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Iliamna Lake in Alaska is popular for sport fishing and is home to various fish species and a freshwater harbor seal colony. The lake is surrounded by small villages where locals survive by fishing, hunting, or growing their own food. Tourists can access the area by plane or boat and stay in fishing and hunting lodges. The villages are mainly inhabited by Eskimos, Aleuts, or other native peoples who have reported sightings of the Iliamna Lake Monster, believed to be a white sturgeon.
Iliamna Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the US state of Alaska. Located in the southwest part of the state, Iliamna Lake is popular with tourists who enjoy sport fishing. It is home to several species of fish which also provide an important food source for the local villagers. This lake is also home to one of the few freshwater harbor seal colonies.
Located approximately 225 miles (362 km) southwest of the city of Anchorage, Lake Iliamna is 77 miles (124 km) long and 22 miles (35 km) wide. Several small villages surround this lake and the inhabitants survive by fishing, hunting or growing their own food. These villages include Iliamna, Igiugig, Kokhanok and Pedro Bay. The city of Newhalen is also located on Lake Iliamna.
The village of Iliamna is on the northwest side of the lake and has limited access by road. Most villagers and tourists travel to and from the area by plane or boat. There are several fishing and hunting lodges in the village and these are popular tourist destinations. The slightly larger town of Newhalen is located just 4.5km west of the village of Iliamna.
Igiugig is another small village on Lake Iliamna. This village is located on the western tip of the lake where it flows into the Kvichak River. The Kvichak River is known for the size of its rainbow trout and large annual flows of sockeye salmon. Igiugig is also home to several hunting and fishing lodges which provide seasonal accommodation for tourists to the area.
Kokhanok is located on the south side of Iliamna Lake and access to this village is mainly by air or water. Subsistence fishing and hunting provide food for local villagers. Tourism and lodge accommodation are not available in Kokhanok.
Pedro Cove, surrounded by many species of trees, is located on the northeastern tip of Lake Iliamna. This village can also be reached by air or water and is not far from Pile Bay village. Pile Bay sits at one end of a 15.5-mile (24.9 km) road maintained by the state of Alaska. This dirt road allows commercial transportation of supplies from Pile Bay to Williamsport on the Cook Inlet.
The natives of the villages surrounding the lake are mainly Eskimos, Aleuts or other native peoples. They have a subsistence lifestyle and are quite resourceful in using the fish and wildlife in the area to provide food and necessities to maintain this lifestyle. For decades, villagers have reported sightings of an unknown creature in the lake they refer to as the Iliamna Lake Monster. Explorers believe this mythical monster could be a white sturgeon.
