Today we present you with nothing more than a photo that any hardcore salmon or steelhead angler will appreciate.. We talk all the time about how much we love catching big salmon and steelhead at our lodges, the majority of which are as bright as the face of nickel – a tell tale sign of fish…
Read More
Alaska West
Breaking Down Fly Rods for Quick Transport
Most of us have spent a day on the water with someone who’s gear situation seems exceptionally well organized, from the layout of their boat to the packing of their truck. Heck, you might even be that person! If you’re not that person, you may have wondered why anyone would take the time to be so…
Read More
Trout Lies – Presenting to Submerged Structures
Today’s tip falls within the ‘common mistakes we see a lot of’ category. Most of us are well aware that any in-river structure (rocks, logs, snags, tundra clumps, ect.) make for potential holding lies for trout. Any object able to break up the speed of the current provides the opportunity for trout to hold comfortably in…
Read More
Show Some Respect
Today we present you with a quick write up and video, courtesy of our pal Stuart Foxall, on a topic near and dear to our heart; the importance of showing a little respect to your quarry. Thanks Stu! Show Some Respect! Earlier this summer, I was fortunate to fish with Alaska West guide, Jerry French, for…
Read More
Just Another Beautiful Day in Alaska
Alaska West guide, Jim Palmersheim, weighs in with a killer photo of some ideal salmon fishing weather.. Seriously, when it comes to targeting salmon, we love this weather! More Cool Pictures Our Favorite Thing About Silver Salmon Tail Whip Underdog
Sight Fishing for Trout – 3 Tips
2016 brought higher than average water levels to our home river at Alaska West, greatly improving our opportunity to target trout in one of our favorite ways – Stalking them on foot in smaller, intimate, side channels and sight fishing for them! We’ve ran a few posts in the past on some tips for sight…
Read More
Makeshift Dolly Skaters
Dolly varden are a fan favorite during the back half of our season at Alaska West. Big, vibrantly colored, aggressive fish? What’s not to love? Towards the end of our season, dollies stack up in staggering numbers behind spawning salmon to benefit from the gravy train of fresh salmon eggs tumbling down river. More than any…
Read More
Alaska Mini Gallery – Dolly Varden Edition
We talk all the time about how stunning we think our population of dolly varden are. At Alaska West, we’re fortunate to witness an impressive runs of chrome bright sea-run dollies transform into the flamboyant predators we know and love in only a matter of a couple months! Mid-late August brings out the most vibrant spawning…
Read More
Happy Hump Day!
Alaska West guest, William Alexander, and guide Greg Houska, kicking off hump day right with one slab of a Kanektok pink salmon. Our 2016 run of pinks returned unusually large in comparison to past seasons, making for a heck of a lot of fun in between more ‘target’ species.’ Nice work guys! More on Fly…
Read More
Reading Trout Water – Fish the Transitions
If you haven’t noticed, we love fly fishing for trout, and while our trout might behave differently in western Alaska than trout found in more ‘classic’ trout streams, the fact remains; They’re still trout! Thus, they’re often found in the same types of water. Successfully reading trout water is by far one of the most studied…
Read More