AK 2010: Brooks Lodge - Crossing Streams

One of the best things about fly fishing and traveling are some of the cool people you meet. The ones you hit it off with immediately and know your streams will cross again. Jim and Melissa were some of those people. Their stream first crossed Ash's and mine in Belize during our first honeymoon, and we spent every evening telling stories and enjoying our time on the island.

I knew it was only a matter of time before we met up again, and this was the year to make it happen. Jim manages Brooks Lodge in Katmai National Park, one of the oldest lodges in Alaska, famous for its bears catching salmon in the air at Brooks Falls, and big rainbows -- what more excuse do you need to see an old friend? You can camp there in a NPS campground, or stay in the lodge, and the Brooks River is right there, easily accessible on foot. So when Dad arrived, I took a couple days to 'acclimatize' him, get on some fish, then head over to check out some new rivers.

Part of their operation is Katmai Air, used to transport guests, and available for private charters. After an initial hop from Anchorage to King Salmon, we met up with the guys from Katmai Air and headed to the float plane office. The skies parted, and we had nice sunny skies for the landing at Brooks.

After a 'bear briefing' from the Park Service, we met up with Jim and got a tour of the facility, the prized 4x4 bus for taking guests to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes, and of course, the river.

It didn't take too long before I was eager to rig up and hit the water. The record wet summer hadn't spared Brooks, and the normally dry hike in was completely flooded. I managed to coax Jim out of the office, and off we slogged through it.

The high water didn't seem to be bothering the Brooks trout too much though, just shifted them around a bit. The Sockeye were early in their run, not quite dropping lots of eggs yet, but the trout were ready for what we were throwing at them, beads or leaches. Unlike the river The 'Big Fishky' flask seemed to always be at low level. Puzzling phenomena indeed.

Some sun would have been nice, and lower water, but you have to take what you can get. Wade strong, and if some frog water gets in your waders, sometimes to have to head back in and warm up by the fire, head held high.

This was just the start of our stay at Brooks. This ain't Ghostbusters, sometimes it's OK to 'cross the streams'.

Stay tuned.

D