Total Pageviews

Monday, August 31, 2009

Alaska Margot Creek & Coho Bend

Sunrise @ Naknek River Camp
A beauitful start to an amazing day



We had a beautiful Alaskan sunrise,after a hearty Naknek River Camp
breakfast,Greg,Dave,John,Craig,Randy,Joe & myself loaded up the boat
with guides James & John,for the 1 hour boat ride to Margot Creek.
The boat was full of fishing chatter,as we waited with anticipation,
as we where well aware what awaited us @ Margot Creek.............
Artic Char,Alaskan Bows,Sockeye Salmon and "The Griz"
As it turned out our only compatition for the day was "The Griz",
as we encountered a good #,on our 3 mile hike up & back down Margot.
The Griz was there for the Sockeye,but we where more intrested in
the Big Rainbows & Dolly Varden/Artic Char that take up residence
in Margot for the Sockeye Egg drop.
We fished 6mm Beads to "Match the Hatch"so to say of the Sockeye
egg drop.Those poor Sockeye......evrey body hunting them in one
way or another,The Griz wanted to eat them,and the Char & Rainbows
where feasting on there eggs,and we sure did'nt mind catching a few
either.I hope to return to "The Bowling Alley Run" on Margot Creek
soon,though I never asked James why the call that run,The Bowling Alley,
I just gotta use my imagination,rolling 6mm beads(bowling balls)down the
run( The Bowling Lane)cathing fish(knocking down pins) ?

A special thanks to Phyllis,Jim & all the Staff @ Naknek River Camp !
For the wonderful time,fishing,accomadations & meals !

My Margot Creek "Bowling Alley" Artic Char




The Boat Ride to Margot Creek




Craig with a Margot Dolly




Another Close Encounter with the Griz




Lined up on Margot's "Bowling Alley Run"for Dolly Varden




Mr Brown Bear was fishin Margot too !




A pod of Reds in Margot




We where not alone on Margot Creek




John with a Margot Red




Joe with a good Margot Dolly Varden




Margot Sockeye




Walking out of Margot Creek,Mr Griz,looking to fish




The day after our Margot Creek adventure,we went chasing Silver's
and found them late afternoon @ Coho Bend.Our Guide Miles,
spotted a pod of Silvers,and we landed the boat below them,and
walked up-river to fish for them. Miles had suggested I try using
a Zip-Line,for them so I borrowed his rig and went on the hunt.
I had never fished a Zip-Line,but found it to be a very effective
way to fish the bigger waters of the Naknek.Thanks for the tip &
coaching, Miles !
The next morning Dave,Joe & myself,where assigned Jacob as our guide
for the day,and we headed back to Coho Bend,for Silvers.We motored
down the river and Jacob spotted our quarry,and to our delight there
where more fish there than the end of the previous day.
Again we landed below the pod,and walked upstream to begin fishing.
Dave & Joe,hurried upstream,but i laged behind to have Jacob set me
up to run a Zip-line on my own gear.I was hooked on Zipping from the
previous day,purchased a Zip Line,took a sinking line off an extra
spoll,and asked Jacob to set me up,and I would not bother him the rest
of the day........sorry Jacob,you still had to net the fish.....LOL ! !
We had a bluebird day,so fishing becane a little slow,at first,but
heated up quickly as the fish turend on,or we found the right offering.
My best luck on this bluebird day was a Coho Blue pattern # 8,but Black
Olive & Purple Ice Buggers,size # 8,where also very effictive.
By mid afternoon,Miles who had Randy & Craig with him,pulled in to fish
with us,as fresh Silvers had been moving in all day,we gladly shared the
Coho Bend waters with them..........there was simply to much water & to
many fish for Dave,Joe & myself to cover.We had many multiple hook ups,
talk about Coho's gone wild ! This was it ! Dave & I did the Coho Dance,
as we where both hooked up at the same time more than once,Dave graciously
let me slide underneath him 2 times as we fought and landed fish.


My Coho Blue Sparse Hair Wing pattern,Struck Silver
a few times on this Bluebird day @ Coho Bend




Fresh Silver @ Coho Bend




Guide Jacob & me @ Coho Bend



Guide Miles with a Coho Bend,HoHoe




Coho Bend on the Naknek

Alaska > Arrival & Brooks River

Bear School @ Brooks River Camp





Our Destenation,Bristol Bay




Alaska is simply AWESOME !
No doubt a fishermans dream.
Got to the Naknek River Camp,late morning on 8/22/09.
After getting settled,we did some fishing right out the
front door of our cabins,we caught a bunch of Rainbow's
some Sockeye & Coho Salmon,before & after supper..........
Sorry no pics,of day 1,I was to excited about fishing,
and left the camera in my cabin.
Day 2 we headed of to Brooks River Camp,and after going
to Bear School,we hiked up to the Brooks River head waters
to start our fishing,we saw 3 bears before we even wet a line.
Needless to say,we where not the only ones fishing on Sunday.
We saw over 20 Brown Bears,before,during and after our 6 hour
visit to Brooks River Camp,and the NPS Rangers told us,that
there not alot of Bear activity there at this time of year ?
Pods of Red / Sockeye Salmon,where to be found in every pool
and peice of pocket water,with hungrey Alaskan Rainbow's
awaiting,there egg drop.I spent my day @ Brooks chasing
Sockeye's,as I had never fished for them before.
Black & Olive Wooly Buggers along with 6mm beads,brought
many fish to the net this fine day !







Headwateers of Brooks River
Our first encounter @ Brooks River
Mr Brown Bear would be fishing today also






Pod's of Sockeye,in every
pool & pocket water




Jim & Dave fishing Brooks




Slippery when wet !




Our Gang @ Brooks River
Andy,Jay,Jim & jack(standing)
Joe & myself (front)




On the Anchorage tarmac
Jay W.,JoeL B.,Jim C.,Joe E.




Dave & Diver @ MaCaffee's Fly Shop




Joe with a hearty Raindeer Sausage Breakfast




Anchorage brakfast stop




Brooks River Sockeye





Brooks Falls
our last stop of the day

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Big Fish ! Memories

Joe's NY Brown



Big Fish......Something we all seek. On my fishing adventures,I'm usally not
the one that catches "the BIG fish",but I've been the camera's eye a more
than a few times,or as they say I took the picture of the big fish.
My fishing adventures have taken me,from my home waters of Central PA,
All of the Great Lake States,& Ontario,to the White River in Arkansas,but
the Great Lakes fishery is simply "Big Water = Big Fish".
These photo memories,our my best of trip pics,or my Camera's big fish,of my
fishing compadres,most aren't State or Province records,but "Big Fish"none
the less............Hopfully my upcoming Alaskan Adventure,will include a
few more "Big Fish" memories.


Steve's Ohio Pig



Tim's Elk Creek Hog



The Guitar Man,Elk Creek Steel



Ontario King,Greg with an AM workout on the Garden



Michigan King ala Roe



Ontario King ala Roe



Mark Balley PA Steelhead




My Dad's Biggest Steelhead



Ohio Steelhesd ala Roe



Merlin,my Dad with a French River 'Eye'



Big NY Brownie head Shot,ala Eck



Winter-time Spring Creek Rainbow ala Roe


The Fin & Feather Collector > Joel ala Roe

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Trout About > Central PA


Penns Creek,Coburn,PA




2009 Trout-A-Bout,Central Pennsylvina Style !
We are blessed with the many beuatful Limestone Creeks here in Cental PA.
The spring feed creeks of Central PA offer,abundant bug life,constant
water tempatures,and usally have a good flow.Spring Creek,Bald Eagle Creek & Penns Creek,are all within an hours drive of my home,thats not to mention the wonderful mountian Freestoners that hold good numbers of trout also,such as Six mile Run & Black Moshannon Creek.The Little Juniata & Big Fishing Creek are also only a short jaunt away.







Greg with a good Spring Creek brown





Nicley Colored Butter Belly




Spinner Fall Brown




A Mini Wiggle Stone fooled this Bow




Plentafull Brownies





Abundant Central PA Bug Life & some Imatations





Net Boy Here !




Evreybody Smile for the Camera's !




Gerard with an Early Season Sixy Bow




Early Season SMR Browny




Bald Eagle Bow




Six Mile Run in the Mountians


Joel B "Fin & Feather Collector"