Today we present you with nothing more than one of our favorite photos from this past summer season courtesy of Alaska West guide, Lucas Young. Net shot. Spey rod. And fish so big that it buckles the fiberglass handle and aluminum frame of a gargantuan landing net.. What’s not to like? Want to swing flies…
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fighting fish
5 Ways to Land More Silvers
Our run of silver salmon have just began their annual return to our home river at Alaska West. What does that mean, exactly? It means it won’t be long until our river is teeming with hyper-aggressive, hard-fighting, chrome bright, acrobatic coho that readily take flies. Sound good? It should. Those who have experienced silver madness…
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Chase Down that Fish of a Lifetime
Big bonefish, we’re talking fish-of-a-lifetime ‘big,’ can run far.. Really far. After all, their ability to take hundreds of yards of backing is a huge part of what makes the opportunity to tussle with one so rewarding. Unfortunately, when it comes to fighting big fish the fact remains; the farther they run, the more difficult…
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How to Break Off a Bonefish
Breaking off a bonefish is a bummer. After all the hard work required to find, cast to, and finally hook one it’s the last thing you want to do. That said, despite their best intentions, we still see a lot of anglers coming up with plenty of ways to do it, the most common of…
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Reeling Right or Wrong?
Over the course of the year, we’re lucky to share the water with a lot of super great, super fishy, people from countries all over the world. That lends itself to some healthy angler debate at times, allowing us to keep up to date on the latest tips and techniques in the fly fishing world….
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Fighting Fish – Pull With the Rod, Gain With the Reel
Our ridiculous run of silver salmon has just begun to show up in full force, which means alongside four other species of pacific salmon, including voracious chums and feisty pinks, there’s no shortage of practice for fighting big fish. One thing we see on a regular basis from our first-time anglers upon hooking a hefty…
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Clearing Line for Bonefish – 7 Tips
During one of the coldest, wettest, and windiest days of our season here in Western Alaska this week, we couldn’t help but let our minds wander towards the flats. Surprising, right? That got us to thinking, what’s the most overlooked facet of saltwater fly fishing that results in more fish lost or landed? We’d argue…
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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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Which Hand Do You Reel With?
It’s poll time again here on the Deneki blog, and we want to hear from you! The proper hand to reel with is an age old debate, and from our experience, one that many serious anglers are passionate about. We’ve witnessed everything from healthy discussions to full out arguments on the topic over the years, which is why…
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Bend the Butt Section
Our king salmon seasons in Alaska and British Columbia are fast upon us, so today we present you with a friendly reminder of one of the most common mistakes made when fighting big fish on spey rods – not putting enough pressure on the fish! Take the photo above taken of Alaska West guide, Ben…
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