Whether on the Kanektoke River at Alaska West Lodge or the Nushagak River at Rapids Camp Lodge, swinging flies is the most popular ways to catch King Salmon. The shear power these regal game fish possess puts you in awe and you can’t help but get exhuberant when you hook one. There are quiet a…
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Alaska West
Deneki Chronicles: 7-Weights for Alaskan Trout
Trout are big in Alaska, and that last thing you want is to be found wanting because your rod and reel are under gunned. In this week’s Deneki Chronicles, we discuss our favorite size fly rod for trout in Alaska. Enjoy! Ask any group anglers, “what’s your favorite trout rod,” and odds are you’ll hear of…
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Alaska West Fishing Report: June 13 – 20, 2021
The opening week of the 2021 season at Alaska West Lodge was met with super high hopes and excitement from our guests and our guides and staff. With the first week of the 2021 Season at Alaska West under our belt, the biggest challenge has been the weather; wet and windy. Throughout all of Alaska,…
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Fly Tying: Trailer Trash
Last week we featured some King (Chinook) Flies from RIO Products. This week, we show you how to tie one of them, the Trailer Trash. Not only is this fly simple to tie and cast, but its true beauty is in the use of marabou and the variety of colors you can tie it in….
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Deneki Chronicles: Boondoggin’ for Rainbows – 4 Tips
This week’s Deneki Chronicles…”Boondoggin.” Bryan Burke works in our Anchorage office now, but he earned his stripes guiding guests at Alaska West on the Kanektok. In a recent conversation about favorite fishing techniques, Bryan declared boondoggin’ (huh? read on…) to be at the top of his list. We asked him for some tips, and he…
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2 Things to Consider When Swinging New Water
You, like a lot of us really like using a 2 handed rod. Some of us just want to be able to cast as far as we can across the water. Some of us enjoy executing 10 different types of Spey casts, and some of us really just want to catch a fish. Regardless of…
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Fly Tying: Double Barrel Popper
Super aggressive, tremendous fighting force, and acrobatic, Silver Salmon (Coho Salmon) is a favorite among fly anglers. With an average range in weight between 8 to 12 pounds and lengths that can exceed 30 inches, many anglers consider the Silver Salmon the pound-for-pound best fighting game fish. On the swing, stripping streamers, or popping a…
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Go Big, Go Kings
There is a saying in Alaska…everything is bigger, and King Salmon is no exception. Big amazing views, the biggest bears on the planet, and the biggest King Salmon. King Salmon season in Alaska is in full swing. All this and more are possible when you visit Alaska! Stay tuned for more updates, and fishing reports!
RIO Flies We Like for Kings
RIO’s mantra of “make the connection” has come to fruition, with RIO adding the fly category to their product line. Being King Salmon season, we connected with our friend George Cook to get some recommendations for King Salmon flies. So here are a few flies we like for King Salmon. Trailer Trash Fly– Color Mashups…
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Fly Tying: Willie Nelson
Music and Fly Tying. Call it what you will…synonymous, compatible, or tantamount, music and fly fishing complement each other like gin and juice. Originally composed by Wally Adams, the Wille Nelson leech pattern was conceived while guiding in Bristol Bay, Alaska, and really gained tempo in the nineties, especially among Spey rod users. Wally understood…
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