Bristol Bay, Alaksa
Early June through Early September
Fly fishing the most pristine wilderness waters of Bristol Bay is every fly fishermen’s dream. This is your opportunity to fish far out of the range of outboard motors, in the remote headwaters of the most productive fisheries in Alaska. Rafts and camps are flown into these hard to reach stretches of rivers, and then your guides float, camp, wade and fish for 30-70 miles over the course of a week. This type of fishing opportunity is unimaginable on a 4 star lodge schedule with daily fly-outs.
These raft based fly fishing trips are filled with King Salmon, Sockeye, Chum, Pink, Silver Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling, Arctic Char, Lake Trout and Northern Pike. Experience all this possibility while travelling across a vast boreal forest and tundra landscape among spectacular mountain scenery and wildlife.
With over 34 years of fly fishing experience in Alaskan rivers and a Masters in Education in Alaskan Aquatic Ecology, Mark Rutherford is one of the most experienced fishing guides in Alaska and the only one committed exclusively to wilderness fly fishing on the creeks & rivers that lodge traffic can’t reach.
Dolly Varden, Grayling, Rainbow, King, Silver, Sockeye, Chum, and Pink Salmon. Also known as the Main Goodnews. Mark has an exclusive use permit and begins floats at Goodnews Lake among high alpine peaks. A spectacular fishery in spectacular tundra scenery. A longer river than the Middle Fork that provides an extraordinarily diverse week of fly fishing and travel. Mark has heard the phrase “best day of fishing of my life” many times by expert fly fishermen and women on the North Fork. Your guide’s knowledge of the fishery is unparalled.
Rainbow, Dolly Varden, Grayling, King, Silver, Sockeye, Chum, and Pink Salmon. Also Known as the Kukaktlik Fork or Kukaktlim Fork. Mark has an exclusive use permit to raft on this classic Alaskan wilderness river with excellent fly fishing and sublime tundra scenery. The middle Fork is more intimate than the North Fork. Mark is knowledgeable about the Middle Fork’s most remote and undisturbed waters, some of which go months or years between other anglers.
An extremely robust fishery world renowned for King, Sockeye, and Coho Salmon. The sea run Dolly Varden fishery is also stunning. There are legendary Rainbows. The Togiak headwaters are unbelievably scenic and far above timberline. The various tributaries of the Togiak are renowned in there own right. Arctic Char and Sockeye take flies in the upper river, then mid river it transitions into a Dolly Varden and Rainbow fishery, and in the lower third is one of the great salmon rivers of the world. An excellent multi-species river.
Tikchik River is in Wood-Tikchik Park. Tikchik is a longer float and Mark chooses it when a relaxed wilderness float with high scenic value, great wildlife – birding, big game, and fine camping are the primary goals and fly fishing is secondary. You’ll fly in to Upnuk Lake, a vast tundra landscape, which is glacially carved out of the Wood River Mountains. At Upnuk Lake there are good numbers of Lake Trout and once on the river Grayling take the fly and Sockeye are available to make great fillets for barbeque in Alder smoke. Birdlife is prolific, wildflowers are too. Art projects and photography. The Mountains nearby. Rainbow Trout at rivers end.
The Kanektok flows one hundred dazzling clear-water miles from alpine headwaters to the estuary in the Kuskokwim Bay. The river is appropriately world-renowned for it’s excellent fly-fishing, rafting, and camping qualities. The fishery is very, very strong, even by Alaskan standards. Sockeye spawn in the headwaters lake attended by Lake Trout, Dolly Varden, and Grayling. Grayling dominate the upper river and then as the channel becomes more complex the Kanektok hosts ever increasing numbers of very wild Leopard spotted Rainbow Trout. The Kanektok sea run Dolly Varden Char runs are spectacular in number and size. All 5 species of Pacific Salmon are taken as they migrate upriver. Float trips end at the Yupik Eskimo village of Quinhagak near the tidewater where you’ll be picked up at the airport and returned to Dillingham.
The Nushagak headwaters are a primary spawning area for King, Sockeye, Coho, and Chum Salmon and therefore are extremely rich fisheries for Arctic Grayling, Rainbow Trout, and Dolly Varden. The upper river is mid sized and spruce forested draining venerable, dome shaped, weathered mountain ranges. It lends itself to sight fishing to Char among salmon and to fishing streamers and flesh flies deep among woody debris for Rainbow.
Northern & Western Bristol Bay is served through the Dillingham airport by Alaska Airlines daily jet service and by Peninsula Air daily turbo prop service. One can generally travel from any jetport in the continental United States to Dillingham, via Anchorage in one day.
Upon arrival in Dillingham you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your B&B or hotel the night prior to your departure for the river.
Expedition Broker can arrange all aspects of your travel including flights, hotels and additional travel while in Alaska at no cost to you. Feel free to use our local expertise to help you prepare for your trip!
Location | Bristol Bay, Alaksa |
Capacity | Group sizes of 1 to 8 travelers |
Type of Trip | Wilderness Float Trips |
Target Species | Rainbow Trout, All Five Salmon, Arctic Char, Arctic Grayling |