can describe the fishing and the Johnson family.I have traveled to many places in my hunting and fishing career,and I have to say none have exceeded my expectations more. Jim,Phylllis,James ,Tana,And Hunter were the consummate hosts and were some of the nicest people I have met.They run a first class camp and go the extra mile to make sure your stay is everything you expect.Even going so far as to being an armed guard for one overzealous Silver fisherman on the last night, who happily came in with a limit at 11:30 pm to be greeted at his cabin by a marauding bear.Phyllis and James stood guard by Lantern light as this crazy fisherman filleted his silvers.I think I must be missing a srew,I mean ,this fisherman must have been crazy,or else I was having The Time Of My Life.Okay,Okay, it was me,I admit it.I just did not want paradise to end,so I went out on the last day and did it again.Sreaming runs into the backing on every run on a seven weight with 1X tippet is exhilarating I dont care who you are. The fishing on the Brooks River was by far some of the best fishing in the World for trophy rainbows.Although I fished the Brooks for Two glorious days,the 30 inch fish I wanted was not caught,At least not by me.My trusty 14 year old host managed to land one,his biggest fish on the Brooks to date.However I saw many fish that size and larger and managed to hook at least one that broke me off in a log jam just as James was trying to unwrap my flyline at the end of a long battle.A memory forever etched in my mind,to say the least.As heartbroken as I was, the euphoria of catching 4,5,and 6 pound rainbows all day long seems to lessen the pain.Fishing a five weight rod was fun and exciting.I would love to say I caught them on all kinds of flies but I just did not have what it took to change flies amidst a red hot bite.Virtually all my trout and Dollies were caught on beads. Fishing Margo Creek was just as good only with lots,and I do mean lots, more bears.I landed my biggest Rainbow on Margo creek,a fish of 27 or 28 inches maybe and a solid seven pounds.Margo creek was chock full of Dolly Varden a beautiful fish in the Char family genus.My largest dolly was a very fat 5 pounder,with most of the dollies running 2 to 31/2 pounds.Margo Creek is a true adventure with lots of deadfalls and fording the creek too many times to count due to Bears or Terrain changes.Usually it was the Bears. My most memorable fish of the trip had to be a 26 inch 5 pound rainbow hooked while retreating rapidly from a huge male bear standing in the river above my partner Larry and I.It took off down the river at breakneck speed with 280lbs in hot pursuit.Needless to say the huge bow was swimming faster than I could run.I stopped at the head of a large deep pool too deep to wade even for all 6ft 3inches of me.I stopped and told Larry get a picture of my bright orange backing threaded down river like a runaway kite string.He got the shot and said are you going to lose that fish cause of a little deep water and 150 yards of your backing down the creek. With those words of encouragement taunting me and my drag still peeling off line I waded in.I waded cautiously in to the rapids,yes they were deep,yes I did get wet,and yes I did exit safely on the other side in hot pursuit of the fish slowly gaining line finally!!As I rounded another corner there in the middle of the river was a HUGE brown bear catching and eating sockeye.The bear was 60 to 70 yrds away and I didnt dare go closer.So I stopped.Either the fish Gods are real,or the big Rainbow saw the bear cause he started back upstream.After a few more moments he was safe at my feet, a few photos,some reviving of both myself and the fish he was released safely into Margo Creek.The fish of a lifetime?MOST CERTAINLY!!!! I could tell more,but it will make me miss this beautiful paradise that God has created for us even more than I do now.Anyone who can possibly go,should.Alaska is the place dreams are made of for fishermen and women.When I get my pictures done Ill post some here on the site. Ill Be Dreamin of Alaska, Moose http://thewhiteriverinn.com

Hey There Bill, Thanks for the response on the reels.Ive got a multitude of 1000s and 2000s I use for trout and panfish,but I always use 2,4,and 6ib test.I may need to purchase a 4000 but Ill probably be flyfishing most of the time anyway. It is certainly a small world,one of your clients stayed with us this week and had wonderful things to say about your lodge.Dusty and Sherri Rhoades stayed for a few days and were telling about a guide that works for or with you.I think his name is Bubba.I checked out your website and your place looks wonderful.I dont get up there too much, but when I do Ill make it a point to come see your lodge. Again thanks for the info, and Ill post a report and pictures on my return from Alaska.Wish me luck.Look out 30 inch rainbows and Cohos,here I come!!! Tight LInes, Moose http://thewhiteriverinn.com

Phil, I talked to Jim the other night and he said you might have some info on these baits.Can you tell me what colors were effective and if you used 2 inch or 3 inch,and what size heads you used 1/16 1/8 or1/4 oz?Also do you think a stradic 2500 series with 125 yard capacity of 10 lb test is large enough for the rainbows off the beach in front of the camp?Im thinking I need a larger line capacity,all my reels are used mainly with 4 and 6lb test for white river rainbows. Thanks, Moose

Hey AK,Good luck on your trip.Are you going to the Naknek camp?I talked to Ted,who just got back and he said it was great and getting better.If your back before next Thursday give me a ring and tell me how it went. Tight Lines, Moose http://thewhiteriverinn.com

Hey Guys, I got some of the salmon flies I ordered today and my flyrods started quivering in the corner.Im starting to lose sleep,and everything for the next 13 days is just gonna be a blur.Is anybody on the forum here gonna be there at the same time that I'm going,August 11-18? Here's to 30 inch rainbows and silvers and dollys and BEARS,OH MY.If I catch anything worth talking about I'll post some pictures when I get back.Hey maybe if its real good I just wont come back. Tight Lines, Moose http://thewhiteriverinn.com

All Christian Readers, Duane Hadas wife Marlene has just recently been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.She starts Chemo on Monday,and it will be followed by a mastectomy.The Hadas walk strongly with the Lord,and request prayer.Please pray for courage and hope for the family,a quick healing time, and pray that financial needs will be met. Your prayers are appreciated, Moose

Friends, Thank you all so much for your prayers.Tina had a lumpectomy and her margins were clear.The doctor said they must have gotten every bit of it with the biopsy.God works in magnificent ways,maybe he steered the surgeons hand initially,or perhaps he has once again worked a miracle in our lives by healing her.Either way we are forever greatful.She has 7 weeks of radiation ahead of her and then hopefully its over.Your continued prayer is appreciated and reassuring. Thanks, Moose and Tina Watson

Here you go, Take a can of coke and a can of pepsi.Set them side by side.Pull the little silver tabs on the top of the cans(one at a time)Voila!they are open.Take the red can marked coke and take a sip,put it down(try to remember how it tastes)now take the other can marked pepsi ,do the same thing all the while remembering how it tastes.Try your best to decide which one you like best.If you fail to come to a decision,continue to repeat the process until the sodas are gone.If at this time you are still confused,you are really not confused.You have decided unconsciously that you like or dislike each brand of soda equally. At that time you have a few more decisions to make like Where to buy the soda of choice,what if anything do you put in it,(there is a general consensus that Crown Royal,an alchoholic beverage,makes them taste Oh ,so lovely.)I personally enjoy the beverages straight,or on the rocks,A mans drink if you will.I just love to see the little fizzies bubbling out of that carbonated water as I drink from my straw. I hope this little bit of info helps you in your decision and if you need any more help ,I am sure the members of this board will come to your aid once more. Good Day, Moose

Hey There For what its worth ,I did a great deal of research before building our lodge and decided on tankless.We have a 6500 sq ft lodge with 6 full baths,4 with jacuzzi tubs and we love ours.Never any problems except for the obligatory wait on the water to get hot.Its not bad and is only slightly longer than a standard tanked heater with no recirculation pump.The US is one of the few countriesI know of that doesnt use tankless almost exclusively.But then again we are the land of plenty so we waste more energy than a lot of small countries use.Its a tremendous savings for us as we would normally be heating with 4 or 5 heaters.If they decide to go this way have them put the remote in the living area of the home.I have had to reset mine only twice in two years,oncr because I ran out of propane.The brand we used is Noritz,a very fine company with a great help line as my plumber had never insalled one before but they made it easy for him. Moose http://thewhiteriverinn.com

Phil, I need some more pictures of big trout and maybe some kings,I am starting to have withdrawals.I cant wait til August. Moose