Alaska Suckage 2011

[MtnGrouseHtr]

It is time to report on the Kelly clan's 2011 Alaska trip.

We started on August 13th flying into Anchorage and picking up our RV from "Great Alaskan Adventures". My brothers, who flew in from the west coast, picked up our RV and our shopping list around 11 am and I met them at a Freddy Myers via a cab from the airport about 4:45 pm. We hauled ass and in about three hours we were rigging up on Quartz creek for some Dolly and Rainbow action.



I rushed down to the creek and with a bead rig, I caught the first fish of the trip (below)



We spent three days and two nights at Quartz Creek campground and hammered the Dolly's and Rainbows with pegged beads.









After our time on Quartz, we had scheduled a float trip on the Kenai. We were just a touch early for the better trout fishing we had experienced last time (2009), but still it was fantastic.







After our float trip on the Kenai, we headed to Deep Creek to try our hand at some Silver Salmon on the fly rod. We were just a touch early, but we also had the entire stream to ourselves for the most part. In a day and a half of hard fishing we also scratched out a few silvers. To anyone who has battled a fresh silver on a fly rod knows, it was worth the wait.





We also hoofed it up Deep Creek to see if the Dolly and Rainbow fishing measured up. Compared to WNC, it was great, but by AK standards, it was not worth pursuing. We did find an bald eagle that was not too happy we were close to his nest.



We then had a Halibut trip planned out of Homer. It was a rough 20 mile ride out but I have to say they got us out of the chicken patch into some nice Halibut. My oldest brother caught a 75 lber as the first fish.





The scenery was spectacular, I asked the Captain if I could claim one of the many deserted islands as my own.....



After our halibut trip, we headed back north up the Kenai peninsula to the Russian river. This place is always crowded, but not only with people. We counted 10 different bears on our first evening on the river.







What made it worth it was the rainbow fishing behind the Red Salmon laying eggs. I caught the following on a 4wt Helios. It was a blast and I can still feel the throb in my arm.










We had a blast in 2011. I would say the trout fishing was better than 2009 on the smaller rivers (Quartz and the Russian) and just a touch slower on the larger rivers (Kenai). The silver fishing was better on Deep Creek, but slower on the Russian. We also had more rain this year than in 2009, but most of the AK locals say we were just lucky in the previous years.

Anyway, we usually go every two years and this year we were one or two guys short of our goal. (We usually shoot for 5-6 guys and this year we only had 4). If you from NC or the surrounding area and are interested in going in 2012 or 2013, then shoot me a PM and lets get the planning started.


For a complete list of the photos I took visit...

https://picasaweb.google.com/jkelly295/Alaska2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNnAwpTGu5DjWw&feat=directlink

[flatlander]

You suck!

[5xTippett]

OK, I am impressed!

[Mstash]

Great report
I've done AK once and got lucky on the Silvers. They came up a week early and we just happened to be there.
Can't beat the fight of a Silver on a Fly. 

[Al]

Looks like you guys did well.  I've made a few trips up that way (I think 8 - lose track after awhile) - Timing is everything when you are targeting salmon and the trout that follow them.  Be there a week early or a week late and your fishing suffers.  I usually try to time it when the pinks and chums are also in the rivers, that way you can always put a bend in your rod even if it is not the highly sought after Silver, Dolly or Trout.

Good Lord willing I plan to venture up there again next August. 

Do you have a ball park figure for what it cost you guys for your little adventure using campgrounds, RV, etc?  (I have always gone the rental car & cabin route - By eating most meals at cabin 3-4 of us usually keep it to under $2000 each for 6 full days of fishing and two days of travel - this includes airfare - not sure if we can do it for that with recent increase in airfare and everything else)

[MtnGrouseHtr]

Al, It was around $1800 per person. This was for 11 days.

600 - Airfare
400 - RV rental (x 4 people. The RV we had would sleep 6 but we had a couple guys back out on us)
100 - Groceries (x 4)
250 - Float the Kenai
275 - Halibut Trip.

The rest was spent on gas, fishing license and misc stuff.

[Woolly Bugger]

we had a couple guys back out on us)

YOU SUCK AND MY PHONE DIDN'T RING!!!!

[benben reincarnated]

Now that's some impressive chit.     bd;0   bd;0   bd;0

Nice shots of the bears too, definitely would scared the bejeezus out of me. 

[Aka]

Nice chit looks like you guys had a blast! I grew up between Homer and Deep Creek fishing halibut out in the inlet and dollies, bows, steelhead and salmon in the local rivers and know how well (and not so well sometimes) it can be looks as if you hit it at a good time.

[Transylwader]

You definitley suck! bd;0
I gotto get the fuck outta Raleigh sometime soon

[Holmes]

I'm sick as hell and those are just the pics i needed 2 see. I knew i shoulda used a dirty needle to inject buddy drugs, but drugs is good.

Great report, first rate work

[patrickm1587]

I'm just hoping someone in your group was carrying a really high powered handgun or a shotgun...