BilletHead

Been there done that many, many years ago. Works great!

Brunch! Actually I had a BLT for breakfast but another meal a brunch a bit later. Oven baked Brie with Rosemary and Thyme Chanterelles. Oh my goodness. We have found a new favorite way to use the chanterelles.

Nice @dpitt! We love cutthroat and the West slope is a favorite. Caught them in glacier Park, near the Canadian border in grave cree in Montana also. Then in the North fork of the Clearwater in Idaho. We find them feisty taking drys. Hoppers and trudes especially. Thanks for sharing your fishy outings. We are in a holding pattern after Alaska but are planning a trip west in August..

If funds would let us we would do this again despite not liking to fly. We would recommend to anyone this type of trip. By now we are pretty much recovered but reliving the trip still daily. Dave and Mike stayed a couple days longer. Caught some nice grayling and bigger rainbow before they came home. We still all have a group text going on and hope it continues to stay going. Good bunch of people. For those that don't follow Duane he's still working hard getting the place spruced up and in top shape. Thanks for letting Pat and I share the trip. We sure enjoy others posts on outdoor activities.

Next morning was the day we departed. Did our flight in the afternoon which was late by a couple hours. Before we took off up to the village Dave showed us the non lethal bear deterrent. I think the bear might die laughing. VID_20250716_070929020.mp4 We loaded up the boat with our stuff, Duane our captain took us to town and Dave and Mike came also, VID_20250716_112430371.mp4 Looked around town and visited the post office. Store was open. Not much in there and what was priced high as expected. Checked out the community building. Sat down and waited for the plane. Mike decided to nap again. VID_20250716_123011778.mp4 We finally told the three amigos to head back and go fishing after finding out the plane would be late. Last hugs given off they went. Tiny coffee shop in the waiting room. Young lady showed up and we got a hot drink. Raining again. People in and out. Most greeted us and were friendly. One woman came in with two little children. She tied a dog outside. The kids with the barista made their own drinks. Woman told us that the dogs name was stormy. Stormy would be on the flight with us to Anchorage. She belonged to her aunt and needed to go there. Plane landed we and Stormy got our stuff in the plane and flew to Anchorage. There we headed to the Anchorage airport to wait for an extra hour because that plane was running late. Split an elk burger with fries and a couple of blueberry sodas, Flight at Chicago layover was on time but layover was short because we were late. Neither one of us could sleep on the plane. That sucked big time. Trying to land in Springfield was interesting because we dropped down, landing gear down pilot tried twice to land and then pulled up because of inclement weather. We were routed to Bentonville airport for an hour. We even offloaded there. Right back on and back to Springfield. A couple hours later home to unload, get showers and to bed where we actually slept for 11.5 hours. We have never slept that long before. Guess we were tired.

Tuesday the 15th time is getting short for Pat and I. Work day. Find a leak in a boat on the water plus get a boat with motor on a trailer flat on the ground and get it launched. First pumped water out of leaking boat. Trailer on back of a four wheeler. Backed that in and loaded up leaking boat. Parked an went to work. I peeked under the boat. The keel had been damaged. Like in a strike sideways. It was bent out of shape and sheared off a rivet. Put water in the boat to find that. Everybody had an opinion, VID_20250715_094232292~2.mp4 Scaveged through the tool shed. Found a stainless steel nut and bolt. Had some epoxy. Dave did some body work. Dried everything up applied epoxy and tightened up nut and bolt. , VID_20250715_094601601.mp4 While that was drying took a break. Not sure how but Dave put a hook in the palm of his hand. Doctors Duane and Marty working together did the string/monofilament trick. Popped that hook out and Dave didn't shed a tear. , Put boat back into the water and tied to the dock. No leaks now. Next get boat on trailer. Duane backed the trailer to the nose the boat and attached the winch strap. Dave is a beast he began to crank boat started lifting onto the trailer and ATV lifted at the same time. VID_20250715_113854277.mp4 Duane, Pat and I got on the ATV rear end it went down. Dave started cranking again as Mike pushed the back of the boat with motor. Got it on the trailer. Tried motor after fresh gas and a battery. Launched and tied off. Yeah! The three stooges geared up and headed to find new braids and creek to fish. Sadly Pat and I did some packing and watched our waders and boots dry. VID_20250715_135209299.mp4 We walked to the braid and fished a bit. Had a greyling and rainbow on but that was it. Back at the lodge before taking rods apart I messed with a few sculpin. Did not have a hook small enough for stickleback but big mouth sculpin chomped on an egg pattern. This is for the multi species guys. The contraband iris starts,

I just checked the gauge at igiugig. There it's 19,000 CFS. Lots of figuring for water depth etc to convert to mph. I might give Duane some homework. I think there is some GPS units in the lodge. See if he can figure out how to use one. Float down the river in front of the Lodge in his boat.

It really is pretty swift.

Needs to more sets of wading shoes for that!

Afternoon, Dave, Mike and myself took off in the rain to revisit the same morning spot. We had actually left Duane's net on the bank. Trying to save face and not hearing for the rest of our life we had lost Duane's favorite net we thought it would be a good thing to get it. We ran out of rain but could look back to the lodge and seen it pouring. Back at the braid we fished more. I caught a greyling and a couple small rainbows. We had another Bear spotting that afternoon. A big one. Couldn't get the picture before the bear went straight up a bluff bank in just a couple strides. We motored to the bank to see if we could see it. Mike screaming all the way saying no,no,no that Bear could get us. As we got to the bank and looked up that bear was standing brodside looking down on us and just disappeared in the bush. Big I'm telling you. All along the banks and everywhere you looked there were Irises. I looked it up and yes Alaska has a native iris. Pat and I took four starts back with us. Planted one here and sent the other three with my sister that has a commercial iris garden. Surely she can keep them alive and get a bunch growing. Boat riding back to the lodge Mike was napping. That guy can snooze anywhere, VID_20250714_165459493.mp4 Made it back to the lodge and another guide flew out with a client, VID_20250714_131919053.mp4

Monday the 14th AM, Time for exploring Dave, Mike, Pat and myself headed downriver looking again for potential pike. Got out of the boat following braid sloughs and backwater. Again seen two tiny ones. No follows, no hookups. Then we went to braid that looked interesting. As we got closer I seen a fish jump. We beached the boat and grabbed five weights and drys and hoppers. We all spread out on the upper end of the braid. I caught a decent rainbow, Pat and Mike caught some greying,

Kinda my thinking to Ronnie. Reading more on test running they did get 20 mph on it. That would be kinda sketchy on something like that. Maybe liability cut that speed down.

Rush hour on the Kvichak, VID_20250724_131139.mp4

Sunday meal. Salmon how many ways? Brother Dave got with it. Duane smoked salmon on the grill. Dave made salmon dip with some of Duane's grilled fish, he also made cervechi and salmon rolls. Salmon rolls had either raw or cooked salmon. Note this was prepared with previous frozen raw salmon. Salmon like other freshwater fish have parasites. Do not eat raw. Even though some ocean fish can be eaten raw salmon should not. All good but will be hard to really like the ceviche to me. It might grow on me. That evening Pat, Dave and I were flossing salmon again at the closest place trying to fill our limit.

I do and have been looking at recipes. Duane has been doing some after we all left. Of course he has been sending pictures. We will be doing some.

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Sunday morning day 6, Up early again and heading towards the town beach and more salmon. The three amigos in one boat with Pat and I followed in another boat. Sunrise over lake Illiamna on the way to the beach, We spread out and went to fishing. We stayed a little longer than the day before. We started seeing other lodges float planes in the air coming in. Then boats of guides and clients coming up river. One boat came bye looking for places to fish. They pulled into shore above us. Duane being Duane put down his rod and went up to them. Then they begin to push back out. I know what you all are thinking but it's not that way. Duane told them there is plenty of room. We will tighten up and everyone can fish. So that boat went down and bleached. Spread out just below us. This was the area they had fished before. Right away fish were being caught. We caught more and called it a morning. Back to clean and process salmon. The sockeye are stacking up! VID_20250713_122943174.mp4 Some stickleback hanging at the back of one of the boats. For a second there is a sculpin in the bottom of the video. VID_20250713_103716812.mp4 Something else to tell you. No on got a picture of this but we were sitting in the lodge looking out the window. A duck kept flying out front and landing somewhere right by the boats. Leaving and coming back every few seconds. We thought maybe she had some young somewhere. Finally Duane went out to watch. This duck even landed on the gas grill on the deck right out the window. I got a good look and it was a hen GoldenEye. Duane said there was a bunch of dead stickleback down there. She was getting those. This next thing relates to that. I was texting Ham one morning. We were chatting so much better I just called him and rested the fingers. We discussed the stickleback. He said there is a parasite that those fish get. When getting afflicted more the fish become sick and swim to the top and eventually die. The birds eat them and as the parasite evolves that bird is the next host. They become effected and pass it back into the water for the stickleback to pick it up again and repeat the process.

Yes and the think is this place is a bargain. I can't stress enough how fun this was and will be for anyone that wants to take advantage of the best price around. I say to anyone to take the dream trip and do it if you can.

Back at the lodge we were just taking things in here came the guys back from town and boat riding. Big eyed and laughing. I don't know if I want to call those three Manny, Moe and Jack the pep boys or Larry,Moe and Curly the three stooges but when those guys get together crazy things happen. What's so funny? We just seen Jeff just down river from here. Duane said he ran the boat up on the bank and told Dave to chase Jeff off the island. Well sure enough Dave got out of the boat and chased Jeff. Wish I had a video of that. I told them about Pat hearing something and came looking for me. Dave said this is where Jeff was and he had a bed in the grass really close to where I had been. Was Pat messing with me or did Pat really hear Jeff maybe? That poor bear must think we're crazy 🤣. Duane said lets go exploring. We grabbed some gear. Duane and his compadres jumped into one boat and Pat and I in another. Downriver we went Duane is amazing with boat control. Mike and Dave were working dries along a bank just drifting as Duane kept it lined up in the current and wind. I tried doing that for Pat with not much luck. It was hard and hurting my bad shoulder that need replacement. I was having to reach way back to control the tiller because of the boat seat. It was okay we just watched the other three and the eagles and the salmon moving along the bank. VID_20250723_122141.mp4

Just after noon Duane, brother Dave and Mike went to town checking for Mail and freight. I decided to walk down the Jeff the bears trail to the braid trying for greying again. Took a long bet so if I caught one I could reach it not having to get into the water. It was pretty windy. I worked down the bank looking for fish a rises. Seen both but I was spooking fish. I got back from The bank walking way down and started working back throwing upstream. This is when I seen a big greying looking upstream tight to the bank. I tried a couple casts that just died into the wind and finally got my fly tangled up. I crept up and got it loose without spooking the fish. The next cast was over The fish three feet in front of the fish in his feeding lane. He smashed it and I had it. Got it netted. Trying to get my phone out here comes Pat walking down the Bear trail. She said you okay? Yes what's wrong. I heard someone strange while I was catching some sun at the picnic table. It was kind of a growl. Right then I thought she was messing with me. Little did we know maybe not. Pat took a couple pictures of my prize. I laid the fish in the crook of my arm and It was long enough it made it past my fingers. This was my largest greying of the trip. A little over 18 inches. I can tell you these are one if not the coolest fish I have ever caught on the fly.

Saturday day 5, The night before Duane said lets get up early and go to the town beach to catch salmon. It's an easy place to fish. We will get there before the other lodges fly in for their clients. We can fish and then get out of their way. So up at five am we got some coffee down and headed up to the mouth of the Kvichak in the beach below Igiugig. I tried to get Pat's halo as the Sun was rising while we were traveling. We all caught sockeye. Here is Dave cornfielding one. It's much easier beach it than using the net in this instance. VID_20250712_070815622.mp4 Pat had a rainbow take one of her flies, When we got back to the lodge to clean fish Pat made some biscuits and gravy for breakfast, VID_20250712_091759206.mp4 Duane said he was going to do some work. He calked around windows. Mike got a brush and tan paint and painted the lodge outside wall. I grabbed the red and painted the outside of the deck. Time for shower faucet work after that. I was taken back when I found Duane, Mike and brother Dave all in the shower together 😂.

She's a go getter for sure.

Redneck fly-fishers scales of justice, VID_20250718_115027647.mp4

You have to target vegan fish!

The next day we tried to find some Northern Pike. Some intel from Duane from the past was a backwater along lake Iliamna. Iliamna is the largest lake in Alaska. We traveled up the Kvichak past the village and turned left at the lake bottom entrance. Duane was not along but he was getting another delivery in the village. He gave us instructions on how to get there and to watch the weather and wind directions. If there was a change, we were to get out of there pronto as the big lake can get dangerous in mere seconds. We beached the boat and grabbed our gear walked up the band through the sand dunes and peered into the lake. Lake was still and no sign of fish working. Duane told us to look and fish the weedy areas. Not many weeds in the water. We see Moose and otter tracks plus one old, weathered bear track. We all rigg up with something for pike and work the edges without a hit. We see stickleback and finally some little pike. Little is an understatement. Five to eight in fish. No bites for Pat, Mike Dave and myself. We covered maybe a half mile of shoreline. We headed back to the boat and in the distance spied a creature. It was Duane and after town business he found us to see what we were doing. He informed us that Blake Harris was guiding a group at the town beach threading salmon. Before we left out, we left some tracks in the wet sand, We headed back to the village beach at the mouth of the Kvichak and the town beach. hit the bank with the boat and found Blake. got some pictures and harassed the young guide newbie for Crystal Creek Lodge. He told us how much he likes Alaska and Guiding up there and he never wants to leave. It's a way off from where had seen him. The beach is a good place to take clients as it is easy and good fishing. They come in on float planes and land down river. Get in boats and motor to the beach to fish. here is a link to that lodge but prepare to open up your pocketbook wide. Crystal Creek Lodge - Luxury Alaska Fishing & Adventure Lodge Here we are with Blake, Dave and then us, From there it was back to the lodge then a bite to eat and back to catching a few more sockeye, 1000001109.mp4 After cleaning fish Duane said let's rig up with indicator's and set them deep with some egg patterns and drift down the bank above and below the lodge. We had been seeing rainbows below where we had been cleaning fish. Although we were not dumping carcasses blood and stuff falling off our cleaning table and the place upstream the fish knew this. We drifted and caught some rainbows. No giants but fun. I did a couple in tandem and even doubled up. Pat doing her mending magic! 1000001118.mp4 Mike and Dave were having some success too. Hard to handle those wild fish 😀 1000001114.mp4