Alaska has an astounding 3 million lakes, 3,000 rivers and 47,300 miles of coastline, according to Smithsonian.com. With so much water to explore in Alaska, adventurers flock to the state to fly fish. Anyone new to fly fishing might go on a guided trip. A guide helps you learn about the art of fly fishing as well as finding the perfect spot to catch the big one.
Benefits
Rather than going out on your own, a guided tour offers you the expertise of experienced fly fishermen. If you are just beginning, they teach you the basics of the sport. The guides know where to take you to capture the type of fish you want to catch. They also know how to attract those fish into biting, which goes a long way toward making your trip worthwhile and fun.
Considerations
Before you choose your guided tour, decide what kinds of fish you want to catch. Within Alaska's 3 million lakes and 3,000 rivers, you have a lot of variety. Some Alaska fish include the famous trout, halibut and salmon, along with Dolly Varden, steelhead, and pike, to name a few. Each type of fish has different varieties too. Salmon notably comprises king, pink, chum and sockeye. The type of fish you want affects your choice of tour company.
Locations
A guide may be your best bet for locating specific species of fish within regions. Generally speaking, rainbow trout is mainly found in the southeast and south central parts of Alaska. Many rivers such as Alagnak, Togiak, and Naknek contain a healthy population as well as many other rivers in this region.
Northern pike can be fished in the Yukon and Tanana rivers as well as several other rivers and lake systems. King salmon resides in many rivers and streams. A few rivers are Kenai, Cooper and Yukon rivers. Steelhead is typically located in Alaska's coastal streams.
Time Frame
Trips can range from a single day to several days. There are also different time frames for fishing different types of fish. The pink salmon season ends in late August. The steelhead season runs from May to October. Catch Dolly Vardens throughout the year. Again, guided tour companies can help you if you aren't sure what time of year you will be able to catch your desired fish.
Types
Before booking a guided fly fishing trip, read about the different types of trips offered. Some fly fishing trips include lodging and lessons if you are staying longer than a day. Other trips include the necessary gear for those who do not have their own gear. There are also trips just for beginners and trips for advanced fly fishers.
Rainbow River Expeditions offers trout and salmon fly fishing trips. The company offers trips for rainbow trout, chinook, sockeye and coho, among others. Trips run from a half day to five-day trips.
Kenai River Sport Fishing Lodge has trips ranging from two to seven days. This company specializes in king salmon, silver salmon, rainbow trout and Dolly Varden expeditions. The lodge also provides all gear for those new to the sport or lacking the appropriate gear.
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