How do I get to Alaska West?
Travel to Alaska West includes 4 main steps.
- Flying to Anchorage, Alaska on any major carrier.
- Flying from Anchorage to Bethel on Ravn Dash-8.
- Flying from Bethel to Quinhagak on Ravn C-208 Caravans.
- Traveling by boat from Quinhagak to Alaska West camp location 30 minutes upriver.
For more details on travel to Alaska West, check out our travel page.
What kind of fish will I catch?
During the course of our season, our guests will catch king salmon, rainbow trout, silver salmon, Dolly Varden, grayling, chum salmon, sockeye salmon and pink salmon.
Click on the name of each fish above for more detail.
Do you only allow fly fishing?
No! Most of our guests fish with fly rods most of the time, but we’re very happy to host guests who want to use spinning gear for kings, or throw plastic baits for silvers, or fish centerpin rods for rainbows.
What’s the best time to go?
We’re open from the third week in June through the last week in August. It’s a short season, and we’re only open when the fishing is fantastic.
The best time to go depends on what you want to catch. From mid-June to mid-July, king salmon are the most popular target, with rainbow fishing picking up in July as well. The second half of July provides a shot at the salmon grand slam (all five species, all on flies, in one day), and the most varied rainbow fishing. In August, silver mania sweeps the Kanektok and the trout just keep getting fatter as fall arrives.
What if I don’t have all the gear?
Most of our guests bring most of their gear along, but we’ve got a wide variety of loaner gear – waders, boots, rods, reels and lines – available for guest use at no charge.
Do I have to bring flies?
Most of our guests bring some flies along, but we also provide flies at no charge. If you’re not able to bring any flies, that’s OK.
What if I haven’t done much fly fishing?
That’s no problem at all. Our guests range from first-time anglers to expert world-travelers. Our guides are extremely patient and love teaching guests of all ability levels. Part of the beauty of fishing at Alaska West is that it’s a really productive fishery – there are tons of fish in the river, and everybody catches fish, regardless of skill level.
Do you do any fly-out fishing?
No. Our camp is located where it’s located for a reason … we’re right on top of one of the most productive fisheries in the world. We access the river using jet boats that are parked right at our camp. Average run times to the fishing are 10 to 15 minutes depending on the time of year. If you are really keen on fly-out fishing, you should check out our Rapids Camp Lodge.
How much does it cost?
Check out our rates here.