Alaska advice

[cuzza]

Morning all,

 

I'm starting to plan a trip to Alaska for next year with a friend - we'll both be fly fishing and hopefully will time it for when the Kings are running.

 

I know quite a few guys on here have travelled a bit and I'm hoping to get some lodge/river system recommendations, we're hoping to find somewhere that can give us options for locations to fish (and hopefully different species as well) as well as the means to get us there rather than staying and fishing in one location for the whole week unless that turns out to be the right thing to do. We understand this isn't necessarily the cheapest way to do things but that's OK, this will be a "once in a lifetime" type trip for us for my 40th and my friends 50th.

 

So, any recommendations for locations or even online resources would be very welcome.

 

Thanks,

 

Richard

[DRIFTER_016]

The most important info missing is your budget.

There are plenty of great lodges in Alaska but the better ones are kind of spendy.

Let us know what kind of $$$ you have to spend per person and I can offer up a few choices.

[cuzza]

Hi Dave, I was hoping you'd chime in - the budget is $7-10k per person

[DRIFTER_016]

OK, I'll put a list together.

You're really want to fish Bristol Bay as they still have good runs of kings there.

Give me a bit of time to get it together. I'll work on it tonight after work.

[cuzza]

Wow - thanks Dave, that'd be awesome!

[solopaddler]

With that kind of budget the skies the limit! You're practically in the right price range to fish Kamchatka in Russia as well.

 

Just curious why kings though? You'd likely have way more fun with rainbows and cohos. Dave's right on, the Bristol Bay region is where it's at in AK.

[DRIFTER_016]

Lots of destinations with multiple species Mike.

He will be able to fish 4 of the 5 salmon species as well as dollies and rainbows all in the same week if he wants.

[cuzza]

Hi Mike,

 

We came up with the budget based on looking at a few lodges last year and has to include flights as well as the weakened dollar, my buddy is in the US so doesn't have that problem :-/

 

From what I understand when the Kings are running so are the chum and pinks so we were hoping we'd have a few more bases covered this way. I would love to get a big king on a fly rod as well

 

Russia would be amazing, have read some great write-ups on the Kola peninsula on the other side. Just googgled Kamchatka and it look incredible too!

[outllaw]

im jealous yere just talking about it. in truth I hope you have a great trip and post us pics and a story

[DRIFTER_016]

Alright Richard

Here is my short list of lodges you should look into.

You can't go wrong with any of these lodges.

 

Katmai lodge is amazing. If you go make sure to take some giant flesh flies. 6"-12" long.

Fish them behind the cleaning table after dinner. You will get into some piggy 30"+ rainbows that hang there to gorge on scraps from cleaning.

 

The Goodnews is a has a great king run as well as having all 4 pacific salmon species present (You will only get into a maximum of 4 depending on timing) and it also has rainbows and dollies too.

 

Hoodoo has great fishing for all salmon species as well as the ever present rainbows and dollies.

My buddies brother in law runs the lodge and another friend is the cook there.

 

The Kvichak, Naknek & Aleknagik Rivers are another bunch of great fishing destinations you could hit.

 

So there you have it 6 different rivers with first class lodges for you to choose from.

Let us know what you come up with.

 

P.S. book early as these lodges all book up during the prime runs.

 

Alagnak River: http://www.katmai.com/wp-content/themes/katmailodgev2/popup-init.html

Goodnews River: http://www.goodnewsriverlodge.com/

Hoodoo River: http://www.hoodoofishing.net/

Kvichak, Naknek or Aleknagik Rivers: http://www.fishasl.com/

[solopaddler]

Check out this lodge on the Naknek. Just under 2K per person per week self guided including meals, cabin, boat/motor and gas. Pretty great value!

 

http://naknekrivercamp.com/index.html

[cuzza]

Dave, thanks so much for taking the time to put that together for me, I've just spent the last hour looking at the sites and they all look great. Seems like there is a sweet spot for timing the runs so they overlap so we need to get ourselves sorted out.

 

Mike - thanks for the link to Naknek as well, seems like they offer guided or non guided and seems like great value so it's on the list.

 

Outlaw - the budget includes a new camera so will be sure to put something together

 

Thanks again fellas, I'll let you know what we end up going with

[cuzza]

Bit of a thread resurrection but.....we ended up booking on the Kanektok with Reelaction for the third week of July

 

Thanks again Mike and Dave!!! :good:

[mr blizzard]

cuzza u have yourself a great time lots of credible info from from Mike and Dave some of the best. Take lottttssssssssss of pics when the time comes happy b day in advance lol

[aplumma]

Thank you Dave and Mike for stepping up with this great info.

 

 

Art

[solopaddler]

That will be one heck of trip, awesome!!

[cuzza]

Thanks fellas - here's  link for the place we chose http://www.reelactionfly.com/reelactionalaska.html

[solopaddler]

Thanks fellas - here's link for the place we chose http://www.reelactionfly.com/reelactionalaska.html

 

Holy God Almighty

[DRIFTER_016]

Thanks fellas - here's link for the place we chose http://www.reelactionfly.com/reelactionalaska.html

 

You're gonna have a blast!!!

Make sure to tie up lots of big flesh flies and mouse patterns for giant bows!!!

Lots of articulated leeches fer de sammins.

Flash flies as well as egg sucking leeches too.

[woodenboater]

I'd also be looking to tangle with monster pike if I were Alaska bound.

[DRIFTER_016]

I'd also be looking to tangle with monster pike if I were Alaska bound.

 

Alaska is not the place for monster pike.

There are a few places with some trophys but there are way better options in Canada for the species.

Now a trip to the Kobuck for world record size Inconnu is another story.

 

All my Alaskan friends want to come and fish my water for big poikes.

[mr blizzard]

and me too

[DRIFTER_016]

and me too

 

NAH!!!

They want to catch big fish!!!!

[adempsey]

That is going to be one awesome trip! Hopefully something I can do before I die.

[wormdunker]

I checked out the web site that you booked with. Looks awesome! I'm sure a good time will be had by all. I like the fact you are paired with a different guide every day of your stay. Good luck.