GO BROOKS
ITINERARY
Russian Mouse Trap : A 25-inch rainbow from the Kamchatka Peninsula .
A brown bear corrals a sockeye at the falls on the Brooks River .
Tom Robinson with a rainbow on Upper Tularik Creek in Alaska . dave schamp photo
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russia
the last great place
Logistics being what they are , it ’ s hard to argue with the fact that there is one last great place to fish for rainbow trout . Welcome to the Kamchatka Peninsula . A 1,250 km long peninsula located in the Russian Far East , it ’ s a place where rainbow trout munch on mice like a Jersey boy eats a Coney Island foot-long .
Because it takes a minimum two days travel , Russia is not for everyone . But those who endure flying to Moscow , then to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski airport , and finally hop aboard a helicopter where they ’ re flown to the Kamchatka Peninsula will be treated to a fishing scene few can conceptualize . It wasn ’ t until 1991 when the Russian government allowed foreign visitors that this place was discovered . And what a discovery . The first people to fish here found massive rainbow trout that clobbered mouse patterns and streamers like it was their first and last meal . The best part is not much has changed the past 20 years .
Today , you ’ ll fish rivers like the Pirozhnikova , Turuscheva , Zhupanova , Sedanka , Tigil , Ozernaya , Kalgauch , Kvachina , and Utohlok where you won ’ t run into a single person and trout run between 20- and 30 inches long . The accommodations offered by most outfitters are rugged , but comfortable . But what do you expect when you ’ re fishing in a place as big as France , Belgium and Luxembourg combined ( 470,000 sq . km ) and only 400,000 people live there , most of which have never seen a trout nor the rivers they live in .
It is the last great place , and chances are it will remain that way for a long , long time .
— Peter Lloyd theflyshop . com / www . ouzeladventures . com mike van wormer photo
FISH , BEAR PHOTOS :
GO BROOKS
Should you find yourself in , near or around Alaska ’ s Katmai National Park it ’ s highly recommended that you visit the Brooks River . Not only does it offer better-than-average trout fishing , but you ’ ll be treated to a photographic odyssey that is unlike any other . From one of two viewing platforms you can take photos of brown bears snatching salmon as they jump the Brooks Falls . There are two peak periods : July and September . Sockeye return in July and will linger through the summer when bear concentrations are highest in September . Bring a fly rod and you ’ ll be treated to spunky rainbows downriver from the congregation of bears . And don ’ t forget the camera , one equipped with a least a 200mm lens . Or bigger . Experienced photographers recommend minimum 300mm .
Getting There Flyouts are available at most Bristol Bay lodges , or you can make arrangements through services in King Salmon . brookslodge . com / nps . com randy harris photo
Alaska loses advocate , friend : Tom Robinson
The sportfishing world lost a friend and advocate for wild places when Tom Robinson , owner of Rainbow King Lodge , passed away . He died in February from complications of heart disease .
After a successful career in the lumber business , Robinson owned several Golds Gym in the Portland area . He later sold those and purchased Rainbow King Lodge , which at the time was primarily a hunting lodge . He built RKL into one of the premiere sportfishing lodges in Bristol Bay and operated it through the time of his death . The lodge itself sits on the shores of Alaska ’ s Lake Iliamna and it is best known for its blue and white floatplanes and its access to spectacular trout waters . Robinson ’ s reputation as a hands-on owner who loved to fish as much as his clients was well-earned .
Robinson , whose shock white hair stood straight in the air , was a hardcharger who lived to fly fish . He was equally passionate about preserving Bristol Bay and adamantly opposed Pebble Mine . He frequently opened up his lodge and used his airplanes to fly journalists , politicians and people who could help make a difference in keeping pristine the watersheds at the head of the proposed mine site .
He is survived by his former wife , Susan , his three sons , Chris , Rich and John Robinson ; and two grandchildren .
Robinson ’ s family has taken over of the lodge and its operation . He will be missed by anyone who spent anytime with him . Robinson was one of a kind and his legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of people who care deeply about Alaska and Bristol Bay .
— Pat Hoglund