On many rivers around the country, spring means run-off season, and with it means big water and cold water temperatures. Therefore, we thought it would a good time for a friendly reminder – Whenever wearing waders in, on, or around the water, please, wear your wading belt. Everybody takes a spill in the river from time…
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Tips
Leading Bonefish – Know Your Fly’s Sink Rate
When presenting a fly to a bonefish, your primary focus should always be getting the fly within their field of view as quickly as possible. After all, a fish can’t eat what it doesn’t see, right? For bonefish, that field of view is generally on, or near, the bottom. Sure, bonefish will certainly feed throughout…
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Timeless Tips: Swinging for Kings – 10 Tips
Planning on swinging flies for king salmon this summer, maybe on the Kanektok or the Dean? Here are some tips that may help. Cast across and slightly downstream. You certainly need to read the water you’re fishing and adjust accordingly, but in general if you’re fishing a broad, gradual gravel bar, the most effective presentation…
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Bonefish Squimp – Tying Instructions
It’s been a while since our latest fly tying step by step, and today we right that wrong with tying instructions for the Squimp – A versatile shrimp pattern effective wherever bonefish are found. One thing we think sets the Squimp apart from many other bonefish flies is its superior movement when stripped. Aside from…
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Advanced D-Loop Tips for Switch Rods – Video
Our friends from Airflo are back with another great video highlighting spey casting tips for shorter skagit-style heads, like their latest ‘Skagit Scout‘ line. For some great tips on forming more efficient d-loops for more powerful casts on both shorter switch rods or longer spey rods alike, be sure to give the video a watch…
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Timeless Tips Tuesday: 6 Tips When Poling for Bonefish
So you’re in a fishery like ours on South Andros that’s loaded with bonefish, and you’re fishing from the boat, with your guide on the push pole. What should you do to make sure you’re successful? Here’s what. Be quiet. Bonefish are really sensitive to noise, so be quiet! Close the cooler quietly. Don’t drop…
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Rainbow Trout Flies – Our Favorites at Rapids Camp Lodge
A couple weeks back we presented you with a list of some of our favorite flies for our resident rainbow trout population at Alaska West. However, in case you weren’t already aware, that’s not the only lodge we operate in Alaska! We also run a fantastic fly-out operation called Rapids Camp Lodge, situated on one the world’s…
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Timeless Tips: 6 Ways to Catch More Silver Salmon
On the Kanektok River where we operate Alaska West, and on other rivers like it in Western Alaska, the classic method for catching silver salmon on flies involves targeting them in slow-moving water, casting a floating line, and stripping back a weighted fly. Here are 6 ways to make the most of this technique. Keep in mind that…
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Three (More) Things Bonefish Hate
Way back in the ancient year of 2012, we reminded you that sometimes the key to catching bonefish is not necessarily doing everything especially well, rather avoiding the things that bonefish hate most instead. Well, it turns out there a few other things that bonefish hate.. Avoid these and you’re apt to catch more fish. Three…
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Timeless Tip Tuesday: King Season Mantra – Stand Your Ground
Whether it’s a choker king fresh from the Dean Channel or that gagger Alaskan Chinook melting away yards of your backing, one thing’s for certain: This is no time for a Junior Varsity track meet. When that mega-king blasts off into hyperdrive—and make no mistake, it will— there’s always the temptation to chase it down, so remember…
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