Root Admin Phil Lilley Posted July 3, 2007 Root Admin Posted July 3, 2007 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.
twosets Posted July 3, 2007 Posted July 3, 2007 Very nice Phil, welcome back. Thanks for the reports "This is not Nam. This is bowling. There are rules."
Bill Babler Posted July 4, 2007 Posted July 4, 2007 I need to see pic's of boat and cabin. Nice mess of salmon. I can say, I have never tasted better. Thanks. http://whiteriveroutfitters.com http://whiteriverlodgebb.com
Root Admin Phil Lilley Posted July 4, 2007 Author Root Admin Posted July 4, 2007 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.
gonefishin Posted July 4, 2007 Posted July 4, 2007 Great pics Phil. Looks like you had a great time. I agree, too bad there aren't more bear pics. Especially some of the tie-dyed bears. that would have been hilarious. I have never been to Alaska but my brother had some in-laws that lived up that way, they always allowed that a person had to be really resourceful. I think it would be great. I would rather be fishin'. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin, 1759
Members catfish Posted July 5, 2007 Members Posted July 5, 2007 Great pictures. Lots of nice salmon and bows. Good shots of some of the bear. What size is the cabin. Would like to see other pictures of camp if available. Keep um coming.......
Terry Beeson Posted July 5, 2007 Posted July 5, 2007 Great pictures!! Makes me want to go even more now!!! The cabin looks like our house after Cindy has been gone for a couple of days... Hmmmm.... picture 215 in the album... Was that taken at the Gauntlet on Taney?.... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
Root Admin Phil Lilley Posted July 5, 2007 Author Root Admin Posted July 5, 2007 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.
Root Admin Phil Lilley Posted July 9, 2007 Author Root Admin Posted July 9, 2007 ADDED NEW ALBUMS!! http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2007/album1 http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2007/album2 http://ozarkanglers.com/alaska2007/album3
Terry Beeson Posted July 9, 2007 Posted July 9, 2007 MORE great pics.... thanks Phil... Hey... is that a grizzly water skiing behind that boat or was it John (aka Kansas Flyfisher)? TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
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