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Bristol Bay Lodge

30 Miles from Dillingham, Alaska


Founded in 1972, Bristol Bay Lodge sits on a wooded rise overlooking Lake Aleknagik and the surrounding mountains of Wood-TikChik Park. The lodge presides over a quiet scenic bay some 40 air miles northwest of the small, remote town of Dillingham, 300 miles west of the nearest connecting northwest road system. Bristol Bay Lodge is perhaps the most upscale lodge in the famous Dillingham area, and is an excellent candidate for ladies, families, and hard-core anglers alike.

Bristol Bay Lodge is one of Alaska’s premier world-class wilderness fishing lodges. Strategically located in the heart of America’s largest state park, Bristol Bay Lodge has the distinct advantage of being utterly surrounded by pristine wilderness and dozens of spectacular fisheries. The lodge’s proximity to the watersheds within Wood-TikChik Park and Togiak National Wildlife Refuge means more fishing and less travel time, with flights averaging only 30 minutes. Abundant home water fishing is also minutes from the lodge. Just a short boat ride from the lodge’s front door is the world-famous Agulowak River, celebrated for its productive fishing for rainbows, grayling, char, dolly varden, and sockeye salmon.


Over the 33-year history of Bristol Bay Lodge has designed and fine tuned a fishing program that maximizes the opportunities in terms of variety of rivers fished, species caught and even methods of fishing during any given week. If you want to catch the same species all week long, BBL is not the lodge for you because their program does not provide for this. However, if you want the full Alaska experience, seeing lots of different rivers and catching many species in one day (and often as many as you could handle in one day or even a week), BBL is the lodge for you!

Each day's fishing is scheduled the evening before and the destination board is posted showing your pilot, guides, destination, species available, time of departure and your fishing companions for the day. This allows you time for conversing with guides, manager Steve Laurent and pilots so that you can fine-tune tackle, flies and preparations for the following day’s adventure.

In addition, Bristol Bay Lodge guests have the opportunity to fish two of Alaska’s most renowned rivers, the Agulowak and the Agulopak, inside Wood-TikChik Park. These rivers provide productive fishing for rainbows, grayling, char, and dolly varden all summer long. They are also host to the single largest sockeye run anywhere in the world. On average, several million fish return to the Wood-TikChik lakes system and associated rivers each year. The first sockeye are usually caught around the 4th of July. Dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fishing are all productive techniques at different times during the summer and our guides will assist you with choosing the best technique and flies.

Beyond exclusive overnight camps, the lodge also maintains two separate spike camps (small resident camps for guides allowing us to be in touch with the movements of the fish on daily/hourly basis and get correct weather information) on the Togiak River inside the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. One camp is based on the lower river and one within the wilderness boundary on the upper river. The camp on the lower river offers fishing for all five species of Pacific salmon, rainbow trout, and also a prolific run of dolly varden. The upper river camp is dolly varden and silver salmon heaven! Both Togiak camps are near several smaller tributaries that can offer excellent small water rainbow trout and dolly (and great silver) fishing at different times of the year.

After spending an evening at the lodge, you will depart for one of two fishing destinations that will later involve an overnight experience at one of BBL’s two outpost camps. Spending the first day fishing one location, you will then be transferred by plane to either Birch or Rainbo Camp. Upon arrival at Birch or Rainbo Camp, you will be greeted by a permanent staff consisting of two guides and a cook who will offer you a light snack and beverages. Dinner is typically served at 7 pm, allowing for several hours of fishing time before dinner if you are so inclined. After a meal served in the dining tent, guests can enjoy some time to relax or make a few last casts on the river that runs only yards in front of camp.

Much of Alaska’s best fishing water is accessible only by floatplane. Bristol Bay Lodge flies guests to their fishing destination in legendary DeHavilland Beaver floatplanes. These airplanes are comfortable and reliable, earning the nickname “workhorses of the North.” Each aircraft is in excellent condition and all are well maintained throughout the entire season. Bristol Bay Lodge employs three pilots through the summer. BBL pilots have more than three decades of experience flying in Alaska and some have flown for BBL for more than 16 years. Jet boats are also kept on many different rivers during the season for easy access to the most productive fishing waters.


Catering to up to 26 guests per week, the lodge’s well-appointed facility offers casually elegant wilderness living filled with creature comforts and an atmosphere of camaraderie. The main lodge houses a completely equipped professional kitchen. The dining room, large living room with bar area, the library and a huge fly tying bench laden with everything one needs to tie quality flies suited to the surrounding rivers. The famous see-through fireplace is fronted by a panoramic view of Lake Aleknagik.

Bristol Bay Lodge has eight bedrooms in the main lodge as well as a fully equipped fly and tackle shop. Guests can arrive with nothing but a waterproof jacket and be fully outfitted. In warm weather the lodge’s decks are the favorite gathering places for appetizers, cocktails and weekly barbecues. The hot tub and sauna get lots of use after fishing – relaxing sore muscles. Set around the lodge, but private in every regard, are four cedar cabins, often used for small groups or families. Each cabin is different offering its own character, yet all offer scenic views of Lake Aleknagik, slightly fragrant with the scent of cedar as you would expect of true wilderness cabins.

The Outpost Camps:
Bristol Bay Lodge offers a totally unique opportunity for guests to enjoy two intimate, comfortable (recently upgraded) outpost camps on very rare private water. Imagine just four guests, or six from time to time if an intact group, enjoying the comfort of a private camp on private water with incredible fishing. You can fish all night under the midnight sun or just enjoy sitting around the campfire in the middle of nowhere but with a full staff and full communications in case of emergency. It does not get better than this and this is what Bristol Bay Lodge, with its international experience in remote operations, do best. Guests fish other rivers during the day, rotate into one of the outpost camps at about 5 pm, spend 24 hours there, then return to the lodge the following evening.

Bristol Bay Lodge maintains exclusive leases on the two most exceptional river fisheries in all of the Bristol Bay Region. Northwest of the lodge is Birch Creek Camp. Directly west of the lodge is Rainbo Camp, located on the tidewater/confluence of two exceptional rivers. This overnight experience is often what is remembered as one of the highlights in a trip of a lifetime.

Both camps have fixed beds with fresh linens warm full sized sleeping bags, fleece liners, heaters, running water, and full service lavatory. Each camp also has three guests tents that accommodate two fishermen per tent, as well as a main cook tent that is used for serving breakfast and dinner plus a central meeting place for sharing fishing stories and relaxing over a cocktail. Both camps are staffed with two experienced guides as well as a camp chef to take care of all of your needs.

Facility at Camps
Each of the camps has a unique charm and distinctly different types of fishing but both are equipped with heated ‘Weatherport’ tents built on stable wooden platforms. With fully framed beds, proper mattresses, high-quality sleeping bags with sheet liners and fleece blankets, high-quality pillows and linens, the nights are cozy, warm and comfortable. The dining tents are spacious (for pre-dinner gathering, after-dinner fly tying or cards) and contain all necessities for the preparation of hearty meals. There is also a hot-water shower and flush WC facility. Each camp has its own boats and motors and radio and satellite communication as well as a fully experienced resident staff of two guides and a chef. Both camps have and will be visited by all guests each week. Waterproof bags will be provided to guests to use for the week for storage while traveling to our day and overnight excursions.


26 Guests Per Week Maximum


BBL operates a traditional Saturday - Saturday and Monday – Monday schedule. If your reservation at the lodge is a Saturday-to-Saturday stay, you need to be in Anchorage on Friday in order to make the departing flight to Dillingham on Saturday morning. If your reservation for the lodge is Monday to Monday, you must be in Anchorage by Sunday in order to make the departing flight to Dillingham on Monday morning. This is a must for both domestic and international guests. It is imperative that you are on the following flights detailed below in order to connect with the scheduled transfers to and from the lodge on your days of arrival and departure. Both Saturday-to-Saturday and Monday-to-Monday bookings should be on these flights:

En Route to the lodge – Alaska Airlines flight #261 (operated by PenAir)
Departs Anchorage at 8:15 am and arrives Dillingham at 9:45 am

Departing the lodge – Alaska Airlines flight #262 (operated by PenAir)
Departs Dillingham at 10:15 am and arrives Anchorage at 11:45 am

Upon arrival in the port city of Dillingham, you will be greeted by Bristol Bay Lodge staff. At the airport it is required that you claim your luggage which will be loaded and accounted for prior to departing for the lodge. Bristol Bay Lodge is roughly 35 miles inland. Guests are transported down the lake road (40 minutes - roughly 20 miles), then board large covered boats for the stunning ride up Lake Aleknagik to the lodge. Upon arrival you will be escorted to the main lodge where you will be offered lunch. Afterward there will be an orientation, following which, you will be shown to your room or cabin. Every guest will have the opportunity to go fishing on his or her arrival day.


Choosing a date to fish anywhere in Western Alaska is completely contingent upon which species of fish you would like to target. Rapids Camp Lodge is open from early June through early October. Fishing in general is excellent any time in the season but the conditions and species available vary from month to month and may impact when you decide to visit. All months are excellent for viewing wildlife, and anglers often find themselves sharing the river or stream with multiple grizzly bears doing a little fishing of their own.

The annual salmon run plays a huge role in the productivity of the fishing. Every summer millions of Pacific Salmon return to their home streams to spawn and die, contributing in this natural cycle of life that maintains the health and productivity of the fishery.

The month of June is marked by the arrival of the mighty king salmon and the mass exodus of salmon fry heading down stream to the ocean. Trout fishing during this period is typically very excellent and perhaps the best time of the year to experience some of Alaska’s dry fly-fishing.

July is a month noted for its huge variety of options including the peak of the king and sockeye runs as well as the addition of the chum and pink salmon. By the end of the month nearly every fish migration is in effect on some level, and July is a wonderful month for anglers looking to experience a sampling of nearly all the species and styles of fishing Alaska offers.

August is the month of the silver salmon, the most acrobatic and eager of the five pacific salmon species. Although pinks and chums are still around in August, the silver salmon steal the show. As the silvers make their grand entrance, most other species are on their spawning beds and the rainbows, char and dolly varden are in tow feeding non-stop on the protein enriched salmon eggs. Fishing technique during august typically revolves around feeding egg patterns to eager, one track minded, rainbows, dolly varden, and char gorging below spawning salmon.

The silver salmon are still around by mid September, but the highlight of the month are the huge rainbows! After a full summer of feeding on salmon eggs and flesh, rainbows are at their fattest weights of the year. The salmon runs are complete by the end of the month and the biggest rainbows are still on the move feeding on anything they can grab in anticipation of the conclusion of the gluttonous summer. September and early October offer the angler the best opportunity to catch a real legendary monster Alaskan Rainbow.

The weather is about the only thing you CANNOT count on with your trip to Alaska. Guests must plan on every type of weather to occur at anytime. Daytime temperatures range from cool to hot and rain showers can occur at any moment. On any given day you could see hot weather turn to cold, calm turn to windy, and sunny to rainy almost before your eyes. If you decide to visit Alaska a rain jacket is an absolute must. Typically, June and July are a little warmer and drier than August and September.


Although fishing is the predominant activity at Bristol Bay Lodge, we encourage everyone to visit the lodge. Perhaps the best way to see Alaska's beautiful countryside, wildlife, and wilderness is on a fly-out fishing trip, or at one of the lodge’s outpost camps. Although daily activities are oriented around fishing, guests at BBL can detour to enjoy some wildlife viewing, go on a hike, etc... Beginner anglers are encouraged to use spinning equipment instead of fly-rods if required to make guests more comfortable.


All prices based upon double occupancy/participation

2009 FISHING PACKAGES

7 Night / 6 Day Package

$7,350 Per Angler


7 Nights double occupancy accommodations at Bristol Bay Lodge; 6 Days guided fly-out fishing with shared guide; Daily transportation via aircraft to rivers, streams, lakes, and wildlife viewing areas; Daily housekeeping and midweek laundry service; Three meals per day; Alcoholic Beverages; All transfers between the Dillingham Airport and Lodge; Use of chest waders, fly rods & reels; Preparation of all harvested game in approved shipping container for traveling home


Roundtrip airfare to/from Anchorage, Alaska -- Airfare to Dillingham, Alaska from Anchorage with Pen Air (approximately $426.00 per person); Accommodations while in Anchorage Friday night prior to Saturday arrival at the lodge; Flies and Terminal Tackle (available for sale at the lodge); Applicable fishing licenses ($100 per angler); Telephone & Fax; Souvenirs; Guide & Staff Gratuities (15% of trip cost is customary)


A fifty-percent non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking to confirm all reservations. All trips must be paid in full 60 days prior to departure day. All trips booked within 60 days from departure must be paid in full. A deposit may be transferred to another person who is not booked at the lodge for the current season. Deposits are refundable for cancellation only after/if the cancelled space has been filled. Refunds are not granted for non-flying days due to weather or reasons out of the lodge’s control. Refunds of deposits/payments made on credit cards will be charged a 3.5% service charge to fully compensate TailwatersTravel for all bank charges incurred. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgement that registrant has read and accepts the cancellation/refund/responsibility clause

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