Western alaskafishing trips
"Fly-fishing is the most fun you can have standing up."
-Arnold Gingrich
ANIAK RIVER FLOAT TRIP
Aniak River Float Trip
An Aniak River fly fishing float trip is a sweet experience. The Aniak River is the most northerly river offering Alaska rainbow trout fly fishing, and fortuitously hosts substantial runs of all five species of Pacific salmon to fatten the ‘bows up for the extreme winters of those latitudes. These are some big rainbows, beautifully colored, commonly running 17-24 inches. The Aniak River offers an Alaska fly fishing and rafting trip through some of the state’s most productive fish habitat, sporting excellent numbers of resident rainbow trout, big grayling, dolly varden and migratory arctic char. Wildlife viewing is exceptional. FRG is the only guide service with current experience on the river, and guides who KNOW the waters
A Frontier River Guides Aniak River fly fishing raft trip begins in the community of Bethel, Alaska with a bush plane flight to the Bell Creek Mine landing strip. This classic Alaska float fishing trip launches near the confluence of Cripple Creek and the Salmon River; crystal clear, easily waded waters, laden with a healthy population of arctic grayling that are eager to respond to dry flies, nymphs and streamers. Gradually, as the Salmon River winds through the Kilbuck Mountains, we reach a point of the Aniak River float fishing expedition where the clean gravel riverbed meets the spawning needs of salmon, and we begin to encounter very large, beautiful rainbow trout, dolly varden and arctic char who are there to feed on salmon roe and eventually salmon flesh.
From the confluence of the Salmon River with the Aniak River, the character the Aniak fly fishing float trip changes to back channels, stream confluences and other secluded and highly productive holding waters. There is one small tent camp operation on the lower river, but Frontier River Guides is currently the only wilderness outfitter that is offering fly fishing float trips on the Aniak River.
8 day Salmon/Aniak River float trip
$7,000 per person
9 day Aniak River float trip
$7,500 per person
(based on double occupancy)
Gear raft and luxury camp upgrades available
AROLIK RIVER FLOAT TRIP
Arolik River Float Trip
The legendary Arolik River is a veritable Shangri La for those seeking an Alaska fish and float expedition that will lead to a “heavenly state of being”. As with the mythical city hidden in the Himalayan Mountains, the Arolik is challenging to access. Frontier River Guides pioneered guided Alaska fly fishing float trips on Arolik River by establishing a close relationship with the village council in the Alaska native community of Quinhagak, located at the base of the river. By contributing to the village’s wellbeing, providing income and respecting their waters, we were granted access to the Arolik River and began to offer fly fishing raft trips, paving the way for others who are poised to follow. No one knows these waters as well, and has more history of providing guided Arolik River fly fishing float trips, than does FRG.
The Arolik provides a world class opportunity for our clients to experience an Alaska fly fishing trip on a very remote, rarely traveled river. An Arolik River float fishing trip offers fantastic Alaska salmon fly fishing to all 5 species of pacific salmon, incredible Alaska rainbow trout fishing, vast numbers of surprisingly large grayling and a gazillion sea run arctic char. By volume of water, no river in Alaska hosts so varied and amazing a quantity of finned biomass. It is utterly astounding. The salmon runs we encounter when rafting and fly fishing the Arolik River are chrome-er bright and fresh from the sea, the big rainbows are a leopard varietal, the char are huge and beautifully colored. An Arolik River Alaska fly fishing trip covers only 45 miles from Arolik Lake to the Bering sea, so the pace can be leisurely and relaxed.
Arolik Lake is one of the most beautiful locations from which to begin an Alaska raft fishing expedition. Initially shallow upper waters (holding grayling and char) give way to pools and runs that contain beautiful rainbow trout, as well the other resident species. Floating the Arolik River on an Alaska fly fishing trip offers a small and very wade-able stream, not navigable by power boat, other than the final five miles of river. The terrain is scenic and camping is readily available. An Alaska fly fishing float trip on the Arolik River is truly a once in a lifetime experience.
8 day Arolik River float trip
$7,500 per person
6 day Arolik River float trip
$6,800 per person
(based on double occupancy)
Gear raft and luxury camp upgrades available
GOODNEWS RIVER FLOAT TRIP
Goodnews River Float Trip
A Goodnews River fly fishing float trip provides an experience like no other. The Goodnews is a veritable smorgasbord of a river, offering a wide variety of species and yielding serving after heaping serving. There are two forks which offer fly fishing on the river, North and Middle forks. Each branch offers an entirely different Goodnews River rafting and fly fishing experience. The Goodnews flows clear and free, for 55 miles out of the Ahklun Mountains and empties directly into the Bering Sea. This means scads of bright, “chromer” salmon! And, a massive volume of dolly varden and sea run Arctic char.
A Goodnews River float offers one of the most productive fly fishing experiences in Alaska. It is pretty much a fish with every cast, making the Goodnews an ideal location for families and others seeking multiple bent rods at any given time. Campsites are spacious and readily available, fishing is right at hand. The river is surrounded by rolling tundra with the mountains close at hand, lending a stunning backdrop to the beauty of the gin clear waters. A Goodnews River fly fishing trip offers wonderful solitude. The upper river lies within the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, so access by guide services is by permit only; thus traffic on the river is restricted.
Floating and fly fishing the Goodnews offers a nice variety of circumstances: sinuous upper waters, a canyon section, numerous feeder creeks and deep pools in the lower river.
8 day Goodnews River float trip
$7,000 per person
(based on double occupancy)
Gear raft and luxury camp upgrades available
KISARALIK RIVER FLOAT TRIP
Kisaralik River Float Trip
A Kisaralik River fly fishing float trip offers the unparalleled fishing that we experienced up here 25+ years ago. Frontier River Guides pioneered guided fishing on this river 25 years ago…we know the waters well. This is a pristine wilderness river, consistently providing Alaska rainbow trout, char, grayling and salmon fly fishing that is off the charts. The only way to access the fly fishing on the Kisaralik River is to float it, there are no lodges on the river. For this reason we rarely see other people out there, making the Kisaralik ideal for an Alaska wilderness fly fishing float trip.
Our Kisaralik River raft trips start with a DeHavilland Beaver flight from the community of Bethel, taking us across the tundra and into the mountains, 110 miles to Kisaralik Lake. From there an FRG Kisaralik
River fly fishing float continues 80 miles down the river to the west, through the Kilbuck Mountains. The pick up in the lower river is by boat. Scenery on the Kisaralik River fishing expedition is varied and beautiful and wildlife abounds: bear, caribou, wolf, moose, beaver, waterfowl; even wolverine. The solitude is complete; perfect campsites are readily available, and at our secret locations incredible Alaska fly fishing lies just outside the door of your tent. We offer our Kisaralik River float trips on an eight day basis, but this may be easily extended in order to slow the pace of the trip. A Kisaralik River Alaska raft fishing trip provides a variety of fishing experiences: pools, “aquariums”, holes, back channels, spawning beds, pot holes, log jams, tail outs, sweepers, root balls and a variety of holding waters loaded with beautiful rainbow trout,
dolly varden, arctic char and grayling. Major runs of Alaska king salmon , chum and silver salmon provide sport fishing opportunities and later give nourishment to the jaw dropping numbers of very large rainbow trout that reside in the Kisaralik (averaging 20 inches). Not only is this a great river for mousing big ‘bows, but the silver salmon will consistently rise to surface flies. This is a one of a kind Alaska float trip.
8 day Kisaralik River float trip
$6,500 per person
(based on double occupancy)
Gear raft and luxury camp upgrades available
KWETHLUK RIVER FLOAT TRIP
Kwethluk River Float Trip
Floating and fly fishing the Kwethluk River in Alaska is like a step back through the portals of time. This is the way wilderness Alaska fly fishing adventures should be. The Kwethluk River provides an ultimately remote and untainted Alaska fly fishing float trip. Frontier River Guides pioneered fly fishing float trips on the Kwethluk River 25 years ago and the fishing has been consistently excellent across these many years. No one knows these waters as do we, camping can be lean but we have things totally dialed in. A Kwethluk River guided fishing float begins with
a DeHavilland Beaver flight from the community of Bethel,100 miles east of the put-in. Skirting the edges of the Kilbuck Mountains, we find easily waded upper waters holding dolly varden and grayling. Soon we descend as inflowing streams transform the Kwethluk into a network of side channels, eddies, holes and salmon spawning beds that offer excellent fly fishing to Alaska rainbow trout, (commonly ranging from 14-22 inches, up to 24”) arctic grayling, dolly varden, northern pike and all five species of Pacific salmon. This is an Alaska float fishing trip which offers
wilderness solitude for your group; there are no lodges on the river. The remote nature of fly fishing the Kwethluk River affords very good wildlife viewing opportunities and a feeling of complete solitude that will lift the human spirit.
8 day Kwethluk River float trip
$6,500 per person
(based on double occupancy)
Gear raft and luxury camp upgrades available
Click for Trips and Rates by Region
