King salmon on our home river at Alaska West are known for many things; blistering runs, breaking gear, being unusually aggressive towards swung flies.. However, while earning a reputation for one of the hardest fighting fish in freshwater, they’re also known for spending the majority of that fight under the surface of the water. Well,…
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Alaska West
Hareline Ripple Ice Fiber – Why We Like It
Every now and then a fly tying material hits the market that seems to make waves amongst our guide staff of ultra-nerdy and ultra-talented fly tyers. Lately, we’ve fallen in love with Hareline’s Ripple Ice Fiber. We’ve been incorporating it more and more into our salmon and steelhead flies, we really dig it, so in…
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Alaska Silver Salmon Flies – Our Favorites (Updated)
Our summer seasons in Alaska and British Columbia might be winding down but that doesn’t mean our massive run of silver salmon has! In fact, our silvers actually continue to push long after the end of our season. We have a feeling that might the case in your neck of the woods too, so whether…
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Spey Casting – Casting Plane and Wading Depth
Have you ever started off a day feeling great about your cast only to change runs and have it seemingly all fall apart? You’re blowing your anchor, failing to get your D-loop elevated off of the surface of water, or any other of the myriad of things that can go on while spey casting.. We…
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Timeless Tips: All About Spey Rigging
We make sure to pick the brains of the many guests who frequent our lodges on what topics they would like to see most on the blog. Whether in Alaska or the Bahamas, a reoccurring request is a more comprehensive explanation of spey gear. Modern rods, lines, tips and so on are constantly evolving and…
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Congratulations, Grant!
If you’ve spent time with us at Alaska West or Andros South in recent years, there’s a good chance you might recognize the name of long-time Deneki family, Grant Turner.. Well, today we’re taking a quick detour from our regular Deneki programming to extend a huge congrats to Grant for tying the knot with his…
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Pro Tip: Stripping Flies – Force the Rod Tip Down
Whether you’re stripping flies for salmon, trout, or bonefish, when fishing streamers the name of the game is action. The more action you’re able to impose onto your fly, or better yet, the more control you’re able to have over the action of your fly, odds are the more effective your fly is able to…
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When to Set the Hook When Swinging Flies – North 40 Video
When swinging flies for salmon and steelhead, one of the most common faults we see on a regular basis from our anglers is setting the hook too early. In most avenues of fly fishing (trout, bass, bonefish, you name it), setting the hook quickly is critical in order to establish tension and ensure a solid…
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Net Bender
Today we present you with nothing more than one of our favorite photos from this past summer season courtesy of Alaska West guide, Lucas Young. Net shot. Spey rod. And fish so big that it buckles the fiberglass handle and aluminum frame of a gargantuan landing net.. What’s not to like? Want to swing flies…
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Guide Poll: Most Common Advice Given on the Water
We’re back with another installment of our ‘guide poll‘ series of posts where our team of professional guides answer common questions asked by our readers. Today’s question; As a fly fishing guide, what’s the most common piece of advice you find yourself giving to anglers on a daily basis? Check out their answers below! Guide Poll:…
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