Where is the Aniak River located in Alaska and what is the travel like to get there?
The Aniak River is located in Western Alaska, north of the Bristol Bay region and a tributary to one of the great terminal rivers of western Alaska, the Kuskowim. For being so remote and isolated, the Aniak is an easy place to get to. Anglers overnight in Anchorage before boarding a quick 1.5hr commercial flight the following morning to the village of Aniak where lodge guides await our arrival. From there its a quick ride to the base lodge for orientation and lunch before we strike off, fishing our way up to the mid river lodge and the base for the full week of fishing ahead. One of the big Aniak values is this first half day of fishing puts us into our first Pike and Sheefish of the trip in addition to the following 6 full days on the water.
What are the fish species that you’ll catch on the Aniak?
Mouse eating Leapord rainbow that regularly tape over 2 ft are the prize. But the river is also stuffed with grayling to 18 inches, Dolly Varden with Northern Pike and Sheefish in the lower beats of the river. Seasonally, large runs of Chum, Pinks, Silver, Sockeye and Kings also ascend the river. During our last trip we had one angler hook and land 8 species in one day!
Who enjoys the fishing program at Aniak?
Anyone who likes big visual takes, tight line grabs and fishing the surface. First off, the Aniak has 80 miles of guided river, as well as many uncounted miles of side channels and braids. Anglers who love not seeing other anglers, fishing un-pressured water for big aggressive fish, and seeing a varied, remote alaskan river have a great experience here. Fishing can be both on foot, or out of the boat, either anchored or on the drift. The Aniak guides can accommodate anglers of all physical abilities. Last season, some folks fished almost exclusively out of the boat, pulling mouse and streamer patterns off the bank Montana style, anchoring in prime log jams, and drifting prime runs. Others parked the boat and explored miles of braids on foot, scrambling over log jams and adventuring around the next bend. What’s neat about the Aniak is all of the water, from skinny channels to the big main river hold big, aggressive fish.
What are the Accommodations Like?
A Deluxe Safari Style Camp. These big, comfortable platform structures are far from a tent. These 30x10 double (or single) occupancy weatherports have electricity, a partitioned en suite shower, vanity, and flush toilet. Each tent is furnished with two comfortable raised beds with foam mattress, nice linens, quilt and pillow. There is also a small card table and chairs inside. To keep any bugs that might sneak in thru the front door when you get in and out each bed has a mosquito net. One of the best features of each weatherport is the front porch which is covered, has chairs and offers a fantastic view overlooking the Aniak.
How’s the Food?
Aniak River Lodge employees a talented chef which handles all of the meals for the group. All meals are served in the dinning hall and are family style. Breakfasts of eggs, sausage meats, pastries and breads send you out the door. Lunch is on the water, and is a variety of simple but adequate sandwiches, wraps and chips unless you prefer a shore lunch to cook up a dolly or when in season, a salmon. Appetizers greet anglers quickly after returning from fishing and is followed by a hearty entree and desert. Pizza night is a big hit where everyone hangs around the pizza oven as chef keeps them coming until we can’t take anymore. The lodge does not supply alcohol but it can easily be brought in with pre arrangement.
What is a Sheefish?
Sheefish are cool. Sometimes referred to as the Tarpon of the North, they are found in only a few rivers in Alaska. These smolt eaters hang in the lower river and eat small fish as they out migrate to sea. They can grow large, jump and are even anadromous, moving between their spawning beds and the ocean each year. They are the largest member in the whitefish family.
Fishing for Sheefish is on the swing, down and scross, steelhead style. The fish often porpose, chrashing small fish and give away their positions.
When is the best time to be on the Aniak and how does the fishery change over the season?
Our hosted week (July 5-12) is positioned during the prime mousing window early-mid July - just as Chums, Kings, Pinks and Sockeye are charging into the river but before the egg drop and spawning activity. We specifically chose this week to NOT need to fish beads thru the redds of spawning salmon but instead fish the prime lies of the river like log jams, banks and side channels where the Rainbows ambush the abundant rodents that unfortunately find themselves in the water.
Who is Aniak River Lodge?
ARL is run by managing partner Ludi Garrak who is in front of and behind the entire operation. A former guide here 20 years ago, Ludi still enjoys the fishery and has a hand in the day to day operations both from the base lodge in the village and mid river camp. You’ll often see him for dinner or running supplies up or down, hair blown back, ray bans on and a big smile all the way.
The guides at Aniak are seasoned alaskan professionals and wizzes at running jet boats thru the rivers' complexity. All have experience elsewhere and have chosen to be Aniak guides because of the unique and outstanding fishing program here. Most come back each season and in 2023 we expect the same cast of characters. They are all great communicators and passionate about the way of the mouse.
Why is the Aniak one of the coolest Alaskan fishing experiences?
Mousing, mousing, MOUSING! The mousing capital of the free world literally allows anglers to fish a mouse pattern all day, every day and find lots of success. Because the Aniak flows thru a boreal forest, the shrews, voles and mice are abundant. Add in loads of log jams and you have perfect structure for large fish to ambush big meals. Additionally, the Aniak River Lodge is the only operation and lodge in the region. Unlike Bristol Bay where there are numerous lodges on each river and fly outs competing to drop folks off before the other guys, you are truly alone in this great alaskan wilderness. Additionally, anglers don’t fish the same water twice, rotating thru the beat system, fishing with different guides, and experiencing the river top to bottom and side to side.
These un pressured fish reflect that only 150 or so rods fish here each year and are beautiful; intact maxillaries, firm bodies, bright colors and brazen demeanor.
