We aren’t crazy. We’re just crazy about the sport. How else can you explain living in the same spot on the Kvichak River for more than 40 years? Sure, the scenery is incredible but it all revolves around the magic of that perfect cast on a perfect afternoon into the most perfect waters on the planet. We know why we love Alaskan fly fishing, and we really believe you should too.
Because It’s Just So Beautiful
You’ve seen the pictures. You’ve watched the videos. You’re already dreaming about Alaska, but it’s impossible to understand the beauty without experiencing it firsthand. You probably even know the numbers by now. Yes, we really have 3,000 rivers, 3 million lakes and more than 6,000 miles of coastline. Those figures don’t begin to convey the vast, unspoiled backcountry that stretches beneath your flight out to a favorite fly fishing spot. They can’t carry the scent of primal forests on a breeze that guides your line over the water.
Seeing is more than believing up here. It’s falling in love with a land that defies civilization. When was the last time you looked up and saw bald eagles commanding a perfectly blue sky? How often can you turn a trail and find yourself on the edge of an ancient mountain range? We love our Alaskan wilderness, and we take very good care of it, but its immense expanse will always be more than anyone can conquer. We don’t try. We just thank the stars every crystal clear night that all this is our backdrop to the best fly fishing in the world.
Because the Fish Are Here
Can you pick a favorite? Neither can we, and thank goodness, no one has to. Our Kvichak River here in southwest Alaska runs wild with rainbows all season, and their majestic aerobatics on the end of a line always take our breath away. The forked tail on a lake trout might not be every angler’s dream, but we love the challenge of bringing up one of these big fish after it slams down deep. Whether you’re after that perfect rhythm of cast, drift and rise or in the mood for sinking lines and tips, trout fishing in Alaska makes time stand still.
Are you up for the largest annual sockeye run on earth? The 2014 count in our backyard topped 4 million reds. If you love a good fight, try going half an hour with a chinook on the line. Our Alaskan kings always earn their reputation as the state’s heaviest, fiercest sports fish. Northern pikes, silver cohos, Arctic chars and graylings all belong in the lineup of fly fishing action that excites anglers of all ages, genders and skill levels, and all those fish swim our pristine waters here in the 49th state.
Because Everybody Gets It
If you’re a solitary angler, you still appreciate other folks who understand why you love wilderness fly fishing. If you enjoy company, there’s nothing like swapping stories at the end of the day over a perfectly prepared plate of fresh sockeye. When you fish in Alaska, you spend time with other people who can’t wait to cast their lines. When you start talking about beads, they get it. When you mull over a pattern, they understand. When the big one gets away, they get that too, and you get sympathy that’s genuinely heartfelt.
From a wake-up knock on your cabin door and coffee on the deck to lift-off for a day of nothing but fly fishing, the entire experience belongs to you. The river might not always cooperate, and the weather might call some shots, but this is something you want to do even as the fading sunlight disappears into deep evening. Nothing else compares to it. Friends and family back home are glad to know that you’re enjoying yourself, but they just don’t get it. Up here, we all get it, because we all really love Alaska fly fishing too.
If you’ve already spent time with us, we’re probably preaching to the choir. If you’re planning your first trip, we hope that we’ve inspired your passion for extraordinary outdoor adventures. There’s no other place on the planet for fly fishing like Alaska, and there’s no other lodge that welcomes you to home away from home like No See Um. Come on up for a visit, and let us turn you into a believer.
