Have you ever had a run of losing fish in the “hang down?” If you’ve been fly fishing for a little bit you have probably felt the surprise of a fish grab on the hang-down part of your swing. You’d think hooking a fish on the hang down would be easy, but in actuality, it…
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Alaska West
Fly Tying: Larimer’s ES Loop Leech
The beauty behind the Larimer ES Loop Leech is its simplicity with the materials. This super wiggly, swimmy pattern is effective for salmon, steelhead, and trout. The best part of this particular fly is the combination of colors you can tie it in. One of our favorite color combinations is a Chartreuse head and Black…
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Deneki Chronicles: Trout Fishing in High “Off-Colored” Water
In this Episode of Deneki Chronicles, we explore the idea of fishing in high water. For the most part, a blown-out river is not a good thing for any fly angler. But we’re here to tell you, that it is not the end of the world. Have a read. Whether early-season run-off or late season…
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New to Spey Casting? Learn this: Loops vs. Coils- Managing Running Line.
For many of us, Spey casting is all about casting, but it is so much more than that. Like a good operating machine or a smooth golf swing, there are so many parts to consider. One thing many first-time Spey or two-handed fly rod users don’t fully consider or understand is the importance of line…
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Deneki Chronicles: Fish Beyond Your Fly Line
It’s currently baseball season. For those who truly understand the game of baseball, it’s not always about the long ball. The games within the game are where the nitty-gritty and the good stuff about baseball make it fun and more enjoyable. Understanding this will make you a better enjoy the game. The same applies to…
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You’re Running Out of Prime Time at Alaska West Loge 2022
Nope, it’s not about Deion Sanders, but if he had to pick a week at Alaska West Lodge, this week would be it, and so should you. We have limited availability during a prime week in July at Alaska West Lodge- July 3 -10, 2022. Don’t let the sun go down on your opportunity to…
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Fly Tying: Flies to Tie for Alaska Fish
The 2022 Alaska fly fishing season is coming upon us, and it’s never too early to start tying flies. If you search our blog, we have a plethora of flies for Salmon and Trout, and they all catch fish, or we wouldn’t feature them. Below is a curated list of flies you should start tying…
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Deneki Chronicles: 5 Ways to Catch More Rainbow Trout
Catching rainbow trout at Alaska West is not all that difficult – in fact, it’s easy to catch ‘some.’ That being said, great anglers catch more, and great anglers catch the bigger ones. Here are five ways you can make yourself into a ‘greater’ trout angler in our part of the world. Mend less. Our…
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Earth Day 2022
The Earth is what we all have in common. Wendell Berry, novelist Happy Earth Day to you. Apparently, a good planet is hard to find. Just ask NASA, Elon, and Jeff. By now, you should know all the little things you can do to take care of our planet. If you don’t contact us, we’ll…
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“I want To Bring Only One Fly Rod to Fish Alaska. What should I bring?”
During the summer, Alaska is a hotbed of fly anglers. Many are new to Alaska and have only fished with a five-weight in spring creeks and tailwaters of many incredible streams and rivers in the lower Forty-Eight. One question we get a lot about coming to Alaska for fly fishing is, “if I were only…
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