We’re really lucky at our lodges to be able to target trout in a number of ways. However, one of the most common (and most effective) ways in which we target trout is by rowing downstream in traditional ‘drift boat’ fashion. Rowing allows you to cover the maximum amount of water possible, thus putting your fly in…
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universal tips
Trout Fishing in High “Off-Colored” Water
Whether early season run-off or late season rain, when the river comes up and the water becomes dirty, fishing for trout can be tough. That’s not to say it can’t be done though! Here are 9 tips when targeting trout in high water. Go Fishing. Don’t let ‘the river’s blown out’ be an excuse to stay…
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Calculating Fish Weight – The Formula
The silver salmon fishing is as good as ever here at Alaska West and Rapids Camp Lodge, and not only are we catching a lot of silvers this year, we’re also catching a lot of bigger fish. That has our anglers are asking, “how big is that hog?”, which has us scratching our heads.. “Yeah, exactly how…
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Track Straight for Better Accuracy
Whether casting to a tailing bonefish, tucking a mouse pattern under an overhanging branch, or delivering a size 18 BWO upstream of some fishy pocket water, being able to put the fly where you want it is a valuable skill in all avenues of fly fishing. There are many potential causes for a lack of…
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DIY Pliers Lanyard
Most premium fishing pliers these days are built to withstand a lifetime of abuse (such as these, or these). However, it seems like we’re always scrounging around for replacement lanyard bungees to keep our pliers from falling into the drink. So, today we present you with a super clever way to make your own lanyard bungees,…
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Fly Tying Tip – Cheap and Easy Bodkin Cleaner
There’s a lot of different fly tying tools out there, but if you’ve spent any time at all hunched over the tying vise, odds are you own a bodkin or two. You know, that little needle like tool. The bodkin might be the simplest tool of all time, but nonetheless its pretty handy for everything…
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Carry a Permanent Marker
The ability to adapt to changing conditions is often the key to success on the water. Although we’d all love to have every fly, gadget, or gizmo with us to tackle anything mother nature throws at us, it’s not necessary, not to mention expensive! So, today we offer you some super simple advice to help…
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Frozen Rod Guides – Try Lip Balm
With a daily high of a whopping 13 degrees Fahrenheit outside our Anchorage office, we’re starting to come to terms that winter is upon us. For many of us, winter brings fishing conditions that are far from ideal. Although, winter fly fishing in cold-weather climates can have its perks, such as less crowds and fish…
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Keep Your Fly in the Water
One of the universal truths in fly fishing, regardless of what species you are pursuing, is the longer your fly is in the water, the greater chance you have to catch fish. After all, a fly in the air catches no fish. With that said, we haven’t mastered the art of ‘shadow casting’ yet.. And we’ve seen…
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Keep Your Hands on the Cork
Most modern fly rods are well engineered pieces of equipment, and contrary to popular belief, they rarely break on their own. Often times an errant fly or a slight nick from the gunwale of a boat is actually the culprit of a rod that surprisingly ‘breaks for no reason.’ With that said, we’d be lying if…
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