We all tightened our seat belts as the plane circled low to land in Igiogik; it was windy, and rainy. We were surprised to have been able to come through Lake Clark pass on the way. George was waiting and we quickly unloaded the plane into his truck for the short haul to the river and the boats. It was the 3rd week in September, there were four of us and we had all fished the Kvichak previously. This was my fourth trip.
There had been heavy rain in south central Alaska for the past couple of weeks and that rain extended to the Lake Iliamna region. The Kvichak was higher than we had seen it in earlier trips. The strong westerly wind and resulting wave action increased turbidity in the lake, thus reducing visibility in the river. Normally, the Kvichak is gin clear.
It was just after noon, by the time we got to camp, unloaded and shook out our gear, grabbed a bite to eat and headed down stream to fish. The wind continued to blow and it rained intermittently. We generally drift and wade. There were two to a boat so one fished while the other rowed. We prefer three to a boat with two fishing, but our group this year was too small. The wind made controlling the boats extremely difficult. There were situations where the wind blew so hard it pinned us against the banks, making it difficult to get out into the river. Wading, we had to select locations based on our ability to cast.
We were fishing the upper portion of the braids, a network of low grassy islands that provide little shelter from wind, particularly in strong winds. The back channels provide some protection and we scouted several of those areas. We generally use three approaches: dead drifting beads, swinging black leeches and drifting flesh flies. We use beads if there are spawning reds in the river. Swinging leeches and drifting flesh are normally always effective. Between the wind and the turbidity the fishing started slow. There were more boats on the river than we could remember in prior years. One of the lodges had dropped their rates, which suddenly attracted a bunch people. Others were being flown in from outlying lodges. Many of our favorite spots were occupied and we had to settle for second and third choices. I managed to pick up a 23 and 24 inch rainbow, a couple of smaller ones and had a good fish break me off, all taken swinging a black leech.
The following day dawned calm and overcast. We started at the Beaver Alley run-out. We picked up a few small rainbows. I then hooked and landed a nice 25-inch fish that hit hard going away. Again, I was swinging a black leech. I soon hooked another good fish that came off. It started raining and blowing again around noon. We moved back to where we took fish the previous day, and I hooked another heavy fish that came off. At 4:30 we headed back to camp but as we approached the lodge we decided to run up to the head of the island to fish. We split up and I took a couple of small rainbows and had a couple of other bumps. I then moved to the backside of the island and starting fishing my way down toward the Tilt'n Hilton, an old grounded wood barge.
About 200 feet from where I had started swinging, a fish slammed my leech and and ran downstream and across the river. The fish didn't jump or surface, but just steam rolled downstream. It took all of my running line and was well into my backing as I started to follow it downstream. I wasn't sure how far I could chase the fish, I'd have to wade in front of the barge and I had no idea if I could wade in front of it. Finally, the fish turned and rolled on the surface, my first look at it and it looked big. I started getting some line back as the fish came toward me. It got into shallow water below me and I got a better look at the fish, definitely a trophy fish. I didn't have a net and it looked like the best option was to try and beach it in the shallow grassy water in which I was now standing. Joe was now behind me. As the fish glided into the shallows I grabbed it by the tail, dropped my rod, got a hand under its belly and hoisted it for a couple of quick photos. I measured the fish with rod and then slid it back into the water. It turned out to be a 29-inch rainbow.
Wednesday was windy, rainy, 50F and slow fishing. Landed two fish all day; both under 20 inches. Thursday started the same. By noon I had two rainbows under 20 inches. After lunch, at the lower end of Beaver Alley I picked up a 23-inch rainbow and another about 19 inches. We moved downstream about a quarter of mile and pulled up on a shallow, grassy island in the middle of the channel. I walked to the head of the island and starting swinging a black leech. As I worked my way down I found a small channel or hole in some relatively fast moving water where up picked up three rainbows, including a 26-inch fish. As I moved down a little further, I landed a fourth fish.
Friday turned out to be our last day to fish. It was one of the better days weather-wise but fishing was best described as slow. In spite of that I landed my second best fish of the trip, a 27-inch rainbow, a smaller one and I stuck and lost a really good fish just downstream from at the head of Blueberry Island. This fish hit very hard, made several jumps and the hook came out.
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