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Sounds like a great time Paul!!
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Thanks for the excellent report. Was this a self-guided trip? I have wanted to fish for silvers with a fly rod on a river. Does this area you visited have guided trips for fly rod fishing? Can you recommend a guide service? Thanks.
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Thank you. I look forward to seeing the pictures. When I was a teenager in Oregon I loved to catch silvers. The aerials were fantastic.
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Sad to hear they're paving that road. I remember once getting two flat tires in the course of 10 miles on that son-of-a-rocky thing, but there wasn't any help! I did radio the lodge for some though (Pre-cell phone days). I cut up tires all over the north end of that Island. Good to hear there's still good fishing. I miss the place, and all the black bears, and all the mosquitoes, and the constant rain . . . wait, maybe I only miss it a little! Very unique creeks and rivers there though. I'd go back for the spring steelhead in an instant.
Riverdog, I used to pound that flat below the falls, and the first turnout below that, on 108 cr.
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Yeah we checked out both those spots on Lower 108. Even hit upper 108 for a few cutthroat. Cell service?? It aint that civilized yet thank god. Got to drive to Klawock 90 minutes each way for that same as if you need a loaf of bread.
The wetland permit I need to build is out for a 30 day public comment now. Only taken 5 years but hopefully that cabin will be in by next summer. Let me know if you ever want to use it or join me steelhead fishing once it's in.
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[inline "Alaska Whale Pass Day 1 043.JPG"]Silver caught right below Neck lake Outlet dumping into the ocean.
[inline "Alaska Whale Pass Day 1 052.JPG"]
Fly fishing a hundred yards from mouth. Notice the handful of silvers air born below.
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[inline "Alaska 08-01-2014 Canon 520.JPG"]Baby black bear on road next to Neck Lake
[inline "Alaska 08-01-2014 Olympus 136.JPG"]Tasty halibut.
Not sure how to post video clips but maybe I'll try later
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Nice report and great pics, thanks for sharing them with us. You should be able to upload the video just like the pics. Unless you are doing a link from YouTube, then you use the Embed feature below. Let me know if you have a problem and I'll be glad to help.
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[inline "Alaska 08-01-2014 Olympus 001.AVI"]
I'll try one at a time. Last time when i checked the preview doing that there was nothing there.
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I am jealous. That is a very large silver in the first picture. Nothing like high flying silvers. Thanks for the pictures and video.
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Yea, the embed feature doesn't work all the time but it looks like you uploaded the video clip just fine. Did you see any bears while you were fishing?
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That's my son Riverpup with that fish. But for the first several days they were all that size give or take maybe a pound. Later they varied just a bit more with 80% that size but a few larger and a few smaller ones in the mix. I've actually caught silvers as well as been embarrassed repeatedly by silvers quite a bit bigger than that on previous trips.
WH2 there are days on that island fishing I've seen more bears than humans. There all well fed black bears so nothing anyone worries about other than a group of dogs will run them off occasionally. Rumor I've heard from several over the years that there a a very few grizzles and black/grizz mixes now. Supposedly swam to the island after a few Roosevelt Elk swam over. If there are any they're outnumber a thousand to one by black bears. The black bear hunts are pretty popular in the spring and fall.
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Great report! I sure am Jonesing for another trip to POW. The last time for me just whetted the appetite. I wonder if the increased development will raise or lower the cost of a trip up there?
One question. When we went with the lodge, although the fishing was DIY, they cleaned and vaccuum sealed our catch. Do you bring fish home and if so, is there a facility that vacuum seals your catch for you?
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This was our first time staying in Whale Pass even if I'd taken 5-6 day trips to fish there before. Don't know too many locals- hopefully the meth problem is decreasing as it has been in the rest of the country. I purchased land in Coffman Cove and know quite a few locals. Coffman Cove seems more of a town and community. It has a school, library, restaurant, bar and store by it's waterfront. A lot of interaction of families, individuals and well as visitors in that area. Whale Pass is just a collection of a few dozen people living in the same vicinity and there doesn't seem to be a lot of interaction or sense of community to me. Don't think there are very many children living there. Coffman Cove doesn't seem to have a big drug issue but a few do drink their share for sure. I can't imagine raising kids in Whale Pass but think it's certainly doable in Coffman Cove
Doggone we have had locals (last trip it was a teenage son of a guide) sometimes process and vacuum seal our fish. This trip we did it all ourself. Klawock does have a place that will vacuum seal or smoke your fish. I think Wildfish Co. is the one that does it. Never used them but other fishermen tell use they do a really good job.
Here's a few pics of/from the property.
[inline "Alaska 08-01-2014 Canon 634.JPG"]
[inline "Alaska 08-01-2014 Canon 636.JPG"]
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]. Missed the sockeye on Sarkar as they'd moved on to spawn but Hatchery Creek was having a great run of sockeyes. Staney Creek silvers and pinks were beginning to show up in some numbers as well. Once the road to Whale Pass is paved and it's no longer a 3 hour round trip for bread I think the guides and fishing pressure will increase up North. Another good reason we got a week in up there this year. I'll try to get some fish photos and post them later.
but that end of the island, as is most of AK, ruined with meth. Total shame. My uncle worked WP before it became private owned and I would have loved to have been there then. Snow Pass silvers are the sweetest coho in the SE.