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Iliamna Lake Monster
The Iliamna lake monster, or commonly referred to by locals as “illie,” is a cryptid whose legend has haunted the Alaskan fishing village of Iliamna. The native’s tales describe a large beast that roams the waters. The monster has many reported sightings along with a few reported causes of death under the monsters belt. Over the years it has gained enough attention to lure the Animal Planet show “River Monsters” in attempt to find out what may lie beneath the waters. The monster is a reported 10-30 feet in length with a square-like head that is used to place blunt force unto things such as small boats. Although there is no physical evidence to conclude the monsters existence, many reports beg to differ.

History
Stories of the lake monster have been around since the indigenous Aleut people lived on the lake and fished as a source of food. The monster was not brought to the public eye until the 40’s, when pilots started to report seeing large fish from their planes while flying overhead. This sparked interest in others as pilots and fishermen began to wonder what the creatures were. Many more sightings were reported as people began to fly low over the lake for the purpose of seeing these monster fish. Consistent reports of large, dull, aluminum-colored fish were coming in by the late 50’s. Soon, enough attention was brought to the subject that in 1979 the Anchorage Daily News offered a sum of $100,000 to anyone who could provide conclusive evidence proving the fish’s existence. The evidence is yet to be provided, as sightings have slowed in recent years.

Sightings
1942: Babe Alyesworth and Bill Hammersley report seeing a large, dull, aluminum-colored fish from their plane. This encouraged others to come forth with sightings and more information. 1963: Biologist reports seeing a 25-30 foot fish from overhead; it did not come up for air.

1977: A pilot, while flying over Pedro bay spots a 12-14 foot fish on the surface as it dove down revealing vertical tail.

1987: Resident Verna Kolyaha reports seeing a large black fish with white stripe down its fin.

1988: Several locals report the same sighting from water and land, a large black fish with a fin swimming near the surface. These are just a few of the sightings that have occurred since the outbreak in the 40’s and 50’s. Most of the sightings in recent times take place near Pedro bay and the fishing village of Iliamna, like the events of 1977 and 1988. With the lack of recent sightings many have begun to disprove of the monsters existence although TV networks such as the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet have managed to feature the monster on episodes of popular series.

What it might be
Many theories have been proposed to explain what might lie beneath the waters of Lake Iliamna. Ogopogo is a cryptid very similar to that of the Loch-ness monster which supposedly resides in the waters of Lake Okanogan in British Columbia. Some disagree with this theory based upon reports of what the monster looks like due to Ogopogo’s serpent-like features. Another theory that has gained attention due to the increasingly popular Animal Planet show “River Monsters” biologist Jeremy Wade determined that the Monster may be no Monster at all, but a White Sturgeon which is indigenous to areas of Alaska. The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission says, “White sturgeon are the largest freshwater fish in North America and can weigh over 1,500 pounds, be 20 feet in length, and live for over 100 years.”  The Sturgeon, being a bottom dwelling fish, this would explain why sightings are rare. Additionally, catching them is considered a tough sport by many fishermen. Both of these ideas validate the theory. Although the White Sturgeon is found in Alaska and much of the Pacific Northwest, there is no evidence of the white sturgeon residing in Lake Iliamna. Some see this as disproving Jeremy Wade’s theory.

Other Crypids
Large bodies of water, especially lakes, have always attracted attention due to their mystery. Throughout history there have been countless stories and reports of monsters lurking in the depths of the lakes and seas. Ogopogo, as discussed earlier, is a legend whose tales predate that of the popular Loch-Ness Monster. Bigfoot and the Yeti are two of the popular names for a hairy ape like beast. Legends of crypids span across the world. New discoveries of species are made all the time and people continue to wonder what else may be yet undiscovered.