Self Guided or DIY Float Fishing Trips in Alaska

If you find yourself reading this blog, it’s because you love fishing and adventure! Maybe your on the fence on whether you would like to do a guided trip or a DIY trip. Maybe you all ready know what you want, but you don’t know what outfitter/adventure company to use, or what rivers to float. There are many fine outfitters in Alaska with great reputations and great customer service. The best part is that you can’t really go wrong with the rivers that Alaska has to offer. Provided there is a Salmon run on the specific river you may have in mind, more than likely the fishing will be great and should offer other species of fish that thrive off of the Salmon runs. I will admit that there are certain rivers that have a better reputation, or that are more popular than others, and for good reason. Take the Kanektok River for example. The Kanektok River empties into the Kuskokwim Bay just south of where the mouth of the Kuskokwim empties. What does this mean you might ask? It means it has a bomb diggity Salmon run right out of the ocean! As a result of the strong Salmon run, it has a very healthy population of Dolly’s, Rainbow’s, and Grayling. The proof is in the pudding. The Kanektok has 3 fishing lodges from 2 different companies. It also has several guiding outfits that regularly float the river several times a summer, plus, there is a large number of DIY float trips. This river gets a lot of traffic, but it can take it. Lodges don’t just take up residency on an average river. The fishing is unreal, the river is big, and there is lots of room for everyone to play. Now lets take the Kwethluk River. The Kwethluk is located about 40 miles north of the Kanektok. It also has a great overall Salmon run, as well as Rainbow’s, Dolly’s, and Grayling. The river size is smaller, yet the distance is roughly the same. The fishing is great, maybe not quite as good as the Kanektok, but by no means would any fisherman say “the fishing was ok.” The Kwethluk has a totally different feel than the Kanektok. Not a lot of traffic. You could float the entire river and not run into a single soul. This river can be appealing because of the “remote” feeling you get when you don’t see people or their evidence of being there. Garbage, fire pit rings, relief holes, and no fire wood. As we would all like to think that every outdoors man does his part to preserve the Alaskan wilderness, this is not always the case. So, for totally different reason, the Kwethluk could be your river, or the Kanektok could be your river. They are both great choices, they just offer something different. Many rivers in Alaska has something different to offer, it all depends what your looking for.

So, How do I decide what river I want to float? The local fly shop or fishing club is a good place to start. Google will work as well. There is a website that has many of Alaska’s rivers listed with some additional information. At least this could give you names and possibly descriptions that you could work with. You can find their site here “ www.alaska.org/float-trips.” Here is a link to Papa Bear Adventures website that includes the rivers that we offer. pbadventures.com. Once you find the river you want to float, the next step would be finding an outfitter or an adventure company. If you have your own gear, (we don’t recommend using your own raft, cooler, or other large objects as shipping would cost an arm and a leg) finding a transporter is the next step. The nice part about working with an outfitter or an adventure company is that they “should” know everything there is to know about floating that specific river. In other words, the drop off point, areas that are potentially hazardous, river difficulty (what type of experience you would need to float it), good fishing holes, good camp spots, and of course the pick up point. Other information they should give you, or you should ask for is “what type of transportation will we use to get to the drop point ?” This is important because each outfitter usually either owns, or works with an air taxi, or boat company. If you know what air taxi or boat company you’re using, you can do a safety check on google and search for any accidents or incidents that might deter you. You will also want to ask about the pick up. Are you being picked up by an airplane, a boat, or vehicle. Also, be sure to ask about lodging. Plan on staying a night before and after your trip. Always plan on loosing a day before and a day after your trip. If you do this, you won’t be disappointed as Alaskan weather is harsh and unpredictable. Be patient with your transporter. If they are late due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, give them a break. They want to fly you. That’s how they make money. The last thing you want to do is pressure your pilot or captain into doing something he/she is uncomfortable with. If you are planning on renting equipment, be sure to ask about the gear. What brand and model.? How often do you replace your gear? What size (hard to fit 4 guys and their gear in a 4 man tent)? What type of stove? Keep in mind that you can’t ship fuel ( ex: propane, white gas, jet boil) in the mail or on a commercial airline. So be sure that the fuel you need is available for purchase at your location. This gives you an idea of what to expect so there is no surprises. The last thing you want is old, worn out, dirty, faulty equipment or the inability to get what you need once you get there. Your gear will make or break your trip. Write that one down! Some other bits of information that can help is finding out the quantity and times of commercial flights that arrive and depart every day from your adventure location. Many fishermen choose certain locations to start from because it’s easy to get in and get out. Having multiple flights daily really helps when planning your flights in and out. Find out the bag limits, bag weights, and extra fees associated with travel. Nothing worse than being surprised at the most inopportune time. Have cash on hand if you are traveling to any remote villages. This ensures that you can purchase items if needed since many bush villages may or may not have internet or have the ability to take a credit card.

This blog doesn’t cover all aspects of planning a fishing trip, but it covers the basics and should give you a pretty good head start. Should you be interested in booking a fishing trip in Western Alaska and don’t know where to start, please contact Papa Bear Adventures in Bethel, Alaska and we would be happy to get you started. You can call us at at 907-545-1155 or if you would prefer email, info@pbadventures.com. You can also visit our site at www.pbadventures.com.

FISH ON!!