Western Alaska Rafting & Fishing 2027

Aniak sits in the heart of the 3 most productive fisheries in western/southwest Alaska ( the Yukon, Kuskokwim, and Bristol Bay Drainages), and that position gives us a unique advantage of world class fish volume. Local waters commonly yield 20-30 salmon per day!….not to mention all the rainbows, arctic char, dolly varden, & arctic grayling. King and chum salmon are the first to arrive…. starting their run by the village in mid-June and culminating by the end of July. Reds and pinks are sprinkled in from late June thru early August. Rainbow Trout fishing is second to none, starting in mid-June, with hot fishing all the way into September. Arctic char, dolly varden, and arctic grayling are also caught in abundance until mid-September.

Lodgings are tents that you bring with you! We recommend a spacious tent, with ample room for you and your stuff, as the ever-changing weather patterns may make for longer stays. Since the sun will not set until you are already asleep, a tent that darkens the outside light and one that has a great rain fly are critical.

Jeff carries a Sat Phone and can call Rob to come and get you, assuming there is a place to land on the river. You will be responsible for all the costs, out of pocket, associated with an emergency evacuation, so travel insurance is important.

The Alaska department of game and fisheries allows you to buy them online before you arrive, and you can specify the start date. We recommend a 7-day, non-resident license with a King Salmon stamp. https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/Store/Home/Guest

The float from the drop off at Bell Creek back to Aniak is about 85 miles. The river will take us downstream between 2 and 4 miles per hour on all but the last day. The last day requires a lot of rowing (6 hours or so), and we recommend sharing that between all boat mates. Since most of the trip is spent standing in the water with waders or siting in a raft, we consider it to be one of the easier Threshold Tours. However, when we encounter a logjam, it will become difficult as we lift and carry the rafts over the logjam before we continue. Sometimes, these carries can take up to an hour, depending on the size of the logjam and the distance to be covered.

Yes. You need an adequate travel insurance policy. As a minimum, that policy should provide extensive health/accident/hospitalization cover AND substantial provision to cover your personal liability in the event that you are deemed to be at fault in any accident. Most policies of this type will have some cover to protect you in the event that you need to cancel your vacation, e.g. in the event of sickness, so we recommend that you take out the cover as soon as you book the trip, not just as a ‘last minute’ action immediately prior to travel.

No. You need only know how to sit and walk, while wearing neoprene insulated waders.

What kind of gear do you recommend for this trip? Do I need to buy new stuff?

In essence, this is a camping trip with a lot of fishing. We provide the cookware.

No. We are not insured for firearms, and there may be several youths in the group who are not trained in their use. We believe if we can’t scare a bear away with traditional methods, the odds of a bullet or two being a difference are slim to nil.

It is a partial truth that the state bird of Alaska is the mosquito. You must assume that the mosquitoes are present at all times. As such, we recommend chest high waders and a long sleeve top, at all times, as well as a bug net over your head during the morning and evening hours. We also carry 10% or higher DEET based insect repellent on your person, at all times.

Outside of the references to issues with mosquitoes, the second great climatic risk is rain. It is common for a rain to start in Alaska and not end for days. As such, your outer jacket must be ruggedized and able to sustain days of pouring rain. Your waders need to be insulated neoprene, as your feet will be in the water at most times. For under the waders, we recommend shorts on the warmer days and sweatpants on the cooler days. For the top, we recommend a wicking base layer and a long sleeve top that you don’t mind wearing every day. Assume that you don’t do laundry and assume that no one in the group does laundry. As such, expect to smell bad and expect others to smell as you do.

Since it is not physically challenging like other Threshold Tours, young people as young as 13 can be successful on the Salmon and the Aniak.

The night we arrive, we are staying in Anchorage in a hotel. Our last night is at a bed and breakfast in Aniak. All the other nights are in tents.

No. Alaska has specific carriers that work in the outback. Traditional lower 48 carriers like Verizon and ATT do not offer services in rural Alaska. You will only have coverage in Anchorage. As such, there will be no calls home during the trip, nor will you have the ability to check email or post on social media.