Alaska 2010 Part 1

Swimming Bears in Margot

Margot Dolly

Alaska,on the Naknek River,livin the dream ! I got in to camp early,but not in time to get on the water on Thursday 8/19,due to flight delays due to fog in King Salmon......I just took in the clean fresh air & rigged my gear for a Friday morning assult on The Naknek. Friday morning found me swing flies to my good old freinds on Silver Bend,as guide Alvin,but me on the fish.Alex was new

to The Naknek this year,but he new wear & how to get me on the fish !

Female Pink on the Naknek,my first of the trip !

I was supprised to see the Naknek,quite a bit higher than last year,so I knew fishing would be a little different than last years trip,Tip # 1,listen to your guide.

Being a bit stubren,I began my fishing with what I thought would work,2 drifts

& nothing......nada nada thing,I then took the advice of Alex,and put on some Pink & wolla fish on ! ! ! A nice female pink,was to the net.

I then began throwing my MOAL Leeches,Black/Blue & Black/Pink,the Pinks seemed to like,any thing Pink,the Silvers where liking the Black/Blue.

Silver Bend Coho,on the Swing aka MOAL Leach
My first Silver of the trip........... Thanks Alex !

Silver Galore !

Male Pink Salmon on the swing

On Saturday I helped Jim,shuttle some of the guest,from the airport to camp.

The early arrivals where anxious to get on the water,so I begain to shuttle them

up to the boat ramp to begin there fishing after lunch. First time Fly-Fisher Irving Fryar was the first to strike Pink,after about 20 minuets of mending lessons..........he was quick on the feild & quicker to "Get The Drift"

Byron & Irving @ Lake Camp Launch arrival day 2010

Irving Fryar,with his first fly caught salmon


Sunday again found me on the Naknek,fishing with Guide Carl,Bill,Jack & my new cocktail buddy John (story to follow) LOL ! The high water made things a bit difficult at first,but Carl soon had us dailed in. We landed some Pinks,Char,Grayling & a good # of Jack Kings 16'' to 20",we landed a buch of fish,but the Silvers where being difficult. By the end of the day we did mange a few as we fished our way back up river to Silver Bend,we found Silver !

Bill Shabb,hooked up @ King Island

Carl one of the NRC,guides ready with the net

King Island on The Naknek

Coho Bend Silver on the swing > Purple Wolly Buggers


Monday Found me on Brooks River,such a wonderful place. After our manditory Bear School,we begain our hike up river to the falls,where we where

soon greated by one of the Brooks River locals,mr Brown Bear. James & Miles had us on the fish quickly,asa we began to try to fool those wary Brooks Rainbows,of the lower River. I fished with Chris,Kurt,John & my old buddies,

Jim & Jack. Most of us where into plenty of Sockeye action,from the start,as many of them where brought to the net. I begain to target the Bows,and was having a bit of a time fooling them,missing them at first & then having them refuse my offerings. I looked out the corner of my eye saw Rocking Chair Jack,slipping away from the group,and I knew what he was up to..........he was on the hunt for rainbows,and I followed.We fished the braids and took turns throwing to a good # of bows I found in one of the braids,and they where on the feed bag ! Let-go of my Eggo

Brown Bear on Brooks River

Sockeye @ Brooks River

Brooks Sockeye

Rainbow Warrior, Jack hunting Rainbows @ Brooks

Jack McCallister with a good Brooks River Bow

After our lunch break,John & I decide to have a few cocktails @ Brooks Lodge as our fishing time was on the short side,after a few cocktails with my new foud freind,John,we where on our way back to camp.

Sunrise @ Naknek River Camp 8/24

My rack @ camp,The Griz Tent

Tuesday found me on Margot Creek,fishing for very hungrey Dolly Varden,i fished with guide Bob,Jack & my new found freind John,no cocktails today,as we where on a Char Hunt,and catch them we did. We had to share our water with a good # of Bears,but the Griz was on the hunt for Sockey,had they where having good luck also.

Mr Brown Bear hunting lunch

Jack Surash with Margot Char with Bob

Bald Eagle on Margot

Margot Char ,ala Bead

Another Margot Char

Trout Travlers,The Sulphers are Coming !

Tim with a nice Brownie from Spring Creek
First fish of the day & first on Tims new
Orvis Combo,a great way to start the day !






Well the weather was right,and the fishing
was good,which made for a good weekend in Central PA.
A couple of my Erie freinds,Tim & Dan,made the trip
down to Central PA,from Erie,to fish Spring Creek with me.
After a quick thruck-stop breakfast we headed for
Spring Creek,to try our luck.The crowds where fairly heavy,
but that is not a big suprise to me,as the Sulphers are
starting there heavy hatch on SC. We where fordunate to get
a few good runs,locked up before the heavy crowds began to
show up,and got to land a handful of 14" to 16" Browns,along
with more of there smaller brothers & sisters,but the Bows
eluded us on SC.
Fish where taking Phesant Tails & Sulpher Emergers from
mid morning into mid afternoon,when we took a short break,
for lunch & change streams.
We found an open run on Bald Eagle,that was loaded with hungrey
Bows,to finish off our day,on a good note !
Tim & Dan headed Mup-Erie,about 5:00PM,and I could not help
not to rib them about there ride home......as travlers for trout.


Dan T. aka "The Mexican"with a SC Brown




Central PA Soltitude




JB with one of The SC Browns




Wild Brown from SC




Slippery When Wet !




Bald Eagle Rainbow




Spring Creek Brown

Easter Steel 2010

Easter Steelhead......seemed like everybody had Steel
on their minds on Good Friday as the crowds where heavy,
but so was the Steel.I fished the weekend with,artist,
author & Friend Flick F,from updtate NY.
Fishing seemed to get a little tuffer as the day'a &
weekend went on,with water clearing & dropping daily.
Mornings brought the best bite,and the most fish landed
for us,on each outting,of our 3 day trip.



Flick with his Easter-Egg Hen / Easter Suday,
last fish of the trip.




What is this here ?
We had quite a few fish head for
the under cut bank in this run.

>>

Flick Hooked up again



Skanky Buck

Thanksgivin Steel 2010,it was an Egg Bite

Ty & Tim with a good one on a Skein Fly




I got to try out my new gear,everything worked fine !




This Steel fell victim to a Wiggle Stone




Steve-O had a good day,fooled by a PT(he liked the fish mitts !)




Dave Boo B,with another one on a Skein-Fly




Big Moe & O-Moe in Action






Elk-Horn Switch Rod & Henny Penny Steel,another victim of the Skein-Fly

Fall Steelheading,Crisp Mornings & Beauitful Colors

Fall Morning Fight > photo by John Miller




Fall Steelheading : the crisp cool dawn,gave way to the mornings
warming sun,the colors where spectacular the fish where co-operative,
at least for awhile,until the leaves & raising waters shut us down :(
Spent some time on the water with John Miller & got to watch him work
magic on the fish,as well as with the camera ! I've always found it
quite intresting to watch an artist at work "The Camera's Eye"
Mid-way steelhead calling try your luck with me,Chromers singing
the same old melody,a thousand 10 cent wonders,who could ask for more ?
A pocket full of silver,the key to heavans door,Steelhead Streams,
willos in the breeze,Steelhead Streams,so many memories.



One for the Net > photo by John Miller

10/11/09 Steelheads "The Steelhead Cherry"

Cody got his first tast of Steel this weekend




Tim H.,yelling "Get The Net Again !"




Boo's Chrome




Taking a break from the action on Elk




What hat should I wear ?




Lil' Broun Trout swimming with Steel




Steelhead Circle @ Trout Run

Let The Games Begin ! Steelhead Fall 09

Jason with some Fresh Sunday Steel




Steelhead Season Fall 09,is offically on !
The recent rains brought a push of fish to most of the Alley Tribs.
I spent most of Saturday,scouting the tribs,visiting The Fly Shops,
restocking,my materials,and gathering information,on when where &
how,I would begin,my season opener.I did'nt even get my boots on as
I was content to scout for my opening day on Sunday,10/4/09.
Elk & Walnut Creeks,had a good deal of fisherman on them both,so I
just watched and listened to the fish stories.
Walnut was fishing fair at the access,upon my arrival late Saturday
AM,and I witnessed a fair # of fish being hooked & landed.
Next I stopped at Trout Run,to see the progress being made there.
I saw quite a few of "The Baby Browins"swiming with the Steel,&
the addition of Brownies to the PA Great Lakes Fishery will be
welcomed by many !

Fresh Chromer "Head Shot"




The fishing on Elk was much slower,than Walnut,as the mud stained
waters & strong flow on Saturday,limited many success,but there where
some fish being caught. By late Saturday afternoon,I had narrowed down
the place I would fish to 2 areas,as darkness fell I,found myself listening
to the live entertainment being provide by the outside,under the pavlion
Hoe-Down @ The Girard Legion Post,just above The Legion Hole.
It was a good mix for me,good live music,for my ears,while serching for fish.


Jason's New Minnow pattern was working well




Skein Fly by J fooled this Steel





Sunday morning found me on the water,as it was just getting daylight.
I was soon rewarded just after,with my first hook-up of the year.
The fish where taking a liking to my offering's of Wiggle Stones.
The Steelies where jus full of fight,fresh,dime bright,leaping,drag
singing runs,where the rule of the day,as I had action all morning.
The fish seemed to turn on & off all morning,and a switch of patterns
was all that was needed to get them on the bight again.
All kidding aside,I breifly thought i was in Alaska,Coho fishing again,
as the jumping steel,trough my flies or got my line on some of the sharp
edged shale as the pulled the line off my reel,in there mad dash for
freedom upstream,after inhaling my minnow patterns or nymphs.
Productive patterns for me early in the day where,Wiggle Stones,in
Peacock & Blue in nymphs & Ice Man Minnow's,Bob's Minnow & Pod's Minnow.



Another one on the fly for J




J Puttin the Side Pressure to em'




By mid morning things seemed to be slowing down a bit,so I put on a strike
indicator & skein flies,and Day 1 round 2 of my Steelhead opener had begun.
The fished seemed to favor the Skein Flies,as most fish prefered the "Egg"
over the minnow,in my tandem rig.under "da Float",my 2nd half of the morning.



Elk Creek "The Mud Hole"





Elk Creek above The EC Acess




I hooked up with Jason,in the afternoon,as we put on ou hikin' boots & coverd
some water,we found some more bitters as we hit and ran a few miles of water.



Trolling for Steelies off Trout Run




Construction @ Trout Run




Little Brown Trout @ Trout Run




Lower Walnut




10/3/09 "The Nut"