Fishing
Fishing Overview
From June through September, millions of Wild Pacific Salmon return to Bristol Bay and the Shelikof Straights to spawn. All five species of salmon: Kings, Sockeye, Chums, Pinks, and Coho frequent the streams and lakes. Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling and Lake Trout turn up in large numbers to prey on the eggs and smolt. It is the fishing equivalent of the Serengeti plains of Africa.
Our specialty is diverse and excellent quality fishing. We believe in good stewardship of the land and water and practice ethical catch-and-release fishing. You may keep one or two fish a day for personal consumption if it is allowed by law. We do not have freezer facilities and DO NOT offer home pack fish services. If you would like to take home fish, the canneries in King Salmon and Kodiak offer fresh, world-class flash frozen fish at very reasonable prices.
Due to the remote local, our trips are a week in length and run Saturday to Saturday. Each day we fly out in small bush planes daily from the lodge to a different creek, river or bay depending on what the group wants to fish for. This makes for a very diverse experience, as you will experience different types of fishing and different scenery each day. One constant is the likeliness to see bears and other wildlife each day. Bears in particular are a constant presence, as they are there for the same fish we are.
Please contact us for current pricing
About the Fish
Oncorhynchus nerka – popularly known as Sockeye or Red Salmon are the best know Pacific Salmon. After hatching from their eggs, they migrate out to the lake below their spawning stream for one year, then migrate again and spend from 3 to 5 years in the Ocean before returning home to the same watershed they were hatched. Reds are generally not an aggressive hitter, but are one of the best eating fish and can be a lot of fun to catch in early July, particularly suited to younger and less experience fishers.
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha – the King of Salmon, or Chinook. Due to diminishing stocks of wild King Salmon in Alaska and throughout the Pacific, we choose not to target these very special fish. However, if you are with us in late June or early July, you may be lucky enough to observe these massive bemouths in their spawning grounds, as they use much of the same habitat as other Pacific Salmon
Oncorhynchus keta – Dog or Chum Salmon has a bad rap. As you can tell by the name, traditionally they were considered a trash fish. However, they are big, bold, and colorful in their spawning colors, and can be aggressive and fun to catch. Before they turn color, Chum make good table fare too, and have recently been marketed as Keta Salmon in fancy restaurants!
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha – Pink or Humpback Salmon. Pinks are the smallest and most prolific of the Pacific Salmon. They also go through the largest body change from salt to fresh water. Although we get very few in the Bristol Bay drainages, we often pop over to the Pacific side where Pinks come in by the millions. They make can make an action-packed day of reeling.
Oncorhynchus kisutch – Silver or Coho Salmon. Silvers are the best known fighting fish of the Pacific Salmon for good reason! They retain their silver color along with their saltwater vitality later in the season and further up the steams than any other salmon. For this very reason, Silvers are also the best eating fish later in the season.
Oncorhynchus mykiss – Rainbow Trout. The famous Rainbow does not live in any upper watershed of Becharof Lake. The reason for this is unknown to science, but not to worry – there are multiple nearby drainages that hold awesome numbers of them. Rainbows are the classic fly-fishing stream fish.
Salvelinus malma – Dolly Varden. Dollys are everywhere in this area and grow to enormous size. Though not as famous as their rainbow cousins, Dollys are just as fun to catch, fight hard, and are very good eating. Because these voracious predators are so common, the Territory of Alaska used to have a bounty on them along with Wolves and Bald Eagles!
Thymallus arcticus – Arctic Grayling. A sleeper of the fly-fishing world, Grayling will readily take top flies, making them many fishers’ favorite. With an oversized dorsal fin and sublime but striking iridescent colors, Grayling are downright gorgeous up close and personal.
Seasons
July- July is predominantly best for fishing for Sockeye which are considered the tastiest Salmon, Pinks and Chum Salmon, Dolly Varden, Rainbow Trout and Arctic Grayling.
August- All five species of salmon are available, Dolly Varden, Rainbow Trout and Arctic Grayling with an emphasis on Silver Salmon (Coho) fishing.
First week of September–This is prime silver season and butts up against our busy hunting season so there is a price increase. But it is worth it! The silvers are abundant and aggressive.
Raft trips
5-day custom raft trips are available if booked six months in advance. Ask for details.
