Mouse flies are not delicate. Photo: Cameron Miller One of the most fun and unique ways to target rainbow trout in Western Alaska is by ‘mousing’. Small voles and other rodents often find themselves in the river, intentionally or not, and our bigger predatory rainbows are always on the lookout for a meal that’s even…
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Kanektok River
6 Ways to Catch More Silver Salmon
Got one. Photo: Cameron Miller 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…
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5 Flies for Kings on the Kanektok
There are a bunch of anglers out there who are pretty darned excited these days, because they’re headed to the Kanektok River this summer to swing flies for kings. The ice is out on the Kanektok, our setup crew heads in just a couple of weeks from now, and fly boxes are starting to get…
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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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Arctic Grayling
OK, maybe this one didn’t eat a dry. Photo: Cameron Miller There’s a species that we love to catch at Alaska West that we don’t talk about much, and that’s the Arctic Grayling. They’re small. Let’s get that out of the way from the get-go. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game calls any grayling…
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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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Just Another Chrome King
Dr. Tony Robins hits paydirt at the chrome mine. Think this fish has been in the Kanektok for long? Think again. More Kanektok Kings Nice Fish, Mike King Rig Roundup We Love Singles Alaska West in The Angling Report Fish with Dec, Get a Free Rod Salmon Grand Slam Greg Thomas on Fresh Fish 10…
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10 Tips – Swinging Flies for Kings
Tip #10, executed to perfection. Photo: Cameron Miller 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…
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Greg Thomas on Fresh Fish
Photo: Greg Thomas Greg Thomas is one of the premier writers in fly fishing. He puts out quality stuff only, as evidenced by his definitive Flyfisher’s Guides to the western states, his publication Tight Lines, his magazine work and his freelance pieces in publications like, say, the New York Times. Greg is now the managing editor…
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Rainbow Trout Fishing – Mend Less.
It’s summer, so I have to eat. Photo: Cameron Miller There are trout streams out there where highly educated trout demand perfect presentation. Long, light tippets are key. Pure, drag-free drift is essential, and if your fourth mend falls 3 inches left of where it should have, that fish is not going to eat. The…
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