Football Season in Bristol Bay.

All photos of these Renowned Rainbows are courtesy of @mattvaughnphoto

It’s fall, and football season is in full swing! Whether you are a college football fan or a fan of the NFL, one thing is for certain: there are no amateur leagues anymore, college or pros. Here in Bristol Bay, it’s also football season, but of a different game. Fly Fishing for football-shaped rainbow trout is not a billion-dollar league (yet), but if you haven’t trained during the off-season, you may be in for a rude awakening. This isn’t high school varsity football anymore; this is the professional league for BIG rainbow trout fly fishing. The fish are bigger, faster, and harder-hitting. Fall is a prime time for fishing on the Naknek River, especially if you’re angling for big rainbow trout.

The Naknek River is renowned for its abundant and trophy-sized rainbow trout population, especially during the fall or football season. We’re not biologists, but these rainbow trout seem to be genetically distinct from other stocks, and you can tell, especially during the fall rainbow trout fishery. One of the main reasons fall is an ideal time for fishing on the Naknek River is because of the migratory behavior of the big rainbow trout. When the water temperature in the Naknek River starts to drop, it signals a shift in the feeding patterns of the big rainbow trout. Colder water temperatures and abundant food sources trigger the rainbow trout to become more active and aggressive in their pursuit of food. This increased activity and aggression make fall an excellent time to target big rainbow trout on the Naknek River.

This increased activity and aggression make fall an excellent time to target big rainbow trout on the Naknek River. If you ever wanted to catch massive football-shaped rainbow trout on the Naknek River, fall is the time to do it. Here at Rapids Camp Lodge, we have the luxury of our docks situated right on the Naknek River, providing easy access to prime fishing spots for these big rainbow trout.

Fishing the Naknek River in the Fall at Rapids Camp Lodge is a lot like steelheading in the fall; the weather can be challenging, but the fish are BIG. Yep, we like football season here at Rapids Camp Lodge, and we really like fall fishing for big rainbow trout on the Naknek River! As one guest put it “I’ve caught trout. These aren’t trout!”