Post by phishinincident on Jul 17, 2011 12:46:51 GMT -5
Hey guys, hope all is well in the lower 48 and the twin ‘Lafs. I figured I'd try and stay in touch and keep everyone updated this summer. This upcoming week will be the 7th week of the 2011 fishing season at Rainbow Point Lodge. I’m having an awesome time so far and am fitting in nicely. The lodge itself and its local fishery are simply incredible, we have been catching rainbows by all means up to 28” since June 8th (opening day). The river we are closest to and fish most is the Copper, I’m in love. It’s the perfect size, absolutely beautiful and choked with fish. The Rainbow fishing was awesome until the first week of July when the Sockeyes started. Two million salmon have since entered the Lake Iliamna drainage, and that figure will likely double before the end of July. We have seen a great number of brown bears and an increasing amount on the river since the arrival of the salmon, we have also seen Freshwater Seals, Wolverine and a curious Lynx wandering around the lodge grounds. I absolutely love this place and am glad I made the decision to come here specifically. The atmosphere is low-pressure low-tension and everyone is great, which really helps when your stuck with the same people all summer. The lodge is relatively small, 8-10 is full capacity, which is much better than the places I have worked up here previously.
As far as the fishing goes the Copper and Gibraltar, the two main rivers we fish, as well as a handful of other small tribs. to the Lake are just amazing. The water has risen in Lake Iliamna about 3-4’ since I’ve been here and the river level has dropped about 2’. The first 3 weeks I mainly focused on swinging big streamers, as I had serious Spey fisherman and women early on. The dry fly fishing and nymphing has since heated up. I have taken my personal biggest fish (25”x18”) on a Chezch nymph setup on 5x! The nymphing here is amazing, like nothing else I’ve experienced in the state. The dry fly fishing here is also stellar, I literally haven’t even seen fish rise elsewhere in AK. The Copper gets immense hatches of Caddis, Mayflies and Stones. A couple weeks ago there were huge #10 or bigger adult stoneflies all over the banks, that made for some awesome surface action on big foam bodied flies, what a blast. Nothing could have prepared me for the surface fishing here, I didn’t even realize you could fish dries for trout anywhere in the state, there simply isn’t bugs anywhere else I’ve been. Both biggest fish I have taken on the surface with a Caddis and a Mouse measured 22”. With the water level continuing to drop the jet boating is increasingly technical and intense! Whipping through 4” deep 10’ wide side channels calls for a full throttle and white knuckles, what a blast. We really haven’t started rafting yet as the lower rivers fish the best in the spring, I do however look forward to getting on the sticks in inflatables the most. Our fall is fully booked from the 3rd week in August to the 2nd week in October, this is when fishing is easiest. As the salmon spawn and die the trout become bigger and more abundant, this season pretty much is fully booked years in advance.
All in all everything is good and I hope y’all can say the same. Il be back in the lower 48 as of Oct 14th and I’m sure I’l be down to visit a few times in the fall and early winter but it looks like warm weather and skinny water after Jan for me this winter and spring.
There’s issues with uploading photos to the internet with out satellite connection but maybe John could be so kind to poach the very few I’ve uploaded elsewhere and post them up here.
Hope you guys are well and on the water often,
Jordan
www.akrpl.com
As far as the fishing goes the Copper and Gibraltar, the two main rivers we fish, as well as a handful of other small tribs. to the Lake are just amazing. The water has risen in Lake Iliamna about 3-4’ since I’ve been here and the river level has dropped about 2’. The first 3 weeks I mainly focused on swinging big streamers, as I had serious Spey fisherman and women early on. The dry fly fishing and nymphing has since heated up. I have taken my personal biggest fish (25”x18”) on a Chezch nymph setup on 5x! The nymphing here is amazing, like nothing else I’ve experienced in the state. The dry fly fishing here is also stellar, I literally haven’t even seen fish rise elsewhere in AK. The Copper gets immense hatches of Caddis, Mayflies and Stones. A couple weeks ago there were huge #10 or bigger adult stoneflies all over the banks, that made for some awesome surface action on big foam bodied flies, what a blast. Nothing could have prepared me for the surface fishing here, I didn’t even realize you could fish dries for trout anywhere in the state, there simply isn’t bugs anywhere else I’ve been. Both biggest fish I have taken on the surface with a Caddis and a Mouse measured 22”. With the water level continuing to drop the jet boating is increasingly technical and intense! Whipping through 4” deep 10’ wide side channels calls for a full throttle and white knuckles, what a blast. We really haven’t started rafting yet as the lower rivers fish the best in the spring, I do however look forward to getting on the sticks in inflatables the most. Our fall is fully booked from the 3rd week in August to the 2nd week in October, this is when fishing is easiest. As the salmon spawn and die the trout become bigger and more abundant, this season pretty much is fully booked years in advance.
All in all everything is good and I hope y’all can say the same. Il be back in the lower 48 as of Oct 14th and I’m sure I’l be down to visit a few times in the fall and early winter but it looks like warm weather and skinny water after Jan for me this winter and spring.
There’s issues with uploading photos to the internet with out satellite connection but maybe John could be so kind to poach the very few I’ve uploaded elsewhere and post them up here.
Hope you guys are well and on the water often,
Jordan
www.akrpl.com