Naknek lake or illiamna lake, anyone ice fish them

[Kodiak Commando]

I was wondering if any of you guys have heard of anyone ice fishing those lakes or if it's even possible too. I'm not planning too i was just wondering because i know those lakes are big and hold tons of monster rainbows and i think naknek has lakers. Barleydog you should know, any idea?

[Grizzly1]

Yeah the locals do a little ice fishing on Naknek, I've heard that it's pretty good if they get good ice.  Naknek has big northerns (I've caught them up to 44") and 20+ lb char and lots of lakers (no monsters though, 18 lbs is the biggest I've seen), as well as the monster rainbows that reside there.

I would love to try ice fishing on the nak-ice out is the closest I've come.

-Grizz

[Barleydog]

I did a long time ago!  That's one lake that has no fishing pressure at all.  I have only met one other person who fished it, and it was for lakers.  Anyways, the lakers you can catch are pretty much of the cookie cutter variety.  Nothing to special, but nice 10 lb. fish.  It's tough to access without a plane, but it can be done via sled.  Problem is, the best fishing is on the other side of the lake from the naknek river.  Some really big fish are located up towards the bay of isles, and those world famous Naknek rainbows too.  As for the char/dollies?  I had never caught, heard of, or seen a fish over 8 lbs.  I fished and part time fish pimped the area, and never ran across a biggen.  Never targeted the pike much but Grizz is right, big fish!  How are you getting onto the lake KC?  That's the toughest part!

[Grizzly1]

Barleydog, 

Your right about the bay of islands, there are some big one's there and for the big char timing is crucial (hint-last week of May 1st half or so of June) as they go deeeep when the water warms (as you probably know).  The Nak was an untapped fishery but in the last couple of years some guides have been showing up.  Use to be able to camp on an island for a week and only see the planes flying overhead.  I don't think anyone has really dialed that lake in so I doubt the full trophy potental has been seen for the various species of fish that call the Naknek home, but the pressure is increasing-who knows?

Here's an odd one- 35lb King the 1st week of june, Bay of Isles, sea lice still attached?? What the hey, we thought it was a monster freshwater fish, the outfitter I guided for said it was the first king he'd seen caught there in almost 30 years of fishing the bay.  We've caught several since then though.

Naknek lake is a magical lake, go while it's still pristine (boy those lodges are popping up all over, even at the outlet of the Kukaklek).

-Grizz

[Barleydog]

Grizz,  That is probably the most beautiful place I have ever fished!  I have fished in the tropics, Central America, Europe, Canada, east coast, west coast, and even Kuwait!  BUT that is one of the most incredible spots on the planet.  It's a shame the lodges are moving in.  It's going to scar the land.
I have landed some monster fish there.  A 32" bow is not uncommon....  19-20" Grayling in the feeder streams, and many o' laker if they cooperated.  That king you caught was rare!  I nabbed a small "Jack" in the river in the month of September.  It was about 4 lbs. and yellow.  Very unusual to say the least.
Have you ever fished Brooks lake?  Great place for a mixed bag....

[Grizzly1]

Barleydog,

Yes I have fished Brooks and it is a wonderfull spot, one of my favorites is Headwaters cr. ( Bows to 26" & Grayling to 22", but the girth of them is amazing ) which is a feeder of Brooks l.  The fishing is fantastic throughout S.W. AK I've been blessed in having the opportunity to fish much of it.  Wish I could have spent more time with the Northerns, they are over looked and get little respect there.  Guess the same could be said of the Lakers, there have to be some monsters swimmin around.

Your Jack King must of been a late bloomer, Sept. is a tad bit late for him to sew his oats.  I've heard of stories of salmon that, for what ever reason, are a wee bit off on their timing.  Those Kenai Silvers are a goofy bunch-all the way to Feb.

-Grizz

[groundsluice_pete]

Kings can be funny. An old guy I know from Dillingham caught a king in a net strung under the ice on the Nushagak in February!

[Barleydog]

Hey Groundsluicepete what were they netting in Feb.? smelt?  Welcome to the forum!

[groundsluice_pete]

No. Probably pike or whitefish. I also knew another Eskimo guy from Aleknagik (near Dillingham) who caught a bright, full-size humpy through the ice while icefishing on a little lake near Lake Nerka. There are some strange anomilies like that. Gotta wonder what went wrong in their little pea brains.
Thanks for the welcome. I came across this site just the other day by accident. I can tell I'll feel at home here.

[Barleydog]

I hear you about the anomolies!  A humpy through lake ice, wow....  The strangest thing I'd heard of was a dime brite king caught rainbow fishing on the Naknek in Feb... Until you and Grizz1 posted your incidents.  I was set netting one day and brought in a laker.  Guess that's not bizzare, but it was caught in brackish water!   Must have gotten lost and headed for the bay.  Also jigged up a flounder through the ice!  The Naknek had tidal influence into and past King Salmon, and the smelt run under the ice.  So jigging smelt under the ice with small swedish pimples is a must!  Anyways, i snagged a nice flounder under the ice while jigging for smelt.  Kinda cool eh!

Speaking of smelt!  Any of you guys dip net in the spring down south?  Man I miss them.

[groundsluice_pete]

Barleydog-
I was a setnetter too for years, but on the Nushagak side. Never caught anything too strange. Some cod, some incidental shrimp. quite a few large sea run dollies.
Speaking of smelt, I've caught some really big ones-trout size- over on the Togiak River. Other rivers in Bristol Bay have smelt, but those are the biggest I've seen.
Now I live in Soldotna, and I have long wondered if there are smelt running under the ice in the Kenai River. We dip lots of hooligan in the late spring, but I far prefer smelt.

[Grizzly1]

groundsluice pete,

I'm a newbie here too..welcome.  Looks like a few setnetters here, I miss getting pounded by those Bristol Bay breakers.  What a great story, ice fishing for Humpies.  I'd pay money to catch a humpy through the ice!

Give a report if you hit kenai lake, I'm going down sometime in early Jan.

-Grizz

[groundsluice_pete]

I've never tried fishing Kenai Lake, but I hear there are some lakers to be caught off the Snug harbor Road at the powerline. I've tried the other bigger lakes around here: Hidden, and Skilak (but not Tustamena), without a lot of success.

[Kodiak Commando]

Not planning to fish naknek lake barleydog, i was just interested because i know that lake and river has world class bows and char but i haven't heard of anyone ice fishing it. I think naknek lake has the largest average bow in the state.

[Barleydog]

KC, You bet the bows are big there and all the tribs leading to and from it.  Illiamna is no slouch though!  I fished the Kvijack (sp) a couple times and it's a great river too.  the mouth of the river where it dumps out of Illiamna is fantastic!