Fish with Phil in Bristol Bay

There are fishing trips, and then there are the ones you casually bring up for the next ten years. This is firmly the second kind.

What happens when you take a legendary Bahamas bonefish guide and drop him into the wild chaos of Alaska in September? You get to Fish with Phil in Bristol Bay, a one-week crossover experience that feels truly exceptional, in the best possible way. An unbelievable meshing of two worlds colliding.

From September 4–11, 2026, Andros South Lodge’s own Phil Knowles heads north to Rapids Camp Lodge on Alaska’s Naknek River. The target? Big, aggressive, slightly unreasonable September rainbow trout that have been eating well and making questionable life choices. This is not delicate fishing. This is “hold on and hope your knots are honest” fishing.

What You’re Getting

For $7,500, you’ll spend:

• 7 nights and 6 full days of fishing
• Chasing some of the largest rainbow trout you’ll ever meet (they are not shy)
• One included fly-out to Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park…yes, the one with the bears and the salmon and the general sense that you are not in charge anymore
• Access to additional fly-outs if you want to explore even more of Bristol Bay for an additional cost, if you feel like pushing your luck (highly recommended) 

Back at the lodge:

• Single occupancy rooms (because snoring is a friendship risk)
• Great food and drinks (you earned both)
• A crew that knows exactly what they’re doing and doesn’t need to tell you about it constantly

Why Phil?

And then there’s Phil. If you’ve fished with him, no explanation needed. If you haven’t, prepare for a steady mix of sharp insight, saint-level patience, and the occasional breakthrough observation that, yes, you probably should’ve set the hook sooner, and a blunt reminder, “Don’t touch dat drag!”

Phil Knowles has spent years dialing in the nuances of technical saltwater fishing at Andros South. Now he’s bringing that sharp eye, dry wit, and alarming ability to spot fish into Alaska’s freshwater madness. Expect thoughtful guidance, the occasional understated joke, and probably better fishing than you deserve.

The Bottom Line

This is a rare mash-up: tropical pedigree meets Alaskan horsepower. It’s equal parts skill, scenery, and stories you’ll slightly exaggerate later. And yes, it’s simply a good time. Better hurry, there are only 10 spots available. Click Here to Book This Trip Of A Life Time!

The Simple TC Mouse wasn’t born in a fly-tying cathedral with exotic materials and a glass of bourbon nearby. It showed up out of mild desperation, a short materials list, and the uncomfortable realization that the fish did not care about your artistic expression.

It had to be quick. It had to float. Ideally, it had to resemble something worth violently eating. It also had to be smaller. While many mouse patterns lean toward “large rodent with a life insurance policy,” on the Kanektok, there are plenty of side channels and softer edges where smaller isn’t optional; it’s the difference between getting ignored and getting looks, then getting crushed.

So this pattern skips the foofooness, ignores the ego, and gets right down to business. A strip here, a wrap there, and suddenly you’ve got a passable rodent with just enough attitude to get noticed, and just enough durability to survive poor life choices from large trout. There’s even a slick little foam stamp in the mix, because if you’re going to keep things simple, you might as well make them look halfway intentional.

And for the record, the “TC” isn’t Theodore Calvin from Magnum P.I.—though that would be a way cooler origin story involving helicopters and questionable mustaches. It’s for AKW alum Trevor Covich @opflyguy, who, thankfully, spent more time figuring out what works on big fish than chasing TV drama.

It’s not pretty. It’s not complicated. But it works, which is really the only personality trait that matters in a mouse fly.

Let’s get into it.

Have A Request?

This Fly Tying Tutorial comes straight from the request of one of our loyal subscribers. If there’s a pattern you’d love to see next, don’t be shy—send us your suggestions, and it might be featured here soon.

Submit Fly Tying Requests Here.

Photos and Tied By: Captain Andrew Abraham @andy.abraham_fishing, AKW Alum

Materials:

1. Size 2 to 4 streamer style hook; Gamakatsu B10s, Ahrex TP610, Umpqua U502 etc.
2. 3mm Brown, Gray or Black foam
3. Brown, Gray or Black bucktail (substitute with calf tail, coyote etc)
4. Brown Gray or Black Rabbit Zonker strips
5. Ultra Chenille Brown Gray or Black
6. Veevus 140 thread in brown

Step 1. After applying the entire shank of the hook with thread tie in a small amount of deer hair in the
back of the fly as if your tying a streamer This small amount of hair acts as a prop to keep the
chenille tail from fowling around the hook as well as adds to the flies tracking ability acting as a
rudder to keep the fly upright and swimming straight.

Step 2. Next add your chenille tail. Tie this in over your deer hair and have it extend about 1 to 1.5
inches past the hair.

Step 3. Now wrap up the shank of the hook with your zonker strip finishing about ⅛ of an inch before
the eye of the hook. You need to leave a small gap between the fur and hook eye. You can
either do this by palmering the entire strip on or put the hair in a dubbing loop and wrap on that
way. Personally I use a dubbing loop as I find the addition of the leather hide can make it
sometimes too bulky, especially when tying off the end of the zonker strip by the eye.
Nonetheless we are looking to cover the body of the hook in fur as this will be our under belly
and body of the fly that the fish looks at from underneath.

Step 4. Now with scissors you will cut out a body from your foam. The shape looks like a tear drop with
the point being cut off about half an inch up. I cut these by hand (and they look as such) they do
not need to be absolutely perfect as long as it is relatively symmetrical. The body is about an
inch and a half long and about an ¾ of an inch across at its widest point.

Step.5 To tie the foam in, go ½ inch above where you cut off the tip of your tear drop. Place that spot
right between the zonker and eye of the hook (you should have left yourself a little room). Once
you wrap it on with two relatively loose wraps you should have a ½ inch of foam flaring up over
the eye of the hook. If you are pleased with how it’s sitting, tighten your wraps and secure the
foam to the shank. Finishing by wrapping around the eye of the hook in front of the foam lip and
whip finish.

Step 6. Finally I will take scissors and snip the flared foam over the eye of the hook right down the
middle to create a V shape. This makes it slightly easier for your line to pass through the eye
when tying it on. After I will add a dot of super glue to my whip finish to ensure the knot holds. I
will add a dot of super glue underneath where the foam was tied in so it does not spin or slide. I
will also add glue to the underside of the foam body section to connect it to the hook shank /
zonker strip so it does not flare upwards and it rides flat on the water.

This fly takes no time to tie and is wildly effective. It slides and skates effortlessly and chugs
water if given the right twitching action like a gurgler. It does everything you want a mouse to do!
It’s my go to choice when guiding anywhere in the state. Bass loves them as well down here in
the lower 48! Happy tying and Good luck friends

The problem probably isn’t your gear. It isn’t your hat. It isn’t even the moon phase, despite what your uncle insists. It’s almost certainly how you’re fishing , specifically, how you’re presenting your streamer, which is the large, vaguely fish-shaped pattern that’s supposed to trigger a trout’s predatory instincts but is currently triggering absolutely nothing.

If you’ve ever stood in a river wondering whether you’re doing it right, the answer is you not, but you’re in good company. The good news? You don’t need secret handshakes or a PhD in aquatic insects to get better at this. You just need a few simple adjustments, a willingness to look slightly ridiculous while doing them, and the patience to keep casting even when the fish are acting like they’ve unionized against you.

These five techniques won’t turn you into a legend overnight, but they will stack the odds in your favor and possibly save you from another long day of aggressively exercising your casting arm for no apparent reason.

That said, we notice many anglers fishing streamer patterns use only one technique before giving up on the streamer and looking to change flies. Before you do change flies, just remember situations change, currents change, moods change, and every run is different. Here are 5 ways to fish a streamer more effectively.

1. The Swing. Make a cast shooting across and slightly down stream, mend it, and the let the fly swing through the run. Yes you can do this with a single hand rod. With the fly swinging across you offer a different broadside view. Just make sure to allow the fly to complete the full swing. It may look like you line is hanging, but it depending on the current it could still be finishing the swing. Allow the fish to follow to the hang down before triggering a your strips.
2. Banging the Banks. Banging the banks is an effective way to trigger strikes with quick short strips. This is effective from a slow moving boat or from an opposite bank. The key is to cast into the first likely holding lie, make a few quality strips, then pick up the fly and hit the piece of juicy water so that the fish can strike. This is especially effective in slow moving deeper pools. This works particularly well in deep pools, say in front of a beaver house. where no fish are.
3. The Dead Drift. One of the most overlooked streamer techniques is dead drifting. A free tumbling leech, sculpin, or any other item mimicked by a streamer is an easy meal for a hungry trout. A streamer can be dead drifted in deeper pools, heavy current seams, or any other body of water that can confuse a battling bait fish.
4. The Drift and Jig. Another fantastic method for fishing a streamer from shore using a variety of approaches is to drift and jig. Cast upstream like you would a dead drifting nymph. Mend continuously so that your fly can go deep. Make a series of rapid lifts of the rod tip and a gentle slapping down of the fly line while the fly floats beneath. This produces a realistic jigging motion that mimics a struggling baitfish. Make a couple good strips back and repeat once the fly line is straight downstream. By covering the water in this manner, you can display your fly in three distinct shapes on a single cast: a dead fish (dead drift), an injured fish (jig), and a running fish (strip). Easy peasy!
5. The Jerk Strip. A streamer technique that distinguishes experienced streamer anglers from inexperienced fishermen is the jerk strip. A typical 6-8-inch strip will occasionally catch fish, but it is not the most accurate representation of a struggling minnow or baitfish. Rather, use rapid downstream twitches of the rod tip to recover the fly, then use a slow line hand strip to pick up the slack left by the “twitch.” The most accurate retrieve is attainable when the rod tip is moved with the rod hand and the fly line is drawn in by the line hand with a little practice.

Have you ever had a run of losing fish in the “hang down?” If you’ve been fly fishing for a little bit you have probably felt the surprise of a fish grab on the hang-down part of your swing. You’d think hooking a fish on the hang down would be easy, but in actuality, it is probably one of the more challenging situations to set a hook on a fish. So today, we bring you some things to consider while setting the hook on a hang-down situation.

1. Leave the fly there – If you feel a tug, or grab let the fish take the hook. Don’t pull on your rod or try to set it. Let the fish hook itself as it will grab your fly and turn into the river essentially hooking itself. don’t pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth.
2. Sweep low and towards the bank– This works either river right or river left, once you feel a good solid pull, perform a low sweep with your rod toward the bank to complete the hook set
3. Be Patience and slow down – You hear this a lot while Spey is fishing, and it bodes true even up to the hook set.

Consider these things and your percentage of landing more fish caught on the hang down will dramatically increase. Even if it is just one, it is still worth it.

We don’t do this often… but when a prime week opens up at Rapids Camp, we move fast. A small window just opened for June 26 – July 1, and we’re offering a simple deal: Buy 3 days of fishing, get the 4th free.

That means:

• 5 nights at Rapids Camp Lodge
• 4 full days of guided fishing (including fly-outs)
• Roundtrip Pilatus flights between Anchorage and King Salmon
• Just $6,000 per person

That’s 4 days of world-class Alaska fishing at the price of 3, including Fly Outs.

Why now? A last-minute opening means a once-in-a-season opportunity for you. Late June into July is prime time on the river to hook into a variety of Alaskan fish that are running, the days are long, and Rapids Camp is firing on all cylinders.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to fish Bristol Bay, Alaska, or just need an excuse to get back to Alaska, this is it.

Click Here To Book or email us info@deneki.com or call us at (907) 563-9788!

Alaska West in July is usually the kind of place you hear about… right after it’s already fully booked.

Which is why this is interesting.

A handful of prime July weeks have quietly opened up, and if you know anything about Alaska West, you know July isn’t just good, it’s ridiculous. Think chrome-bright king salmon that haven’t read the rules, leopard rainbows that hit like they’ve got something to prove, and more fish per day than your forearms politely asked for.

It’s the season where everything lines up: long daylight, aggressive fish, and just enough chaos to keep things honest. One minute you’re swinging for kings, the next you’re wondering how a rainbow that size ended up in water that shallow.

And yet… here we are. Open rods in July.

We won’t pretend this happens often. It doesn’t. But every now and then, the fishing gods (or a last-minute calendar shuffle) create a small window.

If you’ve been “meaning to fish Alaska someday,” this is that someday tapping you on the shoulder.

Fair warning: July doesn’t wait around, and neither do these spots.

Take a look at current availability, grab your gear, and come see what all the noise is about.

There are places in this world where you go to relax. Sip hot coffee, stare at the horizon, maybe read a book. Alaska West Lodge on the Kanektok River is NOT one of those places.

At Alaska West, you fish until your arms give out. Then you fish a little more because the guide is already moving upstream and it would be awkward to stop now. This is a feature, not an issue.

Here’s what’s still available for 2026:

• July 12 – 19, 6 spots remaining
• July 19 -26, 5 spots remaining
• July 26 – August 2, 5 spots remaining

A 6-night / 7-day trip runs $8,950 per person, which covers your round trip direct charter between Anchorage and the Native Village of Quinhagak, guided fishing, lodging, all meals, and loaner gear (rods, reels, lines, waders, boots, flies… the works).

Singles willing to share lodging and guided fishing with another guest are welcome at no extra charge. The fish don’t care who you came with.

Chase Adventure, Live The Legend

2026 availability is real. 2026 availability is also finite. You know what to do. Chase Adventure, Live the Legend! Contact Alaska West Lodge to book your week before someone else does, which they are, right now, probably. Email – info@deneki.com or call (907) 563-9788.

Okay, You’ve book your trip of a lifetime to Alaska and you’re trying figure out what to take. FLIES! Got it. but which ones? We’re here to help. Alaska fish don’t care about your feelings. They don’t care about your $1000 Spey rod, your Instagram, or the fact that you’ve been practicing your sustained anchor cast in the backyard for three weeks straight. Alaska fish only care about one thing: whether or not your fly looks like something worth munching on. There it was said.

That said, when you’ve got the right fly swinging through the current, magic can happen, and when it does, it is remarkable. To help conjure up some of that Spey magic, we’ve put together a list (because everyone likes lists) of seven proven fly pattern concoctions that have survived countless wind-knotted leaders, icy mornings, and “one more cast” promises. Some are classics, some are local secrets, and all of them flat-out work. Who are we kidding? There are no secrets nowadays.

The flies in this list aren’t pretty for the sake of being pretty, though some of them are genuinely captivating in a way that makes you feel guilty about throwing them at a fish. These flies are proven. They’ve been tied, tested, dunked, chewed, lost to streamside alders, and begrudgingly reproduced at the vise at midnight the night before a trip. That’s the unofficial certification process for any fly worth writing about.

The Al Green doesn’t make a scene, it just gets eaten. Subtle, smooth, and quietly effective, it sits right between its cousins, the more scruffy Willie Nelson and less funky Joker, but just as deadly. When fish get picky, this is the one that seals the deal.

The Black Stonefly. Like the cool cat in the dark alley, this slender, shady, and basically goth insect materializes out of the ice and emerges in Alaska’s soggy spring meltdown, fooling Trout and Steelhead who haven’t seen real food since Thanksgiving. Uber fun on the swing.

Swing it Spey style through the Kenai’s chocolate milk currents; that wiggling profile screams “easy lunch” to fish too hungry to notice it’s fake. Go size 14-18 with a tungsten bead (because sinking is non-negotiable).

Just like some of your friends, The Half Wit darts like a bad idea in a desperate situation, but with confidence. In Alaska, where fish see a buffet of real bugs, flesh, and debris rolling by all day, the Half Wit shines because it doesn’t overthink things. Swing it through soft seams, strip it like a fleeing mistake, or dead-drift it like it gave up on life. It just works. Rainbows, Dollies, even the occasional Grayling don’t need a reason… just a target.

The Soft Hackle is a minimalist’s dream. Simple hook threaded with a body of fur or silk, topped with a collar of soft, webby feathers from birds like partridge or starling that pulse and breathe in the current like a nymph having a bad day.

In Alaska’s wild rivers and streams, these flies shine by mimicking emerging caddis, or even scuds, with a subtle, swimming action that triggers savage strikes from Rainbows, Dollies, and Grayling too lazy to chase something that requires more effort.

Try them in May through July during chironomid and early caddis hatches on lakes and rivers, or anytime post-ice-out when trout stack up in low, clear waterbasically, whenever Alaska’s fish decide surface food is overrated, but emergers are idiot-proof. Skip ’em in raging silt floods unless you enjoy losing flies to rocks with commitment issues. The best part about Soft Hackles is that you can stack a bunch of them in your fly box.

The Striptease is that shy streamer pattern which, upon hitting water, suddenly remembers it left the curtains open, flashing metallic undulations like a leech doing the walk of shame for atonement.

Up north, it’s basically fish therapy. Alaska’s Rainbows and Dollies can’t resist its “come hither” wiggle in silty currents, turning grumpy post-spawners into desperate suitors who forgot they were fasting for Lent.

Summer to fall, when salmon are spawning, and trout ponder life’s choices subsurface; strip erratically on overcast days unless you enjoy watching it fish itself. Especially in front of Beaver houses where there are no fish.

The Trout Spey Bugger is a trout-spey cousin of the classic Woolly Bugger, designed to swing well on a two-handed setup and move with extra marabou-style action in the water. It’s a strong Alaska pattern because it has the profile, motion, and versatility to suggest a range of food sources, leech, baitfish, or even salmon flesh, and that works especially well on aggressive trout in big water.

It’s a good choice in Alaska during trout season, especially in big rivers or tight bankside spots where a Trout Spey setup helps you cover more water and reach hard-to-cast lies. A simple way to think about it: if you’d fish a Woolly Bugger, but want to do it with a swinging presentation and more reach, this is the fly.

The Muddler Minnow is a scruffy little sculpin impersonator with a deer hair head that shoves water and gets noticed. It’s not winning any beauty contests, but fish hit it like it owes them money. As a swing fly in Alaska, it shines in less-than-perfect conditions. That bushy head gives it a lively, hovering action that highways through the danger zone longer right where trout, dollies, and the occasional salmon are looking for an easy meal.

Fish it in off-color water, during fry migrations, or anytime you want a pattern that fishes bigger than it looks. When in doubt, swing a Muddler. It tends to figure things out.

So there you have it, seven flies that have earned their keep the hard way, not by looking good in a shadow box (if you even know what a shadow box is we need to talk), but by getting chewed in cold, unforgiving water by fish with zero emotional attachment to your efforts. You can overthink colors, debate sizes, and fall down the rabbit hole of “matching the hatch,” but at some point you’ve just got to step in, make the cast, and let it swing.

All That Said…

You pick a fly you trust, send it across the current, and hope something with fins and bad intentions agrees with your life choices. When it does, it’s electric. When it doesn’t… well, at least you looked like you knew what you were doing for a few seconds.

This fly-tying tutorial is brought to you by Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, Alaska, where the legendary advice on flies, gear, and techniques is hotter than their coffee. (907) 770-2666 or mbrown@mossysflyshop.com.

Have A Request?

This Fly Tying Tutorial comes straight from the request of one of our loyal subscribers. If there’s a pattern you’d love to see next, don’t be shy—send us your suggestions, and it might be featured here soon.

Submit Fly Tying Requests Here.

The Muddler Minnow was created by Don Gapen in 1936. He created it after watching First Nations Guides on the Nipigon River in Ontario, Canada, collect sculpins, then explain to him their importance as forage for the large trout in the river.

The Muddler is a true classic that can get overlooked with today’s more modern patterns, but it should still be in every buddy’s streamer box.  This is a fun pattern to tie and gives you a great opportunity to work on spinning and trimming deer hair.

Let’s get into it.

Designed By: Don Gapen

Tied By: Brian Davenport, Mossy’s Fly Shop, Photos By: Mike Brown, Mossy’s Fly Shop

Materials:

1. Hook: Sz 2 – 12 3x or 4x Streamer Hook
2. Tail: Mottled Turkey Quill
3. Lead: .015-.030 lead wire
4. Body: Veevus Mini Flat Braid or Holo Braid
5. Underwing: Squirrel Tail
6. Wing: Mottled Turkey Quill
7. Head: Deer Hair
8. Thread: Veevus 6/0 or 140 (depending on size of fly) and 100 Denier GSP

Step 1.  Start your 140 thread appx ¼ back of the hook eye.  Run your thread to the bend of the hook.

Step 2.  Strip a left and right piece of turkey quill.  Make the width of your tail the same width as the hook gap.  Measure your tail to be approximately the length of your thread body.  Mary the two quills together and place them on top of the shank.  Using a pinch wrap, gently wrap your thread around the quill (pinching the thread with the quill.  As you come underneath and start your next wrap, slowly pull up and collapse the quill.  Make a couple more securing wraps before letting go of the quill.

Step 3.  Tie the rest of the quill down to create a little more body, then wrap 10-12 turns of your lead wire, and then secure with your thread.  I like to build a little bit of a rear taper to make the body look uniform.

Step 4.  Tie in your flat braid.  Making overlapping turns, covering your body.  Leave yourself a little extra and tie off a flash wing on top.

Step 5.  Use a sparse clump of squirrel tail, tie it in as an underwing.  You want the flash and underwing to be appx at the middle of the tail.

Step 6.  Strip a left and right piece of your quill, using the longer side of the quill.  Make your wing a little wider than the hook gap.  Measure your wing to be approximately in the center of the tail.  Repeat the pinch wrap method used in step 2.  Tie off and whip finish.  Switch your thread to the GSP and wrap a base of thread in front of the wing.

Step 7. Cut a clump of deer hair.  Brush out all the underfur (important), stack the tips.  Place the deer hair on top of the shank at the base of the wing.  Hold the deer hair and place two wraps of thread. Apply just a slight amount of pressure with each wrap (Don’t let go of the deer hair during those wraps) on the thread wrap. Apply more pressure and let go of the deer hair as you wrap. The deer hair will spin around as you wrap.  Apply enough wraps till the hair has fully spun around.

Step 8.  Pull the tips back and apply a second clump of deer hair if needed.  With the second clump, I even up the butt ends and trim the tips off.  Repeat step 7, spinning method.  Pull back and whip finish.

Step 9.  Using a flexible double-sided razor blade, begin to trim your head to shape.  Bend the blade in a U shape and trim the hair off at the angle of the hook eye.  Continue to trim to shape.  Be patient and remember you can continually remove hair, but you can’t put any back.

At Alaska West Lodge, we spend a lot of time drifting down the Kanektok River in a boat. It’s a beautiful experience, the scenery is world-class, the Rainbows are amazing, and there is no shortage of ways to embarrass yourself in front of a guide who has seen it all.

Whilst drifting, one technique we use constantly is called “bangin’ the banks.” The name sounds more aggressive than it is. Essentially, you’re casting as close to the bank as possible while drifting downstream, targeting the Rainbows holding tight to the edges. It’s a fast-moving game, like a shooting gallery, except the targets are invisible, the gallery is moving, and you’re the one who looks foolish when you miss, and you will miss.

A few tips to help you not look foolish while bangin’ the banks.

1. Anticipate your target. They say when driving, always look forward to where you’re going. The same rule applies whilst drifting. The Kanektok doesn’t slow down, so you can think. Keep your eyes moving downstream and identify your next target before you’re on top of it. When you spot a money seam or undercut bank that you absolutely cannot miss, be patient and time the cast properly, even if it means passing on the mediocre water upstream of it. Rushing the cast and putting your fly in a root wad or tree is not a strategy. It is, however, a very common one.
2. Cast slightly downstream. Angle your cast slightly downstream rather than straight across. This gives the fly a moment to sink, lets you get a mend in, and perhaps most importantly, it keeps you looking forward like someone who knows what they’re doing. If you find yourself casting behind the boat, your window has closed. Leave that water for your partner in the stern and try to appear as though that was always the plan.
3. Keep the fly away from the boat. The fish are tight to the bank, holding under overhanging vegetation, waiting for something edible to drift by. Cast there. Make a mend, give the fly four or five solid strips, then pick up and put it back on the bank for the next target. If you strip the fly all the way back to the raft, it’s now deep in the water column and requires extra false casts to get it airborne again. Every false cast is a moment your fly is not in the water. Every moment your fly is not in the water is, statistically speaking, it is scored as a missed fish. Yes, we’re counting.
4. Roll cast the fly to the surface. If the fly has gone too deep to cleanly pick up into a backcast, don’t try to muscle it out of the water past your ear. Roll cast it forward until it rises to the surface, then make your backcast from there. The Kanektok guides have seen the alternative. It is not pretty, and it sometimes requires a brief medical break. Unless you want another self-induced piercing.
5. Choose a line that loads quickly. While on the drift, every second counts. A line that loads your rod in one or two false casts will serve you far better here than whatever you’ve been using on a spring creek in Montana. Lines that technically “over-line” your rod are worth considering. The casting purists can file a formal complaint with someone who is not currently floating past prime holding water. No matter how slow you think you’re going, you’re going faster than you think.
6. Keep the rod tip close to the water. While stripping a streamer, keep the rod tip low and as close to the surface as you can manage. This reduces slack between strips, keeps you connected to the fly so you actually feel the strike, and puts the rod in a much better position when it’s time to pick up and recast. A high rod tip while stripping is a great way to miss the eat of your week and spend the next ten minutes coming to terms with it, and your fishing buddy will tell everyone else about the one you missed back at camp.

Summers in Alaska look great on Instagram. Sunlight stretching until midnight, bald eagles on standby for photo ops, cruise ships gliding through glassy water. But those of us who have actually lived there know that The Last Frontier can be equal parts breathtaking yet, will present some mild challenges. The trick is packing gear that keeps you warm, dry, bug-bite-free, and at least somewhat dignified.

Here are six items you’ll thank yourself for having when your summer trip in Alaska doesn’t go quite as “Disney nature film” as you expected.

1. Binoculars

If you plan to spot bears, whales, or your own dignity after a wet hike, a solid pair of binoculars is mandatory. Alaskan wildlife doesn’t exactly pose for close-ups. They’re usually a respectable hundred yards away (and that’s exactly how you want it). Good optics let you “oooh” safely from a distance without becoming part of the food chain.

What we use: Maven C.1 – www.mavenbuilt.com

Budget friendly option: Nikon Prostaff P3 – www.nikonusa.com

2. Bug Headnet

The Alaskan mosquito is less insect, more lifestyle. There are days when you’ll swear they’re carrying tiny tool belts and union cards. A headnet may not win you any fashion awards, but it will keep you from swatting furiously like a malfunctioning wiper blade. Pro tip: Get one that has the smallest mesh. You can still see, but it keeps all the bugs away from your face, including the smallest ones. 

What we use: Sea to Summit Mosquito Head Net with Insect Shield – www.seatosummit.com

3. Gloves

Summer days can go from sunburn to frostbite faster than you can say “Where’d I leave the coffee?” Whether you’re gripping an oar, a fishing rod, or a camera, lightweight gloves keep your hands comfortable and slightly more Instagram ready than purple and chapped. Go with something quick-drying, and malleable gloves. You’ll use them more than you think.

What we recommend: REI Flash Power Stretch Gloves – www.rei.com

For the Fly Anglers: Simms Windstopeer Flex Fishing Glove – www.simmsfishing.com

4. Sunscreen

Yes, sunscreen. Despite the whole “Arctic” thing, summer sun in Alaska is relentless, especially when it bounces off snow, water, or cruise-ship decks. Nothing says “novice traveler” like a bright red nose in your bear-viewing photos. Apply liberally; you can thank me when your face doesn’t glow under the midnight sun.

What we use: Sun Bum Roll On Lotion – www.sunbum.com

5. Lightweight Puffy, Windproof Jacket

Alaska has a special skill, making 55°F feel like 30°F when the wind picks up. A light, windproof puffy will be your best friend during these conditions. They pack small, warm fast, and can double as a pillow when you’re trying to nap through a bush plane flight. Bring one, even if you think you won’t need it. You will.

What we use: Patagonia Nano Puff Insulated Hoodie – www.patagonia.com

6. Yeti Tumbler or Rambler

Whilst on a fishing boat, float plane, or glacier cruise, hydration is important, whether it’s coffee during early fishing mornings or something “warming” for those long glacier sunsets. A Yeti tumbler keeps your drink at just the right temperature and subtly signals to every outfit around that you came prepared. Also, there is something about always having your own mug that is very satisfying.  The 20 oz Tumbler or Rambler seems to be the perfect size for travel, and they fit in cup holders well.

What we use: Yeti 20 fl. oz  Tumbler or Rambler Stackable cup – www.yeti.com

Pro Tip: Reasons You Should Buy Your Gear In Alaska, Not Before

Local Staff, Local Knowledge – Whether fly fishing or Bear Viewing, or both, all the items mentioned above can be sourced locally in Alaska shops. Staff at these shops aren’t just salespeople, especially at the independent outfitters. They’re hunters, fishers, hikers, and mountaineers who know firsthand what works and what fails in Alaskan terrain and weather. So, they know. If you’d like a list of shops we recommend, feel free to get a hold of us. If ordering over the phone, make sure to do it plenty of time in advance, in case they have to order.

No Sales Tax – Another benefit to purchasing in Alaska, particularly in Anchorage, is that there is no sales tax. Buying gear can get pricey. Why not save a few bucks where you can? Anchorage, Alaska is home to many small businesses that are outfitters and carry the gear mentioned, so check there first. If not, then you can check local box stores.

Pre-Order and Have Them Hold it For You – Many local shops will allow you to preorder and they will hold it, and will call for you until you arrive. This saves on luggage space (at least on the way up to Alaska). Just remember you’ll need space to bring gear back home.

So there you have it, six essentials that stand between you and either a successful adventure in Alaska or an embarrassing cameo on a “When Nature Wins” compilation. Alaska rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and laughs silently, like a glacier calving at anyone who thought “it’s probably fine.” Pack smart, stay warm, and remember: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad planning (and really smug locals).