Wild Trout Safaris Alaska Trips

What you need to know about the Alaska trips: First, that they are by invitation only. I only take people that I know well and can get along with in the harshest conditions for a long period of time! Second, that the trips are not for profit. The river permits are private, educational, not for profit permits. Therefore, I will figure where we are going, based on the Salmon run expected, how much it will cost, secure the permit and divide the cost by how many are in the group. I have the best gear money can buy. Alaska is not cheap. The biggest cost we incur is the bush plane. Lastly, this is my summer vacation. I have plans for one trip a summer, until I get too old and too tired to do it anymore.

We live in tents among the many Grizzly Bears that inhabit the region. We eat basically what we catch, all the while surviving whatever the Alaskan wilderness has in store, in the way of weather. This is one crazy trip! Way, way more than a fishing trip! It is the ultimate; it is an adventure!

We catch crazy amounts of fish. As a group we land more than a thousand fish before we reach the end of our journey. The biggest are King Salmon, some reaching the 50 lb range. Just so you know, any fish on a fly rod over 30 lbs, is a flat out war! There have been times where we have fought these beasts for more than 2.5 hours and still not landed some of them.

Besides the 2 to 3 pound Grayling we catch on small dry flies, we also encounter hundreds and hundreds of what are "waves" of Sockeye Salmon. These tail-walking silver slabs of pure muscle can drag your line out at such a "knuckle knocking" rate, that you could come home bruised. They range in weight from 7 to 15 pounds.

As a group, we net copious amounts of a feisty little fish called Dolly Varden. If you can call a fish over 25 inches in length and 6 lbs in weight "little." Pound for pound these are the hardest fighting fish in the river. They pull and roll and pull and roll and never ever give up. (Just a note here, they very well could be my favorite fish to catch.) Fifty of these beauties in the net, a day, per person, is not unrealistic. We often catch them two at a time if we fish a dropper. "Dollies," as we call them, are a pretty fish with light pink spots on a silver body. Their fins are adorned with vibrant white strips, consistent with fish in the Char family. Truly, the Dolly Varden can be considered the most under-rated sport fish in the world. We love the Dollies!

But the real prize lurking in these deep, gin clear waters, are the Monster Rainbows! Some of them well over 10 lbs. A few near 12 pounds. Many, many in the 6 to 8 pound range. When hooked, they break the water and get into the air unlike any other Rainbow in the world. Known to Alaskans as "Leopard Rainbows" because of their ubiquitous spots, these pigs gorge themselves all summer on protein rich Salmon roe and reach an unbelievable size. And, get this, we catch many of them on mice patterns. That's right; a mouse! The "Alaskan dry fly." Yes, we go to Alaska for the fish, but we come home with a creel full of memories that far exceed the fishing.

OK, so what about Alaska? I get asked this all the time. Well, here goes: Without question my Alaska trips are the wildest, craiziest, quite frankly the greatest trips I could ever do. Or, for that matter, anybody could ever do. They are, in fact, "trips of a life time." We fly to the furthest reaches of the Alaskan outback.

From there we meet up with an Alaskan Bush pilot. He then flies us deeper still, into the great Alaska back woods where we land on a lake. The plane taxies us to shore. From there we float, sometimes as much as 100 miles on rubber rafts; fishing all the way.

I will keep doing it as long as my sons, Mickey and Finn, still want to go with their Dad. I've been taking the best of my fly fishing students with me for the last 10 years. Before that, I just took fishing buddies. But now, I have discovered that the "fly fishing students," are perfect for a trip of this nature. Floating an Alaskan river is one of the most exciting things a person can do, with or without a fishing rod. -mike

"People say Alaska is the last frontier, I'm not sure I agree with the word frontier, but I know it is like no other place in North America. The Alaskan wilderness is the most rewarding place on earth for some, and the harshest place for others." The Alaskan Bush will produce memories that will last a lifetime. I can assist you in the planning for this adventure to insure fond memories of the Alaskan wilderness. Remember, that you will be out of contact with civilization for 7-10 days, hundreds of miles from the nearest hospital, and in an environment of ever changing weather conditions. I can guarantee you will have an experience of a lifetime. The better prepared you are for your trip the better the odds are for your success. The most successful fishermen are those who do not lose sight of the fact that they are on vacation. They do not push so hard trying to fish every second that they fail to take in the beauty and enormity of their surroundings. The bottom line is you will leave Alaska with lasting memories."
Feel free to talk to me about Alaska anytime. -mike