Catching me required neither a laser loop nor an 80′ cast into the wind. Photo: Chris Price Thanks to the folks who weighed in on our “What’s Your Favorite Trout Rod?” post last week, we’ve got some somewhat interesting, statistically sort-of-significant, semi-scientific data to present today! Actually we got some great input across the board….
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Tips
Fishing with Kids
Seriously, kids are fishy. Photo: Mike Duffy One of the best parts about being in the fishing lodge business is having the opportunity to host family groups at our lodges. We absolutely love having kids around, and watching the experiences that family groups have together couldn’t be more gratifying. Fathers, daughters, sons, mothers, uncles, grandparents…
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Maxima Ultragreen – Why We Like It
The old standard, for a reason. 5 reasons, actually. There are a lot of high-tech leader materials out there, but if you visit one of our lodges in Alaska, British Columbia, the Bahamas or Chile, the material that we’re most likely to suggest you knot to your fly is Maxima Ultragreen. Why is that? It…
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Taking the Perfect Hero Shot – 13 Tips
Cameron, hard at work. Photo: Ric Fogel/Sportfolio If you’ve spent any time on our blog, you’ve seen a whole bunch of photos credited to Cameron Miller. Cameron is a long-time veteran of Alaska West. He spent a bunch of years guiding and taking pictures, and the past few years has made the transition into nearly…
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What’s Your Favorite Trout Rod?
Hmmm, my mouth hurt like that was a 690-4 Z-Axis with G5 technology. Photo: Cameron Miller We spend a lot of time on our blog telling you which gear the experts use. Today it’s your turn. What’s your favorite rod to use when you’re fly fishing for trout? Yes, we know that it could be…
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Secrets of the Flesh Fly
Sometimes all it takes is a little flesh. Photo: Ramsey Smith Trout that live in the lower sections of rivers like the Kanektok and the Arolik in Western Alaska get a lot of their calories from salmon flesh. That means that at Alaska West we spend a lot of time tying and fishing patterns that…
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Why We Like Spey Casting
An angler covers a lot of water without hurting his shoulders. Photo: Cameron Miller When it comes to fishing for kings on the Kanektok, or fishing for steelhead on the Dean, we really like Spey casting. Spey rods are getting a lot more popular these days. That being said, we hear from a lot of…
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10 Ways to Justify Your Fishing Trip
Make use of our proven techniques, and this could be you! Photo: Cameron Miller Having a hard time explaining to your significant other why you need to take another fishing trip? Refer to our handy list, develop your strategy, and your reel will be screaming in no time! We’ve spent a lot of time talking…
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Alaska Guidespeak Glossary
These guys talk funny. Photo: Cameron Miller Fishing guides spend a lot of time together in remote places. Over time, a guide staff’s dialect develops to the point of becoming close to a foreign language. If you’re heading to Alaska West this summer, learning the terms in this handy glossary will help you understand what…
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Non-Slip Mono Loop
Learn this knot if you don’t know it already. The Non-Slip Mono Loop is one of the most versatile knots we know. We use it all over the world when we’re looking for a strong loop knot. After many days of use on the water, and some semi-scientific testing like guide knot tying contests, we’re…
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