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'Iliamna Lake' or 'Lake Iliamna' is a lake in southwest Alaska at , at the base of the Alaska Peninsula. It is the largest lake in Alaska and one of the largest in North America, covering about 2,600 km² (1,000 sq. miles). The lake is 120 km (75 miles) long and up to 35 km (22 miles) wide. Through the Kvichak River, its waters drain into Bristol Bay.

Iliamna Lake is noted for its sport fishing. The three primary targets of anglers in Lake Iliamna are trout, salmon, and grayling. August through September is prime time for catching fat Rainbow Trout, some of which can exceed 28" long. The Kvichak River Policy (the drainage of Lake Iliamna) is catch and release on trout (and all other native fish), so if you're looking for a meal then salmon is your best bet. Sockeye (Red) and Chinook (King) Salmon are consistently found in Lake Iliamna and are open to harvest under Fish and Game Regulations.
Lake Iliamna also has one of only two populations of freshwater seals in the world.
The villages of Iliamna, Newhalen, Kokhanok,Pedro Bay and Igiugig lie on the shores of Iliamna Lake.
A portage road connects Lake Iliamna to Cook Inlet on the northeast side. Using this short cut, boats can get to Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea without going all the way around the Alaska Peninsula
Some claim the word ''Iliamna'' is said to be the name of a mythical huge blackfish which bit holes in the boats of people on the lake. However, the name is most certainly Athabascan in origin. As all words in Athabascan which end with the suffix "na" pertain to water, the word ''Iliam'''na' most probably refers to the large size of the lake, not to any specific legend, although the exact origin is obscure and not well understood today.
Local residents have a number of stories of the possibilities of monsters residing in Iliamna Lake, much like the rumored Loch Ness Monster.^[1]

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References

1. Monstrous mysteries, , Lynne, Snifka, Alaska (magazine), 2004