Bruce Chard, as you probably know by now, teaches our Bonefishing Schools at Andros South. This summer, though, he got to take off his ‘Flats Guru’ hat and replace it with his ‘Dad’ hat when he took his son to Alaska West.
They had a great time, and afterwards Bruce came up with this nifty list!
5 Reasons to Bring Your Kid to Alaska West
- The fishing is really conducive to a great time with kids. There are just endless opportunities to catch lots of different kinds of fish, over and over again. It’s not just fishing – it’s catching, and that’s great for younger, less experienced anglers.
- It’s really low-stress. The guides are super friendly, patient and accommodating.
- You have the amenities of a nice lodge but you’re out in the middle of nowhere. You’re really experiencing ‘nature’, but it’s not like a camping trip.
- Since you have a guide and a boat and your disposal for the day, you can customize your trip. If it’s cold and rainy you can come in and have hot soup for lunch, or even come in early if you like. The fishing’s so close that it’s easy to swing by camp during the day. You’ve got a ton of flexibility that you don’t have at fly out lodges or places with a more fixed schedule, and that can be really helpful with kids.
- You create memories that you’ll have together for the rest of your lives.
Talking from the experience of raising two sons, they will remember the activities and experiences you share longer and more often than any short term “things.” Both our sons have told us that at college most of their friends were very jealous that we had taken them on fishing trips, not necessarily because it was fishing but because our family was experiencing adventure together. You won’t be disappointed with the Alaska West experience.