THE NAKNEK: report from Moose

[whiteriverinnmoose]

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

[trout fanatic]

Great story! Lookin forward to the photos that go with it.

[Kansas Fly Fisher]

Excellent read! Thanks for sharing.

John

[Micheal Kyle]

Glad to here you had fun. I cant wait untill the 21 of September.

[catfish]

Great report. Looking forward to the pictures. Would love to see Alaska some day.

[Phil Lilley]

Glad you had a good time. I understand the Michigan boys taught you a few things about chucking and ducking... it's such a great way to catch fish in those conditions but not the favor style for most fly fishers. It takes some getting use to... it took me a couple of years in MI on the Pere Marquette before mastering it. Sorry you didn't get to do your fly out- I was looking forward to hearing about that!

Jim told me you have a lease close to Parsons... that's my home stomping grounds.

[whiteriverinnmoose]

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

[Phil Lilley]

Danny was a year older in school but I knew him. I saw him last summer at our 30th reunion briefly.

I hunt on the Carnahan's place and their leased land. They have quite a bit of creek bottom land next to the plant plus they farm in the plant and they get to hunt inside the fence. I won't hunt there this year. May be next. That's where I usually dove hunt though- around Altamont- on the Carnahans.

They do have some huge deer in that part of the country!

[BrianK]

c'mon man, hurry up with the pics!

I had to back out of my trip this year which would have been last week.

Just got off the phone with my buddy who went in my place.

He didn't have the success you did.

Great trip.

I'm always shooting for 'next year'.

b

i'm sure it's on here. someone point me to the link or thread with the ALASKA info / rates/ etc.

My friend in Talkeetna may be disappointed when i visit the Johnsons instead of him next year!!!!

[Phil Lilley]

http://naknekrivercamp.com