ITINERARY
top 5 alaska
Rainbow Trout Fisheries
anchorage
braids & bows
A river of diversity that rarely disap-
points expectant fishermen, the Alag-
nak River is one of the legendary trout
streams in Alaska. From its source at
Kukaklek Lake, the Alagnak begins as
a series of braided channels that sup-
port leopard rainbows up to 24 inches.
The days where bigger trout ruled the
day have gone, but the river’s overall
trout population is still one of the
healthiest. Trout fishing in June can
be off the hook for 20-plus inch rain-
bows as they’re on a feeding binge to
replace calories lost over the winter.
Following the chum and sockeye
spawn, rainbows gorge themselves on
eggs and salmon flesh the month of
August and into September making
the late summer fishery a great time
to fish. Emptying into Bristol Bay, the
river itself is approximately 80 miles
long. The upper 67 miles is designated
“wild and scenic” for good reason.
Access is limited to fly outs, or long jet
boat runs from various lodges located
on the river. Multiple day float trips
on the river are common, too. There’s
a healthy bear population, too.
katmai.com
800.330.0326
16
u Alagnak River
big water, big trout
(sort of)
v Naknek River
Word on the street about trout fish-
ing on the Naknek is you’ll find big
trout and big water but you’ll work
for everything you catch. That is, if
you fish in August and September
during the sockeye spawn. Little
known secret about the ‘Nek is its
June fishery. Just after the opener
the river level is still low exposing
countless gravel bars making for
easy wading. That’s about the same
time sockeye smolts pour out of
Naknek Lake and the trout go on a
feeding frenzy. It’s common to find
schools of smolts exploding into
the air after having been chased
by trout. Cast a smolt pattern into
the boil and hold on. The trout run
the spectrum here. Lots of 16- to
24 inch rainbows. There are also
plenty of bigger fish, too. It’s not
uncommon to catch a trout that
creeps up into the 30-inch range,
too.
bristolbayfishing.com
907.246.1500