Western Alaska Fishing Trip

[BobK]

Me and a couple buddies will be travelling out to Western Alaska for a week of flying and fishing starting June 23rd. We will be travelling via our own airplanes (wheels only) and could be ranging from Iliamna to Bethel.

Anybody have any good recommendations on areas to go. We fish for anything; Rainbows, Kings, Reds, Dollies, Grayling, if it swims we will try and catch it.

Ive been out in the area dozens of times working, but never paid much attention to fishing/landing areas.

Thanks !

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[N171TD]

Bob K you can ask for airplane info, flight info, how to build a house info BUT asking for fishing spot info is like asking to sleep with someones wife. Even asking for someones wife is much more a probability.

[BobK]

TD,

It seems that way by the lack or responses we're getting... I don't share that mentality though. I'm happy to share any "good" fishing, or any other "spots" with people who are interested. I never understood the secrecy surrounding fishing spots... Our big thing is just trying to find places to land that are near fishing areas. While we've always known that where we will actually end up is solely dependent on the water level, usable gravel bars, and fishing success, I was just looking for general areas to start scoping out. We'll be buzzing around what is arguably the worlds grandest fishing area, with thousands of choices. Just trying to narrow the field slightly...

Thanks !

Bob

[N171Q]

It may be a bit early, but landing at Illiamna and parking in the far west parking area puts you in walking distance for great red fishing on the Newhalen river. You'll see plenty of bears too.

Flying to Portage Creek on the Nushagak river gives you access to some great king fishing. Just google for guides in the area who can pick you up and take you out on the river from there. Seems like it cost $250 for the guide/boat last time I did that and we caught (and released) about 17 kings that day.

Don't know if your into landing off-field, but I've often flown over the Kvichack river near Igiugig and thought some of the gravel/sand bars would be landable, and there are lots of reds in that river (when they're running). I don't know about land ownership, or landability for that matter, so probably best to research any guides or boats for rent out of the villiage.

JR

[BobK]

Thanks JR !

We weren't planning on landing anywhere other than off-airport this trip, with the exception of refueling at Dillingham. We'll be cruising along the drainages looking for gravel bars and tundra smooth enough to set down on. Instead of hiring guides and renting boats, I think we're going to try and concentrate on the smaller clear-water drainages that flow into the Kvichak and Nushagak rivers. Possibly go up and try out the Togiak or Goodnews River as well. On the way past, the Brooks River, Talarik, and Alagnak might deserve a look-see for some rainbows.

Thanks again for the heads up ! I'll be sure and post a full report with photos when I return.

Hasta ~

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[hilltop170]

Bob K.
I don't mind passing on what I know about the area but I am not a fisherman myself, I'm a harvestor. I only fish for food and only when the runs are strong and I know I'll catch fish to fill the freezer. I have prospected that area for landing spots on several occasions mostly for hunting purposes.

Unfortunately there are not many good landing sites for wheels next to good fishing areas in SW Alaska that I know of. Now if you had floats........ There are more spots available the bigger your tires get, but many spots are soft no matter what size you have. Be very careful, especially of the apparently dry lake beds which may look dry but are muddy and have no bottom. I don't know of any strips in the Tikchiks except at Lower Lake Alegnegik to the south and Tikchik Narrows Lodge up north. Both require permission to land. The char will be running in the Tikchiks around the solstice. The Bristol Bay beaches are sometimes ok but watch out for the slope, some are very steep. If there is wind from offshore, it will help landing on a steep beach, winds off of the land work against you. Be very careful! Notice I mentioned that twice.

Roll any intended landing spot several times before you commit yourself. DO NOT LAND on the Lake Iliamna beach next to Talarik Creek. It looks good but is mostly loose round rocks and I would not land anything there except a Super Cub with a big engine and a minimum of 31" tundra tires and then I would be leary. There is a cinder blow strip about 1/2 mile off the beach parallel with the beach up on a bench south of the creek that Cubs land on if you must land at Talarik Cr. It will be risky for a 170. Be very careful!

The places already mentioned are good choices and the kings should be in at Portage Creek but I haven't heard for sure this year. A lot of the land down there is in Native control so be sure and ask permission to fish. Don't be alarmed if the natives ask for a "tresspass fee", they are legally entitled to charge one. If things don't "smell" right, just leave and in any case be careful of leaving your plane unattended if you have had any unpleasant words with a local or things don't seem right.

Don't discount the possibilities of landing at the state airports and walking to the fishing holes. Igiugig and Iliamna both have excellent fishing within walking distance of the airstrips. Fishing for trout is good at both places. It's too early for the reds, they come in about July 1st but just ask locally about them, sometimes they are early and show up earlier the closer you get to Bristol Bay. Iliamna is open to anyone and Igiugig residents are glad to get rid of the rainbows but ask permission before fishing along the river there. The sand bars below Lake Iliamna on the Kvichak River don't always offer good landing opportunities but if you decide to try them, the rainbow fishing can be good. 24" fish are common. Be very careful! Notice I mentioned that again, you are a long way from help and busted planes make a fun trip not fun anymore. The cannery at Togiak has a strip and it is close to the river, might be good, I don't know.

If you decide to land at Iliamna, I may be at my cabin about that time with my nephew. We'll be working on the cabin and could use some help. Just kidding. If you get weathered in or its raining and you want to dry out, come on by the cabin. Be sure to say hi if you land there in any case. It's the closest cabin to the end of runway 7-25, on Pike Lake, and the first cabin you come to walking from the 7-25 transient parking area to the west. Red roofed cabin with a red roofed garage and red roofed outhouse. Get on Google Earth and zoom-in on the Iliamna Airport. My cabin is easy to spot but the picture is old and doesn't show the garage.

Have a good trip and good luck with the landings and fishing.

[Roesbery]

Bob. My brother and I made a loop around that area 30 years ago and saw some beautiful country but real skimpy as to landing places for a wheel plane. Did land on a gravel bar in the Nushagak, but it rained overnight and we left at daylight because the bar was getting shorter fast. For a wheel plane consider the Nome area, lots of gravel bars and some of the bigest Grayling I've seen. One place about 50 miles inland from Nome had Dollies or Char about 18-20 inches Pinks, and Dogs, and Grayling 20-22 inches. All were still good in early July 1978. We went from Fairbanks to Bettles to Umiat to Kotzebue to Nome,Unalakleet, Anvik, Grayling, Aniak, up the Aniak River, around the mountain and down to Dillingham and on around the mountain back to the Yukon and upstream back to Fairbanks. South of the Yukon and north of Dillingham most of the streams have few useable gravel bars. If you go to Sleetmute and hire a skiff and guide some nice Sheefish ( bite best during a rain shower) and Pike up to around 48 inches. The Pike would jump out of the water and grab a lure before it hit the water.

[alaskan99669]

That is prime fishing time for Kings on the Nushagak. I'll be working that week but will be there July 2nd. Chris Carr of Alaska Bush Guides rents fully outfitted tents and boats for about $150 each per day. He's probably fully booked now, but here is his web site:
http://www.akbushguides.com/

Richard, you should hop over to Portage Creek for a little fishing. I've got the one friend with me for sure and another said he may stop by also, but you never know. We've got an 18' Lund reserved for use the evening of the 2nd and morning of the 3rd. I'll be on wheels and stopping at Iliamna for fuel. Is this your cabin if we get weathered in...

[hilltop170]

Corey-
I might take you up on the offer July 2nd. I have never fished kings there before.

Yes, that is the cabin but there is also a garage next to it now so it looks a little different, that's an old picture.

We should be at the cabin in any case if you want to stop by. It's about a 5 minute walk from the 7-25 transient parking.

[alaskan99669]

It's about a 5 minute walk from the 7-25 transient parking.

Richard,
Is this the transient parking? I've never noticed that lot before. I've only stopped by the fuel pump which I noticed is now over $7.25 per gallon. Weather permitting, I'll be stopping there about noon on the 2nd. I'll try and visit your cabin so you know for sure we are fishing. Then if you have time you can join us.

How about internet at your cabin? If you have it, you could track my progress via SPOT.

[GAHorn]

Is there really a FSS Ramp? If so, is it acutaly manned? By whom...Lockheed Martin or FSS personnel?

[alaskan99669]

Is there really a FSS Ramp? If so, is it acutaly manned? By whom...Lockheed Martin or FSS personnel?

Yep, it's still manned by a federal employee.
"On October 4, 2005, 58 AFSS sites and personnel, except Alaska, were contracted to Lockheed Martin. Only the 3 Alaskan AFSS and 14 FSS sites remain operating under the FAA today."
http://www.atchistory.org/History/Facil ... ectory.htm

[GAHorn]

Jeesh! Fantastic scenery, hunting/fishing, Field Approvals AND Flight Service Stations! No WONDER Alaska is called "God's Country!" How 'bout we all just move on up there and put a stop to that?

[BobK]

Our trip was cut short, so Im back already.

Landed on the beach at both Upper and Lower Talarik Creeks and fished Rainbows on Monday afternoon/evening. Lots of them in there, but they were all pretty small. The beaches werent too bad for landing on. The landing roll was about 200', and with the 15-20mph wind the takeoff roll wasnt much more than that. Camped at Lower Talarik for the night.

Gas in Iliamna is $8.37 a gallon.

Hasta ~

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[Green Bean]

Like I said before Gahorn, when will you plan your visit north...???