Alaska Presentation

[johnsquires]

I will be doing a presentation at the Mission Peak Fly Anglers on May 27 at 6:30 on Alaska wilderness fishing. This particular presentation will feature the Koktuli River, ground zero in the proposed Pebble Mine controversy, so you will be able to see exactly what we would be putting at risk in case of an "incident" at the mine. I will talk about the species of fish available, tackle and methods of fishing.

This is not a sales-pitch presentation (I have no openings left this year). I just love the wilderness fishing experience and enjoy sharing that experience with others. And if I can get a few people to donate to the organizations fighting the proposed mine and/or write to their representatives, then I'll be very happy.

Anyone who loves true wilderness, anyone who loves beautiful fish and beautiful scenery will enjoy this presentation.

MPFA meeting location is 6800 Mowry Ave in Newark.

It would be great to meet some of you in person.
John

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

John---Alaska is on my bucket list and I gather info for future reference. Do you have a website or info available on-line?

Frank R. Pisciotta

PS---I lived part-time in Concord (the smoke-stack development off of Ignacsio...sp?) for many years; leaving there to live in Truckee full-time in 1997

[johnsquires]

Hi, Frank
Great move on your part heading up to Truckee. Ygnacio is awful for traffic during the commute hours.

The name of our business is Against The Flow Adventures. The website was recently hacked and is in the process of being rebuilt, but I'll give you a little information.

My stepson and I guide. We look for rivers to run that offer a true wilderness experience, preferably rivers with no lodges, no day-trip float planes, no other guides and clients. I just can't see going all that way (maybe only once in your life) and fishing next to other folks - we can do that here in CA. Typically we catch grayling, rainbows, dolly varden, and whatever species of salmon are running at the time.

We like to have a max of 6 people on the trip, 4 clients and the 2 guides (always me and my stepson, never another hired guide).
Basically, you pay your air fare to get to the float plane base, lodging and meals while not in the wilderness, provide your personal gear, fishing gear, sleeping bag, and we provide the rest (including float plane costs).

The trips are typically a minimum of 8 days in the wilderness and a day before and after in Anchorage.

Our trips tend to book early (one trip next year is booked already with repeat clients) because we are less expensive than the couple other services that do similar-type trips, so if you are interested, send me a PM. I would even make a trip up to Truckee to show you pictures and answer any other questions you may have (love Truckee).

Hope that helps.
John

[johnsquires]

Website may be up this afternoon. I'll let you know. Apparently it's up, but has 2013 info, so they are working on that.

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

John---thanks for the info. It sounds like a fabulous trip! May be a bit more remote/isolated and "rough" than I'm considering though. As one gets a bit "long-in-the-tooth", me, I'm looking for more comfort. Post your site on the BB; some "younger" guys may be interested. Thanks again for your lengthy, personal reply.

Frank R. Pisciotta

[johnsquires]

You're welcome, Frank.
You'd be surprised, I'm sure, to know that the majority of my clients are "long in the tooth," mostly sixties to early seventies, crossing things off the bucket list.
Check the website next year. I'm working on doing some combo trips, part float, part lodge.
BTW, what's the BB?
John

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

John---"BB" for "bulletin board"...this one.

So what is the URL for your 2013 website (per #4 above)?

Frank R. Pisciotta

[johnsquires]

http://againsttheflowadventures.com/

[JasonB]

John,
I like your style. I think it's great that you're offering a guided experience that keeps the focus on wilderness and adventure. I've been somewhat surprised how few commercial operations do that. Even in the float trips that do go through wilderness, it seems that a lot of outfitters go out of their way to insulate their clients from as much of the "wild" and as much of the "adventure" as possible. Nothing wrong with creature comforts, or luxury lodges or anything, but I think it's great that you're offering an experience that is increasingly rare for people to enjoy. Something very special and powerfully memorable about a real adventure into the wild. I've fished a few times in Alaska, and I'll go back again this fall; unfortunately my angling experiences there have been of a totally different nature with plenty of "company". Outstanding fishing (catching), no doubt, but clearly missing something. Someday I'd love to really get out there into the wilderness river trip like yours...
Let the daydreaming begin again,
JB

[johnsquires]

Thanks, Jason. We're all wired differently, so I admit this is not a trip for everybody. You obviously get it that a trip like this is not all about the fishing, it's the total experience.
We don't have beds, but it's amazing what they're doing with sleeping bags and pads these days. It's amazing what you can do with a dehydrator these days so that you can eat well in the wild (and you're always about 15 minutes away from the best fish tacos ever). No internet, not TV, no newspaper, no cars, boats, other people, just fun and relaxation (once the portage is over). You catch four or five or six species of fish, have a great meal, talk about the day's fishing around a campfire while maybe enjoying a cigar and/or a shot of bourbon, watch the wildlife - I mean for the way I'm wired, it just doesn't get any better than that.