My Alaska Float trip Report, Wow !

[Bluegrass Bill]

Hey Folks,

A while back I posted a short message to the board that I was Alaska bound and promised a report upon my return. Well folks I experienced an absolutely awesome Alaska River float trip of some 90 miles on the Kanektok River that was a trip of a lifetime :) . The “Kanektok Klan” that made up this group included Greg Miller, Michael Wrisley, Joe Tax, Eric Gilmore and myself. We had great weather, great fishing and along with the great company this made for an awesome trip.

We arranged our trip through Papa Bear adventures: http://www.pbadventures.com/ They do Alaska fly in trips to a number of rivers and rent all the equipment you will need. They were great to work with. I would be happy to provide additional information to anybody interested in this kind of trip.

Thanks so much my fellow Kanektok Klan for this awesome experience. Following are some photos that capture the majority of the trip as it unfolded.

Best Wishes and tight lines to all!

Bluegrass Bill, still basking in the Alaska afterglow :) :) :) .


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Flying into Bethel Tuesday morning after flying all night, 8/21

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Lots of folks sitting in Papa Bears Lodge waiting to get on their River

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Finally Plane nearly loaded ready to hit the Sky

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Greg, enjoying the scenery on the way to the lake

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Our put in at the lake, the adventure about to begin.

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The Kanektok Klan gang (minus Bluegrass Bill) ready to go, left to right
Eric Gilmore, Michael Wrisley, Greg Miller, Joe Tax


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Shoving off the first morning

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Michael with a nice dolly as we run into a big bunch of these fish shortly after starting

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Me with one of the first of many nice Dolly’s

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This is actually our second Grizzly we saw


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Eric with a nice grayling

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Me with another nice Dolly

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Setting up camp, a daily ritual.

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A look inside our kitchen tent with some very nice amenities

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Getting ready to hit it again the next morning

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Eric with one of his first really nice rainbows

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Our 3rd bear in 3 days!

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Saw bear tracks all over the place around our camps

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Obviously some happy campers

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Greg taking a break from his photography/video efforts with a nice silver

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Looking across river, Great camp spot we named Half Dome,
2 nights spent here

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Joe with a beautiful rainbow from Half dome camp




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A very chunky Dolly I caught from our Half Dome camp

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A view of our “Half Dome” camp site from on top

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A sunset at Half Dome

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Eric in a very familiar pose for a good portion of our trip
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Some nice wildflowers along the way

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A beautiful Midnight Moonlight Night and campfire
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Me with a nice rainbow

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The Beavers up there did magnificent work that any Engineer would have been proud of!

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Michael showing off his photography skills with this neat underwater shot

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Getting close to the end, some very contented folks

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Joe with a nice Silver from one of our hot spots

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Me with a really beautiful bright Silver

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Our last campfire, again some very contented campers


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The plane to pick us up at the journey’s end. Where did the time go??

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Some of the great scenery flying out of Bethel.

Thanks again my Kanektok Klan for a great trip and experience!

[Adam Grace]

Bill, great photo report! That looked like a great trip. I can't wait until I go to Alaska and have a trip like that. Thanks for the great pictures!

[Bernard]

Thanks Bill !!!

Neat report and some of the shots like the camp from high across the river really add a great perspective. Literally.

B.

[sculpin]

Your right. Wow

[SteelieD]

very cool!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Bill

That looks like a trip many here would enjoy.

I did a similar float trip in 1976 down the Togiak River with Bristol Bay Lodge.

Our guides were Brus Bergman Jr and Jim & Kitty Vincent (Rio Products).

It was a trip of a lifetime too.

[Sturmer White]

Bill
Thanks for the great picture trip.
You made my day.

[gryhackl]

BB
Thanx for the report, I enjoyed the photos. Now, get back to work!

[Bluegrass Bill]

Hey there Tom,

Good to see you on the board here :) ! Actually I have been working pretty hard here all day around the house anyway.

Saw some folks fishing on the American today as I crossed over Watt Avenue. Probably fishing for steelhead or stripers. Been thinking of trying that before long.

See you at the office Monday!

Bill

[Anne Vitale]

Thanks Bill....that is a great photo report. \:D/ \:D/ I didn't get up there this year so your report will have to do....and do it, it does very well. I love those dollies....the bears I can do without :eek:......Anne

[Bluegrass Bill]

Hey Anne,

Glad you enjoyed the photo report :) . Yes those dollies are a lot of fun and something it seems you can always depend on up there. Not that I have a lot of experience in Alaska but the 2 times I have been there, the dollies were definitely the most consistent and easiest fish to catch.

Regarding the bears, I was very happy that the bears we did see, did not seem to be interested in checking us out at all. They pretty much wanted to avoid us just like we wanted to avoid them :D .

Best Wishes :) !

Bill

[JerryInLodi]

Bill, it looked like the Alaska trip of a lifetime to me. Great photos as well.

[Michael Baker]

Great pics Bill! What an awesome trip! Give me a call when you want to hit the American. Nice rod!

Mike

[WinterrunRon]

Hey, Bill,

Looks & sounds like a fabulous trip. Glad it went so well and without any hicups. Really appreciate you posting your trip and including all the photos.

[Bluegrass Bill]

Hey Mike and Ron,

Glad you enjoyed the Alaska Post and Pictures. It certainly was the trip of a lifetime for me.

Mike, that new rod I built with your help certainly did well for me up there. I really liked it. I will be ready to hit the American here before to long.

Ron it is always fun to be able to share that kind of a fishing story with others. What are you fishing for these days and hows it going?

Best Wishes and tight lines Guys!

Bill

[WinterrunRon]

Just got back from a 4 day fishing trip in NorCal. I fished the Trinity River, Pit River, Burney Creek, Hat Creek, Lower Sac and American. The Trinity and American for steelhead, all others for trout.

I want to head back to the Lower Sac with my drift boat in search of big rainbows before too long (ie, before the adult steelhead arive and garner my attention). Should be good to better in the next couple of weeks. You're welcome to go with me, but you'll have to shave. :)