Dec builds his confidence, as if he needed to. Photo: Justin Jackson Dec Hogan visits Alaska West during the first week of our season each year, to deliver spey instruction to our guests and to get in on the hottest, brightest kings of the season. This year, Dec had one of those experiences that, to…
Read More
Kanektok River
The Kanektok River – 9 Reasons to Love It
The Kankektok: it’s our home and we love it. Photo: Cameron Miller At Alaska West, we’re really, really lucky to call the Kanektok River our home. Our camp is located on the Kanektok, 6 miles from its mouth. If you told us we could have a camp anywhere in Alaska, we’d pick the Kanektok, 6…
Read More
Mousing for Rainbow Trout – 5 Tips
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
Simms Movies at Alaska West and Andros South
If you haven’t seen the movies that Simms Fishing Products shot at Alaska West and Andros South, you should check them out. They’re not your average plugs for fishing gear. Simms at Alaska West Simms at Andros South Note: if you’re reading this in a feed and can’t see the movies, have a look at…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More