On most productive trout streams, the food menu throughout the year can be intimidating. From the big three aquatic insects (mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies), to crustaceans, terrestrials, midges, and even other fish. Just walk into any Western fly shop and you will see an overwhelming amount of fly bins, all filled with different imitations. One…
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Deneki Blog
Why the Kanektok River is so special?
One cannot talk about top fishing lodges in Alaska without mentioning Alaska West. Admittedly we take a little bit of credit for, in our opinion, the best Tent Camp lodge in the state but we also know to give credit where credit is due. The main reason Alaska West is so special is because of…
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Target Species // The Leopard Rainbow
There are Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) found throughout this planet but I honestly consider the Leopard Rainbows of Alaska to be a species of their own. Scientific nomenclature does not however take into account my opinion but anyone who has had the privilege of catching Leopard Rainbows in Alaska surely knows what I am saying. …
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Fly Tying Friday // The Mantis Candy
NOTE: If you’re viewing this in a newsletter or a reader, click here to see the video on our website. “Malaysian fly tyer, Dron Lee, is one of my favorites when it comes to creativity and color. He is well known in Southeast Asia for his innovative work at the vise, but perhaps less so…
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Be Prepared to Alter your Flies in the Field
One common attribute many of the best fly anglers have is an ability to make adjustments on the go. Conditions on the water are always changing and there are an uncountable amount of variables that can make a difference in success when fishing. Some words to live by for myself are “winners adjust”. When on…
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Throw Back to 2011 and 5 Ways to Catch More King Salmon
April is quickly coming to an end which means we just have the month of May to get through and then we can be out doing our favorite thing in the world, swinging flies for fresh King Salmon on banks of the Kanektok River. In anticipation for the run, we wanted to share with you…
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5 Tips for Catching Educated Trout
I believe all fish are smart. If they weren’t, they’d be dead. With that being said, I think a fish being educated is different than a fish being smart. An educated fish (or trout for the sake of this article) is one that deals with a lot of angling pressure. As the popularity of fly…
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Why We Like Flesh Flies
As Alaska continues to thaw out, our guides at Rapids Camp and AK West are eagerly waiting the upcoming season as they spend their time behind the tying bench. Mice and beads get a lot of the attention and for good reason but one thing we can guarantee you our guides are busy twisting up…
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Fish Flop Friday // Have Fun and Hold on Tight!
When fishing, always remember to have fun out there. I have seen people on the water get caught up in their own head and get frustrated. I promise you, this just leads to more missed fish in the future. Admittedly I can be a little bit of a superstitious fisherman and over the years have…
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Gear You Need // Celestron Hand Warmers
This is not the most seasonally appropriate gear review but on a recent Steelhead trip, I was able to use the Elements Thermocharge Hand Warmers from Celestron and left so impressed with the product that I had to share it. The concept of electric hand warmers was new to me as I have only ever…
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