Call Toll-Free: 1-888-TAIL-H20  (1-888-824-5420)

Home   Contact Us

Alaska West

Kanektok and Arolik Rivers
Bristol Bay, Western Alaska


Alaska West is located on the banks of the world famous Kanektok River, in the Bristol Bay region of western Alaska. The lodge is situated approximately five miles from the mouth of the classic hundred mile freestone and the native village of Quinhagak along the coast of the Bering Sea. Quinhagak is a coastal community located in the southernmost reaches of Kuskokwim Bay. It is 425 miles WSW from Anchorage, 75 miles due South of the hub village of Bethel and 190 miles WNW from Dillingham. Basically, Alaska West is right in the middle of nowhere.
The Togiak National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 4 million acres of lands that the US government deemed appropriate to manage by the objectives set forth in the National Wildlife Refuge system's directive to, among other things, conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in their natural diversity. Its northern border is the Yukon Delta National Wilderness Refuge. Its Eastern border is the Wood Tikchik Lakes and Wood Tikchik State Park. The southern border is Bristol Bay and the western border runs 50 miles inland of Goodnews and Platinum until it bisects the Kuskokwim Bay coastline. Several villages fall within the refuge's boundaries including Eek, Quinhagak, Platinum, Goodnews, Manokotak and Togiak. The refuge is mainly comprised of coastal flats, river flood plains and high tundra plains. Two mountain ranges run through the refuge-- the Kilbuck range and the Ahklun range. Both are heavily eroded by ice, wind and water, and their highest peaks are less than 4,500 feet high.
The area is habitat to over 48 mammal species, 31 land-bound including caribou, wolves, moose, brown and black bear, foxes, beaver, muskrats, minks, river otters, voles and porcupines. 17 marine mammals live in the refuge including sea lions, walruses and whales. Three main river drainages host all five species of pacific salmon, rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, arctic grayling, arctic char and pike. Over 200 bird species nest in the refuge including golden and bald eagles, peregrine falcons, murres, numerous species of waterfowl and shorebirds. Willow and cottonwood make up the scrub forests along the riverbanks and the tundra is flush with lichen, berries, dwarf trees and grasses.
Alaska West is certainly not the “fanciest” operation in Alaska…not even close. The Alaska West experience is all about the fishing. Of course they provide comfortable and clean accommodations, fabulous food, and excellent service, however the spirit of a trip with Alaska West is to spend a lot of time of the water fishing hard. Your pocketbook will also not suffer when booking a trip with Alaska West, as their price tag is not nearly what anglers shell out for a traditional fly-out lodge these days.


The Kanektok is a river system with many different characters… The headwaters of the Kanektok are a tiny trickle on a gravel bar and it dumps into the Bering Sea one hundred miles later as an impressive navigable river flowing at several thousand CFS. It is an extremely windy river mainly lined with cottonwoods and willow trees. The lower sections of the river demand exclusively fishing ‘drift style’ on board one of the lodge’s fleet of aluminum boats (equipped with jet propelled 40 HP outboards) or by dropping anchor to work a pod of salmon or feeding trout. Upstream from the lodge the river has a much wider, shallower braided section that is ideal for wading. Boats are outfitted comfortably with ample storage, removable chairs, and can access the skinniest of water… delivering anglers conveniently to every beat of the river. The water on the Kanentok is always very easy to read, with first time anglers identifying the gravel bars loaded with char, the pods of salmon stacked up in back eddies, or the logical cut banks holding the rivers famous leopard rainbows.

The Bristol Bay watershed is most famous for its amazing run of all five species of salmon in addition to world renowned rainbow trout fishing. Other anadromous species such as Dolly Varden and Arctic char congest the river in huge numbers, not to mention loads of grayling. The Kanektok is known as a river that receives epic runs of all salmon species as well as exploding trout populations. The Kanektok is one of the few fisheries in Alaska where everything an angler needs resides in ONE spot… no need to invest in expensive fly-out trips each day.

Spey or two-handed fly rodders from around the world with attest that the Kanektok is ground zero for chasing kings. The character and style of the river sets up perfectly for experienced and novice anglers to have success with the mightiest of all the salmon with two-handed fly rods and conventional gear. Of course you could walk across the river on the backs of sockeye, pinks, and chums nearly all summer long, however late July through the end of the season brings the cooperative and aggressive silver salmon to the Kanektok. Thousands upon thousands of silver (coho) salmon return to run the Kanektok to spawn each summer providing Alaska West guests with one of the most consistent fisheries for this acrobatic species.

No Alaskan experience would be complete without targeting big rainbows, and the Kanektok is home to a huge population of the eclectically spotted leopard rainbow trout throughout nearly all sections of the river. Trout are consistently taken using a variety of methods including egg patterns, leaches, and most notably the Kanektok offers some of western Alaska’s best mouse fishing when conditions are favorable.

In addition to the Kanektok, Alaska West also operates weekly trips on the nearby Arolik River. The Arolik offers a comparable angling experience in terms of species targeted, however the river itself is approximately half the size of the Kanektok. Anglers stay at the Alaska West camp and commute each day to the Arolik. This is an exclusive fishery only accessible by guests staying at the Alaska West camp, and can often be offered as a combo trip with a few days on the Kanektok as well.


The Alaska West facility is a "tent lodge." It is made up of a combination of permanent and semi-permanent structures, and is designed to combine comfortable living, eating and lounging areas with a location right on top of a phenomenal river.

Dining Tent
The dining tent is a spacious 24'x 60' heated structure with wood floors and is always kept neat and clean. The kitchen has the state of the art equipment such as gas ranges, convection oven, microwave, refrigerators and freezers.

Lounge Tent
The lounge is great place to relax after a full day of fishing. This large heated tent is furnished with comfortable chairs and tables. At your disposal are a refrigerator with cool soda, juices and mixers, poker chips with cards, board games, dart board, magazines, books, map board, telephone, satellite television and an online camp computer. There is a fly tying bench with a limited supply of fly tying materials and vises.

Drying Tent
After returning from your day's fishing adventure this tent serves as a place for you to hang your wet waders, coats, boots and anything else you don't want wet or dirty in your sleeping quarters.

Gazebo/Viewing Deck
This split-level wood structure has a great river view. The bottom area is open-air and enclosed with fine mesh bug screen. This is a great place to sit and enjoy the midnight sun without being bothered by our little biting buddies. Directly above is the viewing deck. Bring your camera-- the sunsets can be breathtaking!

Showers and Restrooms/Outhouses
Our showers have hot and cold running water with a sink basin and chair. They are cleaned daily. The restrooms are indeed outhouses. They too are cleaned daily and they are strategically located near your tent cabin.

Tent Cabins/Sleeping Quarters
Your heated tent cabin is furnished with two single beds with full bedding and pillow, clean shower linen, nightstand, hang-down bug net, lantern, carpeted floor and clothes hangers. Housekeeping staff come through daily to make beds, empty trash and tidy up to ensure your new home stays neat and clean.


For most guests the first leg of the trip to Alaska West is accomplished by guests reaching Anchorage, Alaska, on the Thursday prior to the Friday arrival at camp. Guests will overnight in Anchorage at one of our recommended hotels. The second leg of the trip, occurring on Friday, is an Alaska Air flight from Anchorage to Bethel, Alaska. From Bethel, guests are met by a representative of Grant Aviation, which provided round-trip charter service to the little village of Quinhagak, at the mouth of the Kanektok. Once in Quinhagak, anglers travel upstream approximately 25 minutes by jet boat to the lodge facility. There is no fishing on the day of arrival.


Thursday
Anglers travel to Anchorage for overnight at a recommended hotel.

Friday
Anglers travel on board Alaska Air Flight #43 @ 12:12PM from Anchorage to Bethel, AK arriving at 1:26PM. Upon arrival in Bethel, anglers pay $210 for the roundtrip flight with local carrier, Grant Aviation, a thirty minute charter to the local native village of Quinhagak. Upon arrival in Quinhagak, anglers are met by a representative from Alaska West and transported upriver 25 minutes to the Alaska West facility. Anglers usually arrive around 5:30PM, unpack and rig gear, have a cocktail, and get prepared for the next six days of fishing. There is no guided fishing on the day of arrival.

Saturday – Thursday
Six full days of guided fishing on the Kanektok and/or Arolik!

Friday
Guests follow a similar procedure flying back to Bethel with Grant Aviation in time to connect with Alaska Airlines Flight #44 @ 2:11PM arriving back into Anchorage at 3:27PM. All flights from Alaska to the lower forty-eight are overnight red-eye flights which depart in the evening, allowing plenty of time to catch a connection onward home.


Alaska West operates from early June through the first week in September. Weather in Alaska is quite variable, and anglers should plan on experiencing all types no matter what week you elect to visit. However, as a rule of thumb, mid July offers the most consistent warm weather of the summer, while June and August can be a bit chillier.

All trips to Alaska should be planned in accordance with which species you would prefer targeting. While rainbows, grayling, Doly Varden, and char are more or less an all season affair, Kings are the first salmon species to show up in great numbers starting in mid June and run until the end of July. Sockeye, Chums, and Pinks are heavy through July, with chums lasting well through the month of August. Silver Salmon begin to arrive the last week of July and are in full force in early August.

Please ask us for recommendations and further details for when to plan your Alaskan adventure based upon your skill level as well as your preferred style and method of fishing.


2009 Season

7 Night / 6 Day Standard Fishing Packages

(Based on Shared Room / Guide)

Kanektok River Package:$4800

Arolik River Package: $5400




7 Nights double occupancy accommodations; 6 Days guided fishing with shared guide; Daily housekeeping; Three meals per day including non-alcoholic beverages; Loaner fly rods & reels, flies, tackle


Roundtrip airfare to/from Anchorage, Alaska; Airfare to Bethel, Alaska from Anchorage with Pen Air or Alaska Air (approximately $400.00 per person); Airfare from Bethel to Quinhagak, Alaska; Accommodations while in Anchorage Thursday night prior to Friday arrival at the camp; Alcohol at the lodge; Applicable fishing licenses; Use of lodge telephone and fax; All applicable gratuities

home   |   about us   |   contact us   |   terms & conditions   |   employment   |  
© 2009 Tailwaters Fly Fishing. All Rights Reserved.