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rouleur35
06-29-2015, 08:35 AM
HI,

For some reason delta has decided to sell tickets to Alaska cheaper than I have seen over the last couple of years so I have decided to finally go. I am flying in to Anchorage sep 8 and out the 17th. I am planning on renting a car. I will admit I am somewhat overwhelmed due to all of the different things I have heard so I am turning here for advice. My basic plan is to fish and explore Tues to Fri. Friday head to Denali for the weekend. Thinking about a fly out fishing trip on Monday and then more fishing Tues and Wed.

I am looking for suggestions on hotels, camping options, guide options ( both fly out and driving), dining and anything else you would think is important. Also I am thinking I will bring 4 rods so looking for recommendations on what to bring as well.

Generally I don't mind doing things by myself and have a lot of experience in the backcountry.

Any and all advice appreciated.

thanks,
tom

johnsquires
06-29-2015, 09:49 PM
As far as dining in Anchorage, I like The Glacier Brewhouse and The Moose's Tooth.

We use the Puffin Inn in Anchorage because it's close to the airport and car rental. Just down the street from the Puffin Inn is Gwenie's and they have a good breakfast, and just next to them is Alaska Express Car Rental and I've found they have the best rates. Since you are going Sept 8 and that is "after season," you will get very good car rental rates for your trip to Denali. Check the weather forecast before heading to Denali so you aren't disappointed by not seeing the mountain.

I fish the Bristol Bay region, so I will leave it to others to advise you about fishing around Anchorage. I will say that a lot of people from the lower states have misconceptions about Anchorage and the surrounding areas - it's a regular large city, spread out, and not wilderness by any means. Just don't want you to be disappointed. These days, like so many other places, it takes some effort to get into the wilderness in Alaska.

Calvillo
06-30-2015, 07:51 AM
Take your fire-proof waders!

johnsquires
06-30-2015, 05:41 PM
Take your fire-proof waders!

Fireproof waders will probably be a necessity in most western states this year. Very sad.

Calvillo
07-01-2015, 10:13 AM
Agreed 110%, need to get smart quick.

rouleur35
07-02-2015, 05:56 PM
Thanks, I will check out those restaraunts car rental and hotel
Any rod or guide or fly out guide suggestions?

I will bring my fireproof waders

johnsquires
07-03-2015, 09:48 AM
Rod situation depends on what you will be fishing for. Could be anywhere from 4 or 5wt for grayling, 6 to 8wt for trout and salmon.

I see you're in Lodi. I would suggest lunch at the Avenue Grill and see if you can talk to the owner, Mike. He fishes in AK and has done the Kenai area several times.

rouleur35
07-03-2015, 10:34 PM
Thanks,
That is what I was wondering. I have found it difficult to figure out what fish will be around then so that is one of the reasons I was asking. I like to be prepared and was thinking of 4 rods so mayb a 4, 6, 8 and switch in a 6; or should I bring 5 or 6. I really hate being unprepared.

i live right by that place and it is a favorite breakfast place when I am looking for a big good breakfast so maybe I will have to get back there.

Thanks,
Tom

FISHEYE
07-04-2015, 11:51 AM
OK, here goes. The time you will be here is prime time for big rainbows on the Kenai River. Also available then are silver (coho) salmon. There are many excellent guides on the Kenai but all of the ones I know will be booked. I suggest you contact Troutfitters in Cooper Landing and see if they can find you a spot. You might also try Stacy Corbin at Mystic Waters to see if he can recommend someone. All of the Kenai guides will have gear and you just need to show up with waders, rain gear, lunch, and money. There is some DIY on the Kenai if you know what you are doing but save time and anguish and go with a guide. If you are driving to Denali, some of the Parks Highway streams can be incredible at that time for rainbows. Bring a 7 wt, with a Rio indicator line. In early Sept the bite will be on beads, but you can also try articulated leeches and flesh. The weather in Sept can be gorgeous and warm (50) but if can also be cold and very wet. Your plans for driving and fishing don't make sense to me. Denali is a long ways away, so go there and fish up north and then go south for fishing or vice versa. Otherwise you will be driving the same roads several times. As far as flyouts, there are many options and it just depends on how much you want to spend.

Tfisher
07-06-2015, 11:02 AM
Read Fisheye's response. His information is accurate and I will only add a few points to help you out.

1st point is: You can't do it all. Denali + devoted fishing in AK in 9 days is a very narrow window to try and fit it all in. Factor in variable weather (2011 & 2012 Sept. was blown on the Peninsula i.e. flooding) cancellations and your timeframe shrinks even more.

2nd point (related to first): Decide what you want to focus on. Is Denali a must, or does fishing come first? What species is the primary interest? Rainbows and Coho will be the major players at that time. If on the Peninsula - likely due to its proximity to Anchorage you'll be focusing on the upper Kenai near Coopers Landing (since its a non-pink year and the fires and rains will likely muddy up the middle below Skilak). There are numerous guides for this area - though I am somewhat jaded and don't personally recommend any. Fisheye provided two well known reputable operations that are likely booked (Popular guides book a year or so in advance during this timeframe).

3rd Point: Flyouts are unlikely - There are no really premiere "fly out" options from Anchorage. Everyone flies to another part of AK and then goes out from there to the premiere fishing zones. Anchorage is just a hub. Fly outs to these locations require logistics - lodging and are pricey. The best destinations near Anchorage that can be hit in a day are easily accessible to everyone else and are therefore not worth the $ IMO. Maybe a coho destination, but IMO I wouldn't spend my $.


4th Point: I've fished this area extensively during this same timeframe nearly every year since 2008. I've had some spectacular - world class - fishing throughout much of my experience, but the most recent trips have been major disappointments. Its unclear if AK in this area is suffering through a major down cycle - as is Bristol Bay, if increased pressure has reduced the quality of the fishery, or if my early experiences jaded me. In either case, I have much lower expectations now for AK - and have considered it less as a fishing destination. Keep your expectations in check and you will have a good time. The fishing there can be amazing, and it can also be poor, consider yourself lucky to experience either, but note that it can go either way and that the books and information you will read are WAY out of date. It isn't the AK of old.

FISHEYE
07-06-2015, 02:58 PM
As far as what Tfisher says, he makes many good points, and there is nothing I have any major disagreement with. I have lived here for 38 years and I fish a lot. Alaska is just like everywhere else in that it has its ups and downs. In recent weeks I have had some of the best experiences I have ever had in 38 years. I do think there are too many people fishing and most of them are tourists. It is certainly not like it was 38 years ago or even 10 years ago. If you want good fishing Alaska still provides it, if you know where to go and when.

gitt
07-06-2015, 03:06 PM
I personally would not break up a 9-10 day trip with Denali in the middle. Either do it first thing or not at all and save it for your next trip. Drive time from Denali to Cooper Landing under good conditions runs 6 plus hours and each direction you are driving through Anchorage with traffic. You could always find a place to stay ahead of time in Talkeetna and use a boat shuttle/water taxi, if it still exists it is called Mahay's Water Taxi Service, up to Clear Creek. If you hit it right, there is fantastic dollie, rainbow and possibly silver fishing to be had. Know that you won't be alone and the bear thing fishing solo can be bothersome. I don't see you doing anything other than deep dredge nymphing eggs for your time frame for rainbows and dollies. Silvers can be had swinging deep as well. It will be tough with switch until you hit the Kenai around Cooper Landing. I would definitely try the coastal streams down along the Cook Inlet between Soldotna and Homer for fresh silvers and possible steelhead. Don't bother with the fly out unless you have money to burn and have fully funded your retirement. Folks fish below the highway on those coastal streams for silvers, but steelhead can be caught both below and above the highway on the swing. Lodging and camping in Anchor Point is cheap.

If you don't want to fish for a couple of days, hit Denali. See if you can still get a spot at Wonder Lake Campground- its a backpack walk in campground with views of Denali that you see in calendars and coffee table books when the weather gods permit viewing with a three day minimum. You don't have to stay three days, just pay for it. Leave after the weather clears and you get your photos. If the weather is not ideal, you just see the base otherwise. Or just take the 10 hour bus ride round trip to Wonder Lake and back to the visitor center. If your goal is to mainly fish, blow off Denali and head toward Cooper Landing as has been suggested and work your way toward Homer over your stay. There will be other traveling fishermen in the area with good intel where to locate fish. Don't be afraid to engage your fellow angler for help and advice. The guide thing can be good, but don't spend more than one day. Either fish the Refuge for with the guide or below Skilak the first part of your trip. Know ahead of time that the Refuge (upper Kenai) is motorless and below Skilak (lower Skilak) allows boats with motors. Know that the upper Kenai floats look more like a continuous hatch and everyone just gets in line. Its your call what you want to do for your timeframe. Best of luck narrowing your focus. You picked an excellent time to be up there. I hope this helps more than confuses you.

As far as rods, leave the 4 wt at home unless you want to break it. It will work if you decide to hike into lake for grayling and there is no wind. Otherwise, you are under gunned for your timeframe with that 4 wt.

johnsquires
07-07-2015, 10:54 AM
I guess the bottom line is do your research, make some calls to some guides, forget what you see on TV and at fly shows, have a good plan in place and enjoy yourself. Alaska is great, Alaskans are great, so no matter what the weather and fish gods throw at you, it's still all good (and much better than staying home and having regrets). Looking forward to your report.

rouleur35
07-07-2015, 07:54 PM
Thanks everyone, this has been helpful. The reason for the Denali break is my wife flys in on Friday and out on Tuesday and I have always heard good things about the park, plus I like national parks. The info about travel time is helpful, that is something that doesn't really come across with maps. I have been looking into going to Alaska for the last 4 yrs, to include reading a lot of posts on here, but between the high cost of airfare and the lack of information it has been hard to decide to go. Now the airfare is cheap (about 350 round trip) I am trying to get as much info as possible. Mostly what I run into are lodges of one sort or another and that is what the local guides always say " go to x lodge". While I like to fish, I also like to drive and look around and just hang out, so the thought of going to a lodge for a week just doesn't seem like a great idea for me.

So I will check out those places listed and call those guide services and see what I can put together.

Thanks for all the help so far.

Tom

Chris Laskodi
07-07-2015, 08:07 PM
If you are looking to do more driving and hanging out you might consider renting an RV in Anchorage and driving where you please. Many campgrounds are free after Labor Day and it will give you much more freedom to explore since you won't be bound to any particular hotels. Most of our trips have been done from an RV and it has always worked well for us.

rouleur35
07-07-2015, 11:01 PM
Do you have a preferred rv rental company you use? That sounds like a pretty good idea. I was thinking of bringing a tent up but this might be better.

gitt
07-08-2015, 06:46 AM
Do you have a preferred rv rental company you use? That sounds like a pretty good idea. I was thinking of bringing a tent up but this might be better.

Bob makes a good point. Check out ABC RV Rentals on the web. Their price drop occurs after Labor Day to get one. They pick you up and drop you off at the airport and they are close to the airport. A 30' RV is doable.

If your wife is flying up, stick to your Denali run. Sounds as though this is no longer fishing only week.

Tfisher
07-08-2015, 08:16 AM
Great Alaskan RV company is the best of the bunch. Rates wise etc, cleanliness, model choices etc. Chris and I have used them exclusively.

rouleur35
07-20-2015, 11:20 AM
Thanks for the advice. I have got my rv reservations through great American and got a day booked with Stacy Corbin and a day booked with his employee Scott.

Any other suggestions or advice?

Thanks
Tom

TaylerW
07-21-2015, 05:48 PM
Swing leeches and drift beads just like on the klamath while you explore the kenai. Monster rainbows

johnsquires
07-22-2015, 09:36 AM
Purple MOE egg-sucking leech.

Ned Morris
07-22-2015, 12:39 PM
Bob makes a good point. Check out ABC RV Rentals on the web. Their price drop occurs after Labor Day to get one. They pick you up and drop you off at the airport and they are close to the airport. A 30' RV is doable.

If your wife is flying up, stick to your Denali run. Sounds as though this is no longer fishing only week.


There actually is fantastic Grayling Fishing at the park entrance. Horseshoe Lake holds swarms of Grayling and fun on a 5 wt.

johnsquires
10-02-2015, 05:12 PM
So how did it go?

lee s.
10-02-2015, 05:32 PM
John,
Your trip has ruined me for fishing anywhere with company.....especially locally!
Pics on the way......FINALLY!
....lee s.

johnsquires
10-02-2015, 06:17 PM
Thanks, Lee. You are a top-notch fly fisher, more than willing to help with anything, and fun around a campfire, a great client. I hope you can go again sometime. Not so sure the rainbows want you back soon.

rouleur35
10-02-2015, 09:39 PM
The trip went awesome. I never understood why people would want to go to Alaska to catch trout. Now I am already starting to plan next years trip.
Day 1 - Landed in anchorage sep 8 and got picked up by great Alaskan adventures and picked up the 26 ft motor home. Easy process. This turned out to be an awesome idea, thanks guys. Went to Mossy's fly shop ( a few blocks from the rv place) and picked up some beads and flies and some information. Then off to Fred Meyers for my food. Then hit the road to cooper's landing. Pulled in to Russian river campground around 6 and went down to the Russian river to try my luck. Looked in the river, it looked about a foot deep and packed with sockeye salmon with tons more dead on the shoreline. Nice Boardwalk system with access points. Saw a few people fishing but I figured no way there were trout in there so I headed to the mouth where it dumps into the kenai. Lots of guys fishing there but I walked down from them and fished the kenai. Got a large rainbow, 2 whitefish, and a sockeye.

Day 2 - met the guide stacy corbin at a place called sportsmans. We drove down to skilack lake and fished the mid section. The other 3 guys in the boat were from Colorado and had been fishing with stacy over a decade. All really good guys and we caught a ton of fish. On the drive back we talked about silver fishing and some of the access points along the highway. So after I got back to the rv I went back out and fished from sportsmans. Ended up getting a few Dolly's and trout but no silvers. Walking back ran into a guy from anchorage with a Spey Rod, talked to him a bit, then went back and got my switch Rod and we then swung flies back through the run. Got a sockeye but nothing else

Day 3 - after talking with a bunch of guys decided to drive down to the anchor river to try for some silvers and steelies. Stopped in the fly shack in anchor and picked up some flies and info. Headed to the river. Caught a smolt or something else small, another sockeye, but no silvers or steelies. Went down river and found all the locals. Fished with them awhile, got some tips from an old timer but no luck, saw 1 lost but none caught. At 5 everyone left so I went back through a popular hole behind another older local but no luck. Talked with him at the car and he said that yesterday was good but today slow, oh well. Drove back to coopers and got yo a pull out spot with about an hour of light, hit the river and caught 4 rainbows and Dolly's.

Day 4 - just had a couple hours before I had to pick up my wife at the airport, so I hit the Russian river. Started fishing and walking up stream and was just nailing trout. Epic !! Off to Denali.

Day 5 -7. Couple days in Denali, got snowed on!!, then to Seward for a glacier cruise. After the cruise, drove back over to Russian river and fished till dark. Again, lots of willing trout.

Day 8 - back to anchorage to drop wife at the airport with a stop at the wildlife conservation center. Then back to the kenai. Fished Russian river again in the rain and again, great fishing.

Day 9 - second guide day, met at sportsmans with mike from kenai river fly fishing. The other 2 guys didn't show so I was alone for the first part. We drifted from sportsmans to jim's where we picked up a guy he knew, then floated the canyon to upper skilack lake. Epic. This float had it all, clouds, sun, rain, class 3 Rapids. Caught dollys, rainbows, a whitefish, sockeye, and finally caught a silver. Mike was awesome. After I got back went down to the confluence and broke a rod on a sockeye.

Day 10 - hit the confluence of the Russian and kenai at daybreak but no luck, was walking up to try the next hole but guys already had it full. One silver had already been caught. Figured since I had an hour left I would just go above them and catch some trout, caught 10 more and when I caught an 18 inches decided to end on a high note and head out.

Back to the rv place to drop the rv off, painless process and then not only did he drop me at the airport but he carried one of my bags to the check in counter !!!

Day 11 - back home to work and having cold weather withdrawls

Notes about the trip
I brought a 6 wt, 2 8 wts, a 6 wt switch, and a 10 wt. never used the 10.
The rv was awesome for moving around, was always able to dry my stuff out and never had to break down rods, with another guy I would prob get a longer one. All told w/ extra insurance it was 150 a day.
On the kenai I camped at Russian river every night, 18 buck, last night no charge as no one was at the gate and all pay envelopes were gone. The campground was supposed to be closing at some time but every night I went it was open. They had sewage dump and water fill up so it worked awesome. Before Labor Day I think it is a 3 day stay. You could also stay at sportsmans for free.
2 fly shops in town with lots of gear and info and guides available. The trout fitter is the one I mainly went to
Lots of hotels and a few restaurants. Stuff was definitely shutting down while I was there. The one BBQ place everyone said to go to was never open.
Every local I ran into was super nice and helpful, even on river. I never felt like anyone had any attitude and some guys would even volunteer advice and suggestions. I did not expect that at all.
The "combat" fishing wasn't anything like I thought it might be. Most of the time I was by myself and would run into someone occasionally. Not bad at all.
Never saw a bear on the kenai, not sure why as it was a smorgasbord of sockeye. Although the stacy said a couple of years ago the state issued a bunch of tags and about 60 bears were killed. So, maybe there were more.
Trout were all caught on eggs, the silver on a streamer
If you're in a 4 man boat and you know what you are doing I would recommend the back seat, if you don't then front is fine.
Bring a net, I don't usually use one but here I found it very helpful, I ended up buying one.
These trout are crazy strong. The small guys will fold over a 6 wt Rod no prob.
gas and grocery prices were about the same as here
I will try to put in pics of my big rainbow, the silver and my last one

rouleur35
10-02-2015, 09:50 PM
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rouleur35
10-02-2015, 09:52 PM
Also the reddington rain jacket finally got some real use and worked great and the reddington zip top waders are the bomb !!!

johnsquires
10-03-2015, 11:30 AM
Thanks for the report. Sounds like you got more than your money's worth. Be careful - Alaska gets under your skin.

itsbenlong
10-05-2015, 07:38 AM
What a great thread.....all positive and good info.

I love the Kenai Peninsula.....Rainbows and Silvers all the way!

John is not kidding......Alaska is addicting and for many a slow day or trip in Alaska is better than many trips some take in the lower 48.

One of the reasons why I am jumping on this post, is to mention a car rental tip to those who read this hoping to find some way to find a deal in Alaska. Especially when you are looking for an SUV! So, I know that you can find deals if you look long enough and rent at the right time by using points or finding specials on airport rentals. However, in most major cities, if you check the nearest Toyota, Ford, Chevy lots where they sell cars, they often have a rental fleet which is more times than not, cheaper than the airport. You just have to plan a little extra time for Uber or Taxi ride there and back. In Anchorage, call Kendall Toyota of Anchorage and see what their rates are. Sometimes you can haggle with them a bit as well. They usually do not list their rental prices anywhere. You just have to call or fill out the inquiry online. In Alaska the SUV rental rates go up and down with the different runs of fish......so when it is busy there, the prices are higher and we have always save a few hundred dollars or more by renting from a non- airport location, mainly auto dealerships.

johnsquires
10-05-2015, 04:12 PM
Great tip, Itsbenlong. I'm going to have to check into that.

Another thing you can do is try U-Haul. I rented a U-Haul van in Soldatna a while back instead of a rental car. I think it was $39 a day.