Alaskan Masters

In my sporting life one word more then any other is often miss used and used imprecisely! The Wilson family Alaskan pioneer’s successful homesteaders, all around expert fly fishers, hunters, outdoors men epitomize the meaning of the word master! In the early days of this century I met the Wilson family at their amazing homestead called lake Marie www.lakemarie.com . Before discussing the male members of this hunter gatherer clan, an introduction to the fairer sweeter side namely Marie Wilson is in order.

David and John Wilson along with their Dad created the lake Marie fly fishing lodge 90 miles from Anchorage several years ago. The lodge named after mother Wilson was in it’s early stages of development when one afternoon while Marie was in her kitchen a Grizzly Bear entered to see what was cooking! Marie grabbed the lodge rifle and one big bear by by! When I heard that tale and met Mrs. Wilson my undying respect for this special family began.

Without going into details my first encounter with the Wilson family turned out to be an unofficial world record for light Bamboo fly rods. With the help of Head Guide Wrangler John Wilson I caught and landed a 34 pound King Salmon ( he gets fatter with every telling!) That story “ Monster Kings & Sweet Bamboo” was most read world wide in the genre for many months. More then landing that big king or enjoying true Alaskan wilderness, it was the Wilson family that I’ll never forget. First time I met David the brother who owns and lives at the homestead and never has a paperback book far from his eyes, or his brother John who for more then ten years help run the fly fishing operation before moving on to other challenges. I knew these boys were all about the wilderness and were equipped genetically to handle any situation!

John on my second trip to lake Marie amazed me with his surface popping for King Salmon? Yes, John perfected a fly and presentation that persuaded Kings to hit his surface fly like a rainbow trout! I witnessed this feat many times watching he and Mr. Wilson senior take king after king with this crazy method, it works! One of John’s favorite teaching phrases for new fly guides I loved, “ Just have fun out there “ My time with David and John and their much accomplished Father was unforgettable....

As the photos attest the Wilson men are still giving piscatorial graduate school lessons to those aquatic beasts most in need. Dolly Varden, fat Rainbow’s John and his Dad are not interested in the latest lazy fly fishing guide innovation tying a usually red colored bead just above your fly, “ We do not fish with the new craze up here! I fly fish, not beadfish. A bead is not a fly, beads came about because of lazy guides who don’t want to tie flies. I’m old school, I use a real fly old school.”

I agree with John only flies ought to be used in fly fishing, many new age guides cut corners mainly because they can get away with it! When diligent operation owners insist on back to the basics we all when in this game. Keep it simple, keep it real, keep it only old school like my friends Alaskan Masters the Wilson family...

One last Wilson Alaskan memory, on the first night at the Lake Marie homestead around 2am I heard sounds of boards being ripped off walls? Rolled over went back to sleep. Before breakfast we went outside to the guides small cabin. One of the young guides had left half a sandwich tucked next to his bunk against the wall. The cabin wall looked like an explosion took place.

During lunch that first day I noticed bear paw prints on the wide lodge front window and several of the salt & pepper shakers looking like the incredible hulk had mangled them! During the winter bears had broken in and rampaged the kitchen after getting into the flour bin, they left perfect white giant bear claw prints on the window from the inside!

I visited lake Marie twice and became a fan of the Wilson’s a family that reminds one of what kind of stuff built America in the first place, old school all the way....

Many possible fly trips are in the works for 2007, Patagonia, India, Russia if details are worked out. The highly touted Upper Sacramento California fishery may be next trip weather permitting. 2006 was a great fly fishing year and I look forward to more of the same. Thank you all for your loyal readership all these years, it has been a great ride...

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“ ADVENTURES OF FLETCHER QUILL “