The days are getting longer, the sun is brighter and more intense, and the thaw freeze cycle puts our wipers to the test. All good signs that spring is coming upon us. As the rivers and streams begin to increase their flow, we can’t help but think about spring fishing, especially after a long dark…
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Rapids Camp
Save Bristol Bay Update: Appeals
In case you haven’t noticed, They’re at it again. Currently, there is activity around Bristol Bay and Pebble Mine. Despite the denied permits by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, there is a continued push to move forward with developing a mine in Bristol Bay. Recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has accepted an…
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The Fishing Work Out
“It’s just fishing.” Nothing is more insulting to an Alaskan fly-out fishing guide than this Napoleonic statement. Commonly said by ne’er-do-well non-anglers who regard fly fishing as something more of a hobbyist activity rather than a trade skill used for gainful employment. My typical response to such statements is to politely issue a challenge to…
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The Opening of the Hangar
The beginning of each Alaska season has many landmark events. Such as, splashing the boats or opening the lodge doors for the first time in 8 months (which can be scary). At Rapids Camp, one of my favorite landmark days during set up is the opening of the hangar. It’s the day that the airplanes…
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Fly Tying: Flashy Tube Bandit
The month of August in Alaska is a special time of year. The salmon have made their way through the rivers and have begun their prescribed order to spawn much to the delight of the eager Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, and Fly Anglers alike. While egg patterns tempt trout during this time, it is still…
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Gear Review: Redington Chromer Spey Rod
At the time of the review (fall of 2020), the Redington Chromer rod was available. Since then, Redington had discontinued the Chromer and has replaced it with the Claymore. According to Industry experts, the Claymore is an updated version of the Chromer with minor changes to some details and aesthetics, but the build and essence…
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Fly Tying: Partridge & Orange Soft Hackle
Soft Hackles are a forgotten and underrated fly pattern in Alaska. They shouldn’t be. Soft hackles are divided into two categories; Buzz flies, which are tied with palmered hackle to represent an insect in motion, or winged flies, where the hackles are often a throat then a collar with wings set to imitate an insect…
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Deneki Chronicles: Top 5 Mistakes Fighting Big Fish
At Alaska West and Rapids Camp we see a lot of big fish fought by our guests – we’re talking steelhead and king salmon here. Sometimes our anglers do a great job fighting the big ones. Other times…not so much. Fight hard, fight smart, and get it over fast! Top 5 Mistakes Made Fighting Big…
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Rapids Camp Lodge Trip Overview
Operating a fly-out fishing lodge is often described as “a lot of moving parts”. While that description is accurate, it is also decertifying. There are too many moving parts to count. Every operating factor is an effort of controlled codependency with other factors. We operate because we live to wrangle the chaos into submission. In…
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Rapids Camp Lodge Availability
We at Deneki Outdoors are very fortunate and proud that our team at Rapids Camp Lodge was able to deliver sixteen weeks of fishing trips during the 2020 season without incident. With a little bit of luck, a lot of diligent hand washing, cleaning, and an amazing cast of angling guests, we had a fantastic…
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