Monster Kings

I went down to the boats after dinner last night to bale them before bed and once again kings were jumping and rolling right behind the boats. I rigged my 10 foot rod up with a leader and made a couple casts. After several hits and landing 2 15 pound kings I hooked a monster fish. As soon as I set the hook I knew something was different. My reel screamed as 175 yards of line disappeared in one fast continuous run. I debated whether to chase it downriver or try and pull it back up. Faced with losing all my line I chose to chase it. As I started down the bank I felt the pressure release and instantly knew I had just lost what might have been the biggest fish of the season. I reeled all my line in and after a close inspection realized my small Gamakatsu hooks are no match for a really huge king in fast water.

With a new trophy hunting game plan I tied several 5/0 Owner cutting point hooks up and proceeded to laugh at any trout that dared bite my line. It didn’t take but 7 or 8 casts and I found myself once again tied into an absolute monster king unlike any I have ever hooked!!

This fish used every inch of the long stretch of river running hundreds of yards in every direction just to turn and run again. From up in the dining room window I must have looked like a lunatic swatting mosquitos and crazily jumping from boat to boat trying to gain any line on the monster I had hooked. Armed with my huge hook and beefy rod I leaned into the fish and pulled with all my weight only to have the rod shutter and bend all the way into the cork handle. After almost an hour I realized I was fighting a losing battle and started yelling for Chelsea to come help. She showed up and both of us marveled at the size of the swirls this huge fish was making as it kept up its steady march downriver. By now I had had this fish on for an hour and was no closer to landing it then when I first hooked it. I had run out of bank and was faced with the sickening realization the fish was making its way for the left arm and I was standing on the right. With over 250 yards of line out and nowhere to go, I sadly thumbed the spool in a Hail Mary last ditch effort to turn the fish. I cringed as I felt all 250 yards of 65# braid stretch until breaking point and finally with a loud cracking sound I felt the line part.

I have still not gotten over loosing that fish. There might only be a hand full of fish like that one swim up this river each season but, if you want a shot at landing one, we need to gear up accordingly. I am currently rethinking my strategy for this afternoon and I will not be caught with my pants down again, I guarantee it!!!!

Kings and 'nuisance' Rainbows

Fantastic fishing last night here in Alaska for kings. Another batch of eager biters showed up with that last rain a couple days ago. I am heading out with the gang this afternoon to look around for other spots, but, plan on fishing kings on the 31st.
I landed 5 kings with the biggest going 25 last night. 20' rainbows were biting to the point of being a nuisance.

Kings, Sockeye and Chums

With almost a week of bright sunny days and no rain the river is sparkling clear allowing for great visability. We fished from the boat yesterday while anchored a short distance from a jumping school of kings. As we fished you could see the backs of migrating salmon shooting past underneath the boat. We caught 6 kings before lunch and after lunchtime and a little break we went out for the evening and landed 5 more. Still lots of chums and sockeye pooling up in the slower water in several locations close by the lodge. With the warmer water temps and clear water I am itching to get back in several big sloughs and try our hand at pike fishing but its hard to convince anyone to fish for pike while salmon are filling the main river.

Fishing Report-July 13

Its hard to go anywhere on the river now without seeing salmon jumping and trout rising. The king fishing right below the main lodge has been so good we have had to change our schedule to accomodate the late evenings fishing from the bank. Jim Hagee from Chugach landed a nice 24 pound king this evening as well as several smaller ones. The only fish missing from the mix now are the silvers and it will not be long until someone here catches the first of the year.

Banner Run in 2011

With the Fish and Game sonar station recording many more kings than last year, we are expecting a banner run here on the Mulchatna but nothing prepared us for what happened yesterday. Kings in the 15 pound range on almost every cast. The boats sat idle as we fished the bank directly below the dinning room window. Multiple hookups were the norm and time flied as what seemed like an hour was in fact several hours. Every fisherman has experienced this time warp that happens when the excitement level is at its peak and all your energy and focus are sharply directed at getting that next hookup.

I have no hesitation in stating that the fishing here right now is some of the best fishing to be had anywhere, period. Beautiful summer weather, clear water, outstanding numbers of eager salmon, and a first class crew. If you would like to experience this for yourself give Halie or Chet a call at 907-240-4868 or shoot them an email at fish@BearfootAdventures.net

-Isaac Sullens

July 3 Report

The sockeye and chums have been pushing past us here strong for days now. The fishing is exciting with mostly all bright and feisty salmon and rainbows. Kings have been a little harder to hook until last night, while down at the bank Chet noticed the usual jumping chum and rolling sockeye were in fact a huge wave of fresh kings that had set up shop in the slow water not 100 feet from where we park the boats. We quickly slipped our waders on and geared up for what would be a very memorable evening catching kings, 20'' rainbow, and one chum.

Fourth of July Weekend

Sockeyes are on the scene. We have been anxiously awaiting the sockeye run to start after many reports of a banner season for the commercial boats fishing Bristol Bay. Well, as of yesterday our wait is over as the river is filling up with bright shiny sockeye. Fishing not two minutes from the lodge we encountered the first wave of feisty ocean bright sockeyes. There is no need to sort through the fish to pick out the brightest ones for the fillet table as all are fresh and silver from only a week in the river. Sockeye, being the least likely to take a spoon or spinner, are the most fun on a fly rod but we did have great success using the baitcasters and some egg yarn. Time flies and you wonder why your shoulders are sore after fishing until you realize it’s almost midnight and you have been hard at it for hours. We are now enjoying king, chum, sockeye, pike, rainbow, and grayling fishing simultaneously. Part of the fun of fishing here in these rivers is not knowing what you will hook next!