Featured photo credit Heather Hodson In fly fishing especially, it pays to know your knots. Knots are quite often overlooked in the grand scheme of things. All the attention is paid to the perfect flies, the sleek fly rod, the fancy reel, and the smooth fly line, and the leader… What about the knot? It’s…
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Fly Tying
Deneki Custom Fly Series: Rapids Camp Smolt
There is a fish phenomenon that happens during the first part of the season at Rapids Camp Lodge during the month of June. The “smolt bust” is where predatory Rainbow Trout swim around the rapids section of the Naknek River and target smolt to eat. You can tell it’s a bust from the smolt and…
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Deneki Custom Fly Series: Andros South Shrimp
We recently commissioned Solitude Fly Company to help create a series of flies specific to our fisheries at each of our lodges, Alaska West Lodge, Andros South Lodge, and Rapids Camp Lodge. Each fly was developed with careful consideration, a plethora of experience, and a lot of testing for approval. Our first featured fly is…
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Tribute to Robert “Bob” Veverka
Sadly, on January 3, 2021, the fly fishing community has lost one of the most prolific designers and fly tyers. Bob Veverka, was a creative, strategic, and innovative fly tyer. With two of the most coveted books in the fly tying world, Spey Flies: How to Tie Them and Innovative Saltwater Flies, Bob left a…
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Fly Tying: Silvernator
Baby, it’s cold outside and with winter upon us for a lot of fly anglers, not only is it ski season but it’s also fly tying season. The Silvernator by Brian Silvey is one fly that you need to add to your fly box and lots of them. The Slivernator is a relatively quick fly…
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Aquatic Insects in Alaska
The saying is, ‘everything is bigger in Alaska’. This also includes bugs. For example, the giant water bug (lethocerus americanus) found in Southeastern Alaska can grow up to 2.5 inches in length. That’s a big bug. From the Arctic tundra to the Southeastern panhandle, aquatic insects exist throughout Alaskan waters and play a large role in the ecosystem. As fly anglers, it’s prudent…
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Fly Tying: Mini Krystal Shrimp
Originator: Dave Stanley. Photos and Instruction by Mike Brown. Mike Brown is the owner of Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, AK. A lifelong Alaskan with a passion for family, fly fishing and fly tying. There is always going to be a huge debate amongst Sockeye fishermen whether Sockeye (Red) Salmon will eat a fly or…
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Fly Tying: Golden Stone
When it comes to trout fishing in Alaska; egg patterns, flesh and big streamers are the typical soup de jour commonly associated with Alaska fishing. But, we are targeting trout and salmon aren’t present all the time. So, what are they feeding on, yes mice of course, but they also feed on bugs just like…
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Fly Tying: Crazy Charlie
A simple fly but you can catch bonefish anywhere in the world with nothing but this fly in different sizes and colors. It also works as a killer smolt pattern in a pinch. Did we mention it’s a simple fly to tie? If you’re reading this on your mobile device to click here to get…
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Gear Review: The Loon Complete Fly Tying Kit
Sometimes you come across a product that simply has everything you need, the ‘Complete Fly Tying Tool Kit‘ from our friends at Loon is one of them. We recently had the opportunity to tie a few flies with this kit and wanted to share our thoughts with you. The complete kit comes with a convenient…
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