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Sucker Lake

C

cub_driver

Registered User
Big Lake AK
At long last I have posted the pictures taken last winter at Sucker Lake. Reviewing the picture sure made me want to get out and do some ski flying.

I sure had a good time last year, anyone interested in doing it again?

Cub_Driver

PS Slowmover we will put a pike on the grill for you.
 
I'd like to get in on it this time; but it will have to catch my work schedule. I work a 2 x 2 schedule on the slope.
 
Ed

Are you currently on or off the slope I will try to make it work for you. I just returned home after two weeks on.

Cub_Driver
 
I'd definately be interested...Gotta get the plane off the floats first. :oops: We're still a bit behind...
 
Cub_Driver

I head north tomorrow.... Tuesday; for two weeks. :cry:

I appreciate your efforts on this. Looks like a blast!
 
It was a good time and the weather was great. Mike put in the extra effort by being the cook. I'm in for this year. pak
 
Sounds like a good time. I'm in the shop for annual at the moment, but am looking forward to beating up the new landing gear once I change to skis. When is the event?

Jeff
 
Lets go fishing at sucker lake on 2-5-05. My ice auger has been giving me trouble if someone can bring a extra one along that would be great.

Cub_Driver
 
sucker lake gang, we (Shari and Dennis) had a great time and was fun to meet the 'faces' of a great bunch of people. Would love to fish on the 5th, but unfortunately am working the first half on the month. Also have been running around out west and the snow is good everywhere I have been. Rumor has it of multiple layers of overflow about 3 foot thick. The last couple days have seen no 'wet' tracks. Found one good side of a moose shed and have seen a bunch of wolves. Fun to be back on skis again. Good luck and have a prosperous new year. D.
 
I'm interested.... I would be glad to host the crowd at Shell Lake too... We have TONS of big pike there... Have cabin to keep everyone warm that needs too.. Will be out that way tommorrow through Sunday.
 
Scoot, what is the snow/ice situation around Shell Lk? February would be nice but could be really cold and nasty. I still need to put on the boards. pak
 
I was just out in the hanger tuning up the ice auger and loading the plane. Might try Sucker or Shell lake on the 1st (New Years Day) if I can get out of bed in time to catch the day light. We can crash the party at Scooter's if we get cold. Anyone up to it? Crash
 
Just got back from Sucker Lake. Tried to go to Shell lake but the weather looked down and with short day light I didn't feel like messing with it today. Caught about 20 Pike, 18 to 24" in about 4 hours. One big one kept breaking our lines. Put them all back except for one for dinner. About 3' of ice and slush layers, no over flow on the small lake side, some around the lake edges. Take care. Crash
 
Crash

Sounds like you had a pretty good day fishing. How deep was the snow at sucker lake?

Cub_Driver
 
The snow on the lake was wind blown, crusty, and only about 8" deep. When drilling my holes in the ice. The auger cut through about 12" of solid ice, then 8" of slush, another 8" of ice, another 8" of slush then another 5-6" of ice. On shore the snow is about 4' deep on top of an outhouse flat roof.
 
I have got my plane on Skis and ready to go fishing. Do I still have some takers for the 5th? My auger is giving me trouble so if someone else can bring one I will do the cooking. If the weather is bad we will try again in March.

Cub_Driver
 
Pike-In at Shell Lake on February 5th

I missed the posts about coming to Shell around the 1st. I was out there from the 30th to the 4th. We didn't get rain, just 2' of more snow. The fishing and ice/snow conditions are GREAT at Shell.... Sucker got flooded with all of the rain on the 2nd - 4th. Probably frozen up by now though.

I would still be glad to host something on the 5th, and could put some people up who want to at my place (up to 4 or 5). Shell Lake Lodge has room (3 cabins with two or three double beds each) that aren't booked that weekend. Call Zoe at 907-733-2817 for prices and details. Her food is great there too, and she has a full array of Adult beverages.

I have a Jiffy Auger that should run fine, will need to warm it up and give it the old 1-2 as I havn't started it yet this season. I have some snowmachines and trailers to haul some gear around, and of course have a gas grill on the deck.

I can pack a parking pad for people to pull up onto to park, but snow conditions are real good (cub barely sinks in 3") and there is no real overflow in sight. Drilling ice will be about same as Sucker, probably 3-4 layers of overflow that has frozen up with a couple feet of snow on top.

Let me know if we want to try for that... I am planning at this point to be out the weekend of the 5th, weather permitting and all that jazz.

PS: my cabin is the only Blue Metal roof one on the Lake, on the hill on the SE side, with the Cub strip up on the hill (wheels only for summer). Cabin is two stories and has octogon and trapazoid windows on the front. My -12 will be sitting down on the ice, with black covers on it. (See Avtar)
 
I was going to stop by on the 1st but the clouds were low early in the day so I just stopped at Sucker and fished. The 5th looks open at this point. I have a good auger and fishing gear. Just looking for a reason to go flying. Thanks for the offer. Crash
 
Scotter

Lets get together on locations I had posted a get together for sucker lake on the 5th and you would like a get together at shell lake on the 5th. This makes little sense to have a get together the same day in different location. I have never fished shell lake and have no idea where to fish or how spread out we would have to be. You have made a kind offer allowing people to use your cabin. Pm me lets work together.

Cub_Driver
 
Shell lake over Sucker lake

I have been in contacted with Scotter and he has offered his cabin at Shell Lake as a place to base the winter pike fishing fly-in at. If the weather turns cool I am sure we will be reall happy to have the warmth of his cabin. Besides that he has been telling me about the 40 to 50 inch pike the locals have been catching. Knowing all this I see little choice but to horn in on his fishing hole.

So if its ok with everyone we will met at Shell Lake on 2-5-05. I plan to be there before noon and like last year will be cooking what you catch.

Cub_Driver
 
Where is Shell Lake? Near Anchorage? Fairbanks? Please give me some good reference points, then I can look it up on a sectional. Thanks!
 
Where is Shell Lake

About 8 NW of Skwentna. Shell Creek drains into the Skwentna River almost directly across from the Talachulitna.
 
Crash,

Sounds like the Pike have pretty well taken over the lakes on the west side, didn't all this start with a "doc" supposedly planting them? Used to be good rainbows in Shell lake?

Tim
 
Even though the first pike was caught only 3 years ago at Shell Lake, we still have lakers, burbot, red salmon and some rainbows. The pike will eventually change the numbers, but there is deep water for the Lakers and Burbot that no pike will go to. So far the salmon numbers seem to be hanging in there, a bigger issue for them is the beaver dams in Shell Creek (last year approximately 10,000 salmon died in Shell Creek due to low water and to many beaver dams).

There have been more than one person responsible for propagating the Pike migration. A few years ago someone was spotted unloading them from float compartments into One Stone Lake (1 mile west of Shell).... Then we caught some locals from One Stone fishing in Shell with pike eggs of all things!! The pike are like the Borg, resistance is futile. They will take over everything eventually, and as I understand it the only way to rid a lake of them is to kill everything in the lake and start over. Not many people want to go there.

On the upside, the pike are a good sportfish to catch. Taken care of and eaten fresh, they are pretty dang good eating too....
 
Scooter,

Thanks for the update! I enjoy hearing of the progression fo things "back home". It was standard practice 'back in the day' to blow them dams off the creeks and trap out the youngins in the entrance to there homes. I can't tell you how much fun it used to be (as a kid) to dive down and find the entrance to the Beaver homes, and trap those guys (good pelts and big tails were the price $$ Upper Yetna sure used to produce great rainbows, and you are right, eventually the pike will have it all.

Enjoy the fishing this spring

Tim
 
Cub_Driver
I will be putting the skis on this week and with the Good Lord, and weather willing, I will be there.
I will also have an auger. Do I need to bring an extension? Been looking for an excuse to buy one.
Come to think of it, I also need a new license.

Thanks for putting this together and thanks to Scooter for the generous invite.

Looking forward to meeting you all. :howdy
 
For anybody in Alaska that is not going to be able to make the trip to Shell Lake on the 5th, don't forget about the "Super Cub Safety Seminar" in Anchorage. I unfortunately will not be able to attend either, as the plane is still on floats, and I have previous commitments. (I'm sure if the plane were on skis though, I'd find some way out of those other plans.) Anyhow, it sounds like I am missing out going to Shell Lake. Here are the details for the safety seminar...

"Super Cub Safety Seminar"
Topic: Super Cub Safety
On February 05, 2005 at 9:00 AM
Location:
Lake Hood Elementry
3601 West 40th Ave

Anchorage, AK 99517

"Field Approvals, Experimental Aircraft and Super Cubs" by Cliff Belleau. "More Likely Than Not - Betting on Safety", "Aerodynamics - Flying Inside The Box" by Inspector Roy Mann. "The Power of 5", "A Matter of Risk"," Preparing for the Unthinkable" by Inspectors Charlotte Luckett and John Steuernagle. "The Medallion Flyer" Presented by Steve Franklin

To view further details and to register for this event, http://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_details.aspx?eid=4395.
 
Ed

I don't think you will need a extention for your auger yet. Thanks for the reminder about the fishing license I need to get my 05 license also.

Cub_Driver
 
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