TOGIAK RIVER , Southwest Alaska
With plenty of salmon and trout to pursue the group from southern Oregon didn ’ t waste any time catching and releasing thier share of fish on the Togiak River .
Just another day at the office for the guides on the Togiak River .
of the world ’ s largest open pit mines . The scope of the environmental catastrophe that could occur in Bristol Bay if things go bad would be hard to envision . I wanted my son to experience this wild and scenic part of Alaska now . Just in case .
Getting to our destination was quite the adventure . After an overnight in Anchorage , we took a commercial flight to Dillingham then chartered a 1941 twin engine Grumman Goose amphibious plane . Used primarily as a World War II troop carrier , this flying sheet-metal antique provided us with a spectacular 45-minute aerial tour right out of an Indian Jones movie . The plane design was not your usual floatplane . Our pilot had to reach up to his right for two overhand throttles — one for each engine — to control the plane ’ s engines . We rumbled over huge river valleys lined by fog-shrouded peaks and sat awestruck as we looked at uncountable glaciers and volcanoes outside our windows . Down below we saw bright green grass that carpeted the contours of the landscape along with yellow , purple and orange
colored tundra .
Our destination was Togiak River Fishing Adventures , a remote yet comfortable tent camp located on a private island 20 miles up Bristol Bay ’ s mighty Togiak River . The camp sat just outside of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge , a 4.1 million acre preserve in the heart of Southwest Alaska — home to over 300 species of wildlife including 33 species of fish , 10 of which were on our list to catch .
When our pilot belly landed into the main stem our plane settled into the river nearly up to its wings . Our pilot then taxied to shore and then gunned it right onto the beach in front of camp . The flight and landing were well worth the price of admission ! Owners Brad and Carla Estelle , along with half a dozen guides and the rest of the kitchen and cabin crew , helped us unload our mountain of gear . The Estelles have over 20 years in the business and I knew our families would be in good hands for our seven-day stay .
After a brief meeting to discuss bears and the fishing program , my son Tate and I were teamed up with our guide Todd , who loaded us up in a jet boat . We went down river toward one of the Togiak ’ s many beautiful tributaries , the Gechiak — commonly called “ The Geech .” On our way , we encountered a huge bald eagle that left its nest and flew right in front of us for about two minutes . Todd followed so we could enjoy an extremely close encounter with this majestic huge-winged raptor . Tate was blown away with his first wildlife experience . I just smiled .
Then Todd took us up the Geech and blasted “ Miami Vice ” style up river through hairpin turns and tight gaps filled with logs and debris . Our destination was a beautiful gravel bar run with a gentle flow — perfect for our style of 5-weight indicator fishing . The preferred and most effective set-up for
traveling angler 9