Lilley In Alaska...

[Phil Lilley]

Leaving Springfield tomorrow 6 am to Chicago, then to Anchorage and on to King Salmon. Will arrive there at 7:30 pm AK time- 10 pm your time.

Looks like I'll be ordering items for camp. Jim said they haven't had time to do much other than bare essentials. I feel like Santa with 3 big bags of goodies for them.

Thanks for all the flies- well over 800 flies have come in from Francis Steffen, Tim Homesley, Michael Maples, Leonard Keeney, David Cook, Rolan Duffield, John Jackson and a lap top from Pat Nelms. They will be thrilled!

Camp has had 50-60 mph winds for the last 2 days. Very little fishing but at least no bugs!! Temp is 52 today. It'll be different than this 90 stuff we've had today. But I'm ready for colder weather. Don't like the heat.

Will post when I get a chance.

Take Care!!

[Trav]

I prefer the 90 degree stuff myself. But I do have a hankering for the tropics.

Have a good travel!

If there is anything I can do for you down here let me know. I will do what I can to help.

Enjoy!

[Kansas Fly Fisher]

Be safe and have a great trip. Let us know if anything else can be done from this end.

John

[Phil Lilley]

Can't get rid of me that easy... WIFI is free here in Anchorage so have to take advantage of it. Have a 4-6 hour layover here. May get on an earlier flight but this place (Penair) is busy this time of year. Lots of overseas workers trying to get to the canneries.

No hitches so far in travel. Very nice flight to Anchorage from Chicago. It was clear flying over the mountains south of Anchorage- very majestic. Weather here is nice- 58 and cloudy. WE'll see what it is 250 miles SW of here. Hope the wind has died down.

First couple days in camp will be interesting... I know there's no extra beds so I may be tenting it on the tundra tonight.

Pic of Penair...

[Kansas Fly Fisher]

"Tenting on the Tundra." Hummmmmm sounds like another reality show! Keep us posted.

John

[rps]

Re: picture

How odd. No women going to Alaska? No implication intended toward you, but what is this picture telling us? Only fishermen and those looking for oil jobs go north? Everyone in Alaska except you is fleeing a process server about their divorce?

While you are there, consider and respond with your best explanation.

[Phil Lilley]

RE: pic - there were quite a few women - just not in the pic I guess. Most of these were workers- either cannery people or other comercial fishermen. But there were several family groups heading home after a day in Anchorage (my guess). And several female cannery workers. But mostly male.

Here's some pic of Brooks. I went over the day after I arrived (Friday) and yesterday (Sunday). BEAUTIFUL weather- uper 60's and little wind (BUT LOTS OF BUGS). Lots of bears at Brooks and lots of sockeye. Our people hooked them at will when they could. The bears were on us in a heartbeat as soon as one of our fish jumped. We were followed- closely- by a juvenile 4 year old for almost 10 minutes. We kept trying to get away from him but he was either curious or thought we had something to eat. Fimally we yelled and false-charged him enough we retreated. First time for me... kind of un-nerving. Had 4 bears fighting over a salmon right in front of us at the end of the day... then one's cubs ran in right on top of us- within 20 feet. We left... quickly.

Duane and I are working on the old building they moved to the spot where the dining hall sat before it burned. Needs alot of work but has to be done by Saturday. Fishing alittle in the evenings... hope to fish more or day this week but much to do.

[Trav]

Pictures tell a thousand words! Looks like your fairing well my friend.

[rps]

great pictures!

I'll bet no one cuts off those big brown fishermen.

[Phil Lilley]

This is the pink palace.. an old building that's sat on the river front for 15 years I'm told. The weather has battered it pretty good. It was supposed to be dismantled last fall and takend away but the owner procrastinated. After Jim's lodge burned, they moved it up where the lodge once sat and now Duane and I are remodleing it- I guess you'd call it that. We're going to make it livaeble by Saturday. It's pretty rough but it was free and that all they could afford right now. It'll be dry and warm.

4 of our clients went king fishing today. 23, 27 and 30 plus a small chum. Caught on plugs using spin gear throwing wiggle warts up in Big Creek. Rainbow and sockeye were slow today. Wind picked up this afternoon and is suppoesed to blow till Thursday afternoon.