Where's The Report?

[duckydoty]

I know a bunch of fellas just got back from the bush and I'm wondering when the report will come???

All I have to say about it---If you ever get the chance to fish the Naknek---Jump On It!!!!

duckydoty

[jdmidwest]

The report??? Lilley posted some pics of your fish but we are all waiting for your side of the story....

[Micheal Kyle]

As most of you know we bought a trip to King Salmon, Alaska and sold it out of the shop, all I have to say is what a trip. We bought another week and will be selling it again next year it will be the week of Sept 20 after reading this any interested parties call me and we can hook you up on a rainbow trip of a lifetime. The people that went with us this year were Steve Jensen, Gary Kyle, Bob Mccoy, Rob Reid, Charles McCracken, Duane Dotty, Steve Brigman,Kristina who is my wife and myself. As the plain touched down in King Salmon, I was thinking after reading an article of a man that had tried for 5 years to hit the 30 inch mark on rainbows that it would be great if one person in our group could land a 30 incher. We would start the week at King Ko Inn the only hotel in town that my wife would said she would stay in. The other one in town is like a dorm room. Before moving to Naknek River Camp. The accommodations are not a 5 star hotel but like I kept telling my wife this is a fishing camp who needs running water and a flushable toilets.

After the bear speech and a wonderful lunch we headed out in pursuit of the grand daddy of all, the infamous 30 incher. As we headed for the shock and awe of bear country I could feel the increasingly huge pain in my leg no it was nothing just my wife’s fingernails, just the thought of fishing where bears were made her cringe. As we parked the boat at Brooks Camp in Katmi Natinal Park and Jim was saying hurry up here comes one you don’t ask you just steadily walk faster. I was shocked how many bears there were in one area. By the end of the day no 30 incher but we did have a fun day avoiding bears and catching Sockeye Salmon.

The Next three days we would spend on the world famous Naknek river, all I have to say is I think this was the best three days of my life what a river system. If you can picture the white three times wider with 8 units on and you are trying to wade. Not to rough but it is very wide shallow in some areas and deep in other areas and probably has a current speed of 3-4 mph. When we arrived at the first spot Jim Johnson took Kristina and my dad and placed them in an area with eggs and beads I told him I was not interested in fishing that way, only way I wanted to fish was with streamers and sinking lines. Jim response was when you are ready to catch fish just holler and I will get you rigged up. Well about three hours went by, Kristina and my dad are putting up some numbers, I am still with a giant goose egg. I switched and on maybe the 2nd or 3rd cast I hooked a fish that would eventually lead me down river ½ mile and start shock and awe of big, no huge, no giant Rainbows. The fish was 31 inches and weighed in at 14 lbs. After catching this fish all the stress was off and the flood gates opened for us.

We fished the Naknek for 3 days straight and landed several Rainbows in the 8-10lb range those fish would measure any where from 26-28 inches there where a few 29 inchers caught that would weigh in at 12 lbs. I think that everyone on the trip trip had at least one bow that was 26 inches. By the end of the week we would end up with 10 fish over 30 inches with Kristina catching the biggest it was 33 inches and was 16lbs.

One thing that I loved about the trip is that you are going to catch a lot of different species of fish we caught Dolly's, Grayling, Arctic Char, Sockeye and Rainbows. You can catch the Rainbows, Grayling and Arctic Char with out having to move around. I am not for sure but I think that my wife also caught the largest Arctic Char it weighed right at 5 pounds. Margo was blown out the day that we went back to fish for big Arctic Char so we ended up going over to Brooks.

The Johnson Family are wonderful people they now what it takes to get you on huge fish and huge numbers of fish. Like I said before it is not a 5 star hotel but like Jim will tell you the fish do not care how you smell. Phyllis is a wonderful cook if you leave for the day hungry or go to bed hungry it is your own fault.

I would like to personally take this time a thank Phil for his help and gratitude he put forth to help my dad and Steve the day we all went back to Brooks. Steve and Dad did not handle the boat ride well the first day so they stayed behind to fish the Naknek and Dad got his biggest fish with Phil. Then he also helped my wife with her big fish my wife had injured her ankle with a very bad sprain which ended up being a hair line fracture on the first day. The four of us went up to fish a new area and my Dad and myself got out of the boat and Phil and Kristina stayed in boat went down about 3 hundred yards and anchored not long after that I could see they had a big fish on and the anchor was coming up, that was the 33 incher, with no net. Thank you again Phil.

James who is their son which I believe is 14 is going to be one hell of a guide when he gets older. He was very calm cool and collective around the bears and is very knowledgeable when it comes time to catch fish that are around the bears. James we will be bringing duck calls and shot guns with us next year but just one day, or maybe every night after we get done fishing. Good Job James.

Sorry it took me so long to post but with just 2 days between getting home from Alaska and then down to the conclave I just did not have the time.

Phil has posted most of the pics from the trip so I will not post any.

Michael