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Iliamna mystery creature

JohnnyR

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AK, ME - what time of year is it?
c. 1997 https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Mystery-of-Lake-Iliamna-rears-its-head-3129401.php
c. 2017 https://www.adn.com/outdoors-advent...a-monster-lore-resurfaces-with-new-sightings/

Am wondering if any of our current pilots in that area might weigh in on this mysterious creature!

1000
 
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Those stories been around since before I was on the Peninsula in late 70s. A close relative of Nessie.

MTV
 
Gary,

Possibility, but suspect more likely the rather rare “Turbo Sturgeon”.......

MTV
 
They're widely distributed in North America but a more likely source nearby would be Eastern Asia. When sea levels rose in Beringia during the early Holocene era 20K to present (watch: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beringia_land_bridge-noaagov.gif) fish distributed to formerly tough habitat. Some came from Eurasia others from northern Canada after melting of the Cordilleran and Laurentide ice sheets. Bristol Bay drainages were easily accessible.

Now if they're in fact Sturgeon what species is an open question. Several are found nearby and sizes vary. Here's John Schandelmeier's recent story: https://www.adn.com/outdoors-advent...a-monster-lore-resurfaces-with-new-sightings/ There's nothing quite like the big one that got away. Just got to use the right gear.

Gary
 
And, for those that don’t know Gary, he’s a retired Alaska Department of Fish and Game fisheries biologist. So, he should know...:lol:

MTV
 
Thanks, Gary. I read that article and am still confuzzled as to why something substantive hasn't materialized after all these years. Sounds like recent folks weren't spinning stories.
They're widely distributed in North America but a more likely source nearby would be Eastern Asia. When sea levels rose in Beringia during the early Holocene era 20K to present (watch: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beringia_land_bridge-noaagov.gif) fish distributed to formerly tough habitat. Some came from Eurasia others from northern Canada after melting of the Cordilleran and Laurentide ice sheets. Bristol Bay drainages were easily accessible.

Now if they're in fact Sturgeon what species is an open question. Several are found nearby and sizes vary. Here's John Schandelmeier's recent story: https://www.adn.com/outdoors-advent...a-monster-lore-resurfaces-with-new-sightings/ There's nothing quite like the big one that got away. Just got to use the right gear.

Gary
 
It might make for a good adventure to look for them. I should ask Ron Aaberg from Pedro Bay about this. I used to visit with him on ham radio eves and he flew and fished that country for years. Had a PA-11 as I recall.

The lake's deep (~300m/988') but with the all the fish food seasonally available nearshore they'd likely be nearby on them or their eggs. I spent part of a few summers there but didn't get to boat around much. Just flying supervisors to lodges for show and tell or netting Char for the hatchery. Truly nice country there and Wood River/Tikchik lake complex NW.

Gary
 
Yes, it is nice country.
I'd like to meet Mr. Aaberg, as I've wanted to fly in to Pedro Bay for some time now. Didn't want to bother folks without an actual reason to be there.
There are a number of Iliamna lodges and properties for sale now, presumably because of the looming threat of Pebble mine. Get out while the getting's good, I suppose...


It might make for a good adventure to look for them. I should ask Ron Aaberg from Pedro Bay about this. I used to visit with him on ham radio eves and he flew and fished that country for years. Had a PA-11 as I recall.

The lake's deep (~300m/988') but with the all the fish food seasonally available nearshore they'd likely be nearby on them or their eggs. I spent part of a few summers there but didn't get to boat around much. Just flying supervisors to lodges for show and tell or netting Char for the hatchery. Truly nice country there and Wood River/Tikchik lake complex NW.

Gary
 
It's another one of those things that has supposedly been seen, but never any solid evidence. Kind of like my accountant.
 
I think a modern towed sonar array or autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV big file: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/fedaidpdfs/FDS13-39.pdf) would help look if a fisher had the time and inclination. Oh yea and money. Probably would take some TV short series to set it up unless someone was both bored and curious at the same time.

Bait on the bottom (whatever experienced sturgeon catchers use like accountant parts) or suspended from 55 gallon drums free floating with GPS trackers. Like jug fishing for burbot and whatever but on a bigger scale. Line them up and wait for one or more to move as the observer enjoys a beverage.

Another way would be to attach a sonic transmitter tag to the bait and then follow the fish after they swallow it. Done that with external radio transmitter tags quite a bit but maybe too deep for that RF tech.

Gary
 
When they sonar the bottom of a lake , river or ocean, why don't they call that 'bottomography'?

Could do that but bathymetry was used so I guess it stuck. Like got thrown against the wall and stuck. Sometimes it's the water below and what's in it like fish that's more of interest than just the bottom.

Seals in Iliamna are interesting. Apparently do what seals do in winter...hide. Can't be much for sharks around with all that for snacks:
http://www.clearwaterair.com/portals/15/pdf/pWithrow05_freshwater-seals-iliamna-frozen.pdf
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=553

Monsters? Ask the locals that have lived there for centuries would be my first choice.

Gary
 
So Gary, you ruthlessly forced me to go out without cabin heat to get some measurements, so now I'll say you should research this definitively. It's a biologist's imperative.
 
Yes but I'm no longer one of them guys and gals...I have to eat canned tuna and frozen fish sticks like everyone. The seals would pose a problem for baited hooks at certain times. Catch one and these folks would park and set up living in someone's back door: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Iliamna_Lake_seal/index.html

Bathymetry would have to be able to separate the seals from other mysterious big deals near the bottom, but I suspect in real deep water they'd not be found if migrating rainbows, steelhead, or salmon were around during that time. Still Gordon winter would be a fun time to explore. Set up some winch and baited lines and go do some serious ice fishing with a fathometer/fish finder for help. It works good for that.

Sorry about the no-heat for science experiment. I'd have Dawley partition the Sutton muffler, add a second inlet and outlet, then pull carb heat off one part. That puny external heat robber was doomed from the start.

Gary
 
Trig Olson Origonal Ilamina air taxi owner Carved out a set of big foot tracks they strapped them on and walked around Iliama lake . News paper got ahold of it was a hell of a bunch of people and articles about big foot showing up at Ilamna lake. another subject The picture of the fins look like a fake ,just like Trigs big foot tracks around the 1960s.
 
For those with inquiring minds research the deserted village on the bottom of the Kenai Penn. The people all packed up and left and were afraid to tell stories about it. The key is Portlock. I'm not saying anything else.
 
When one sees the fresh water seals in Iliamna, the Iliamna monster cannot be far behind them.
John
 
For those with inquiring minds research the deserted village on the bottom of the Kenai Penn. The people all packed up and left and were afraid to tell stories about it. The key is Portlock. I'm not saying anything else.
Yeah, but that postmaster was a courageous soul!
 
For those with inquiring minds research the deserted village on the bottom of the Kenai Penn. The people all packed up and left and were afraid to tell stories about it. The key is Portlock. I'm not saying anything else.

What did I miss? I flew Stu's J3 around the point from Nuka Island South and back around to Seldovia at about a 1000'

Glenn
 
Trig Olson Origonal Ilamina air taxi owner Carved out a set of big foot tracks they strapped them on and walked around Iliama lake . News paper got ahold of it was a hell of a bunch of people and articles about big foot showing up at Ilamna lake. another subject The picture of the fins look like a fake ,just like Trigs big foot tracks around the 1960s.
Welcome Ron!
Really great to have you onboard!
For those not firmilar , Ron is an old time guide from Alaska that dates back to early Polar Bear days! His
experence flying bush planes would put him at the very top of the list worldwide. He is literally a " Living Legend" in the hunting guiding community. The last of the "real deal"
Of early Alaskan Bush Pilots.
Nice to someone of your vast experience on the SC site. Hope to see more of your posts here in the future![emoji106]

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