Alaska Fly Fishing

Alaska is a true diamond in the rough, a huge state separated from the rest of the U.S. and thus exuding a foreign glow. From mountain ranges with the tallest peaks on the continent, to glaciers carving valleys from the rock, Alaska is a truly spectacular place. If you come to Alaska to fly fish, the whole state will reveal its immense beauty to you in a most extraordinary way.

The first time I went to Alaska I was twelve and still trying to wrap my head around the art of fly fishing. I went with my dad and my dad's best friend, two Wyoming guys who had decided that this trip was in their birthright. That suited me fine as they figured to make it a grand trip, to fly fish in remote rivers, and drive over a thousand miles in a state of awe as we watched scenery go by.

One of the first things we did was to charter a bush pilot to take us out into an incredibly remote section where we would have two days of guided fly fishing. After an incident in the plane where the words "It doesn't work" I heard many times flying only feet above the trees, we arrived. There were only two small cabins on the shores of a glacial lake, and except for the three of us and our guide, we were truly alone.

The fishing was amazing, not only did I catch a fish nearly as tall as me, albeit using a spincast, but every time I looked up I saw the mountains and forests that surrounded us. By the second day I had even shed the pole for my dad's seven weight fly rod and had epic fights with silver salmon in the shallows. At the end of our two days guided I had considerably improved my ability at fighting big fish, a skill that Wyoming creeks couldn't teach.

Back to civilization, at least Alaskan civilization, we spent the rest of our time driving from Homer to Talkeetna in central Alaska, and then back to Anchorage, fishing at every spot we could see the river. In this way I came to see my first Russian town, left over from when this land was owned by Russia in the 19^th century. The river beside was, not surprisingly, the Russian. Here we found a pool filled with pink, or humpback salmon, as well as the last of a spawning of red salmon. Using salmon egg flies we caught fish all day, reveling in our glory as independent fly fishermen.

Between fishing we went into Denali national park to see Mount McKinley, the largest mountain on the continent. The gritty, exciting town of Talkeetna was also a welcome surprise, a place famous as the first base camp before bush plans flew climbers to Mount McKinley's base. Then we returned, ending our trip where it began, and breathing a sad sigh as we took off, leaving the grand spectacle behind. Alaska stays with you, beckons you to return. So go and see Alaska, and get lost in the last unexplored state.