Recently I had a discussion with a good friend of mine, Anthony Carruesco, regarding the unique and exciting fishing that we have each year in Alaska. We both were reminiscing on the springtime baitfish migration, agreeing that it can provide some of the most spectacular fishing for the big red-sides of Alaska.

Every river that has a salmon run, will also have a baitfish migration at one time or another. Specifically, river systems with heavy sockeye salmon returns provide some of the greatest near surface streamer fishing found anywhere in the world. As the snow melts, and spring starts to become summer, the fragile aelvin stage salmon begin to take shape. Now considered "fry," they move from their natal hatching grounds towards the lakes where they will grow before migrating to sea.

Not only do the fry stage salmon move during the Alaska spring, but various species of salmon "smolt" also migrate towards their salty feeding grounds, where they will spend a few years growing before returning back to their home water to spawn. Depending on the species, the "smolt" will vary in size and coloration, but in general they are larger than their "fry" cohorts.

Getting your fly hammered by trout that are acting more like a school of saltwater tuna is some of the most exciting trout fishing on the globe. Soft hands need not apply as there are no soft strikes here, every fly gets hammered, nearly pulling the rod out of your hands every single time. At times it can be slow, and patience is a must. But if you are positioned correctly, and the fish gods smile down upon you the way they sometimes do, you are in for the ride of your life.

Here is what guide Anthony Carruesco had to say about the fry runs he has experienced through his years guiding Alaska's waters, and the techniques employed to take advantage of them. 

Most people who come up to Alaska to fish for big rainbows think the only time of the year to put the hammer down is when the Sockeye are in dropping eggs throughout August and September. While the egg drop does make for some silly good trout fishing, fishing the early season fry migration in June is some of the most exciting fishing we see all summer. As the young Sockeye fry begin to move around, rainbows concentrate in specific parts of the rivers and lakes in preparation to intercept the chokingly thick, pulsing mass of protein.

Low light periods prompt the fry to move downriver and if you pay attention to "choke" points in the river, lake inlets/outlets for example, there is probably a pretty good chance you will see boiling fish slashing at the bait balls. The river is seemingly filled with feeding fish producing big boils for as far as the eye can see. It's quite the spectacle to behold. . Fishing during these windows is AWESOME. You'd swear the fish are taking dry flies off the surface.

Remember, these small fry migrate very close to the surface, so when the rainbows pod up and begin to chow down, grab a Thunder Creek and get swinging. Keep it about an inch or two below the surface in the general area where you see the boils and hold on. The key to the Thunder Creek is that it's tied sparsely and only sinks an inch or two max. Your fly needs to be close to the surface to fool a fish that's locked into fry.

Looking to cash in on this unique time period? Below is a list of the great lodges that are perfectly positioned to take advantage of this spectacular phenomenon each spring. Remember, these time periods are very short. Sometimes the baitfish specific bite may only last for a week. So make sure you make your reservations early to lock in your spot. If luck is on your side and you hit it just right, you will be sure to experience some of the most exciting trout fishing of your life.

Tikchik Narrows Lodge - Alaska Sportsman's Bear Trail Lodge - Mission Lodge - Kulik Lodge

Captain Landry was hard at work this past summer guiding flying and filming at Angler's Alibi. There really is some unique footage here, showcasing the incredible salmon runs and wildlife on the Alagnak River.

On a side note: For all those aspiring drone pilots, let's be respectful with these flying/photography tools so that we can continue to use them.

I think taking on full manual control of a camera is a goal for any aspiring photographer looking to improve their skills. While it is very intimidating at first, learning manual control can be taken one step at a time through the use and understanding of the camera’s preset priority modes. In the last “Behind the Lens” article we discussed choosing the proper lens for your fishing photography. Building on that, I will briefly discuss using priority modes in preparation for takingon full manual control of your cameras settings.

Shutter Priority -

Outside of full manual control, using your cameras shutter priority mode (“S” on Canon or “Tv” on Nikon) is the best way to learn how to control the amount of movement and/or blur produced in your final image. Here, your camera allows you to choose the desired shutter speed, while it takes control of the remaining ISO and aperture settings. When trying to capture fly line in flight, or a fish doing mid-air cartwheels, you will find that cranking up the shutter to the maximum possible speed is necessary to get a sharp, clean image. While this is not exactly rocket science, it is necessary to understand completely. I can hold my camera steady at a shutter speed of 1/60^th or faster by hand, but if I need to shoot any slower, a camera support is necessary to avoid blur in the final image.

The downside to using the shutter priority mode lies in the photographers inability to set the desired depth of field. Keeping this limiting factor in mind, I always enjoyed experimenting with the shutter speeds when trying to capture a fly line in flight. I would start at a low shutter speed, and continuously analyze how “frozen” the line and angler were as the speed was ramped up. Over time I realized that sometimes a little blur is a good thing, giving the image a sense of movement and action that a completely still frame does not have.

Aperature Prority

In Aperture mode (“A” on Canon and “Tv” on Nikon,) the photographer chooses the desired depth of field and allows the camera sensor to dictate the shutter speed and ISO. This allows more control over what I refer to as the “focus” of the image. More simply put, as the F-stop value is increased, more of the frame comes into focus.

I believe that understanding how to control the depth of field is a place where one can grow the most as a photographer. Aperture priority was hands down my favorite mode when I was learning how my camera settings worked together. While shutter speeds are fairly straight forward, controlling what’s in focus and the general feel of the image is really up to the personal styling of the photographer.

Taking on Manual Mode.

Using the lessons learned from shooting in the cameras priority modes, I began to understand the aperture and shutter settings necessary to achieve my desired effects. The final part of the equation lies in adjusting the ISO value accordingly, which allows for the proper exposure. If the image is too bright, the ISO value needs to be lowered, and if the image is too dark, the value needs to be increased.

Ultimately, the difference in ISO values can be seen in how pixelated an image will be when blown up into a larger size. The lower the ISO number, the clearer the image will be. Most newer DSLR cameras, and even most point and shoot models, use some truly amazing technology providing for some great quality images even when using higher than normal ISO settings.

Learning manual mode will take a bit of time, but is hands down the best thing you can do to improve your photo skills. I feel that working up to full manual control in this manner is the easiest way to comprehend how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO work together. Fortunately, this is best done through experimentation and practice, so get out on the water and snap away. I bet you will be delightfully surprised with your results.

After a devastating fire consumed Intricate Bay Lodge a year ago, the eight owners decided to lick their wounds and go for the impossible: design, fabricate, ship and build a new replacement in a single year.

"We knew rebuilding off the grid in just one year would be a huge challenge, especially in this remote part of Alaska, but we were lucky enough to find a great collaborator who could fulfill our wish list", said Brian Harry, owner and manager of Intricate Bay Lodge.

The reincarnated lodge, erected on the same location, incorporates dozens of improvements suggested through the accumulated knowledge of many fishing expeditions. Guests will have spectacular views of Lake Iliamna, short boat or float plane rides to Alaska's unparalleled fishing, meals from the new gourmet kitchen, and a new hot tub to relax muscles worn from handling large fish.

"Since this is a small-scale, remote, off-the-grid, commercial fly fishing lodge in Alaska, every design choice was critical – driving cost, functionality and the business model itself," explains Harry.

"We are very grateful to the community for their help and support throughout this process. We're updating our IntricateBayLodge.com site, and are once again booking reservations. The lodge will operate for years and years to come, giving hundreds of people a dream-vacation experience in a very special place."

Introducing the New Intricate Bay Lodge

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Amenities and Aesthetics
The lodge has 4 comfortably carpeted bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, one queen and one full bed. An additional 5th bedroom with private bath can accommodate extra guests. The hickory hardwood floors and pine walls and ceilings give the lodge a rustic feel. The heated mud room will ensure wadering up will be comfortable and your gear will be dry for your next adventure.

Warm, Cozy, Elegant
New construction brings advances in technology. The lodge was insulated above and beyond any code requirements. The combination of a walk around fire place and forced air will ensure a warm and cozy environment for unwinding after a great day on the water. Sparing no expense in the design, the lodge provides a unique first class experience not normally associated with remote Alaska. Surround sound, wifi, and satellite TV provide modern conveniences and connectivity.

Hot Appetizers and Cold Drinks
Enjoy hot tasty treats and drinks at our custom bar during cocktail hour. Bar includes comfortable chairs, a flat screen TV, darts and views to dream about.

Hot Tub
After a long day on the water, relax and soak up the views, laughter, and fish stories. Our wood fired, jet powered hot tub will enhance your next Alaskan Adventure. Wading rivers, casting your fly rod and fighting large fish of various species can tire those muscles. Take a dip and rejuvenate your body preparing for the next day.

Trip Packages

How do you like to recreate in Alaska? These guys are taking speed flying to another level in Alaska's Tordrillo Mountains. AK is a wonderland for adventure!

Tordrillo Mountain Lodge supported this film shoot with Red Bull Media House. 

From the Filmmaker:

So this is what I did over this past winter when I was not making people coffee.

It's all time-lapse footage shot in and around Anchorage, Alaska, with the emphasis on the nature around the city rather then on the people and buildings. This is a collection of the nicer stuff I shot of the northern lights, stars, sunset, and the tide. All of this was shot between October 2011 and April 2012.

Simply put, a father and son's journey into becoming fly fishermen. Beautifully done, and what a fantastic way to spend time together. Makes me yearn for my youth again.

When you teach a kid how to fish, you inherently teach them respect for our fisheries and natural world. Alaska is a great place to start.

Recently, I have had a few people ask me about lens selection in regard to fishing photography. More precisely, "What is the best lens I can get for the majority of my fishing situations?" While I wish it were a simpler question to answer, the fact is, each lens type has its own pros and cons. Every individual lens captures emotions differently, almost as if they have their own unique "personality." Here's my rundown:

Wide-Angle - The Hank Patterson of Lenses

I think we all have that fishing buddy who always brings the party. They always bring the beer, and are fun as hell regardless of the fishing conditions. They often get worked up over every fish, and are relentless in hassling you after you farm a monster. Simply put, a wide-angle lens is more or less the "Hank Patterson" of camera gear.

I find that images taken with a wide-angle lens have their own special kind of excitement to them. This lens style has a tendency to separate a subject from its background by maximizing the foreground and minimizing the size of the background. This will in turn add a lot of depth to your imagery. I find I most commonly use my wide-angle lens for grip and grin, close up action, and just all around energetic fishing situations.

While this style lens has provided me with a lot of great images, it also comes with it's own set of disadvantages. Unless you are shooting landscape images, where you are trying to shoot an entire scene, capturing your subject full frame requires the camera to be tight to the subject. Mountain ranges, trees, and other parts of your background tend to shrink in comparison to your subject. So if you are looking at capturing the details of the background, you may need to go with a longer style lens. When used properly though, a wide-angle lens can be one of your favorites, and is a must have in any photographers arsenal.

My personal favorite is the Cannon 20mm F/2.8 Ultrawide. It provides crisp, energetic images with minimal distortion, and won't completely break your bank at about $539.

Midrange - The "Decent at everything" guy.

I would put a midrange lens in the same category as another fishing buddy we all know. This angler knows a decent amount about every technique. Their fly boxes tend to be perfectly organized, their gear is in tip top shape, they fish with custom tied leaders, and really tend to focus on the details. A good midrange lens is very similar in its versatility and quality.

A staple if you are looking to highlight beauty and intricacies, a good mid-range lens, especially those with a low F-stop value, can create a variety of stunning images. As a bonus, the low F-stop value helps this lens in low light situations and allows for a very shallow depth of field. General portraits and detail-oriented images are my primary uses for this type of glass.

A good quality mid range lens has few downfalls. While it may not provide quite as much energy as a wide angle, is will fit the bill for most of your fishing photography.

Generally, I like my mid range lens to have as low of a f stop value as possible. My personal favorite is the Canon 50mm F/1.4. The nifty fifty as they call it will give you great image quality, and at around $399 is comparatively affordable.

Telephoto - The "Just happy to be out" guy

Telephoto lenses really can set the scene and give perspective to an image. Similar to that angler that is just happy to be out, they tend to sit way back and take it all in.

With a telephoto lens, the subject and its background will be brought together, giving your images a true sense of scale. As you can see above, the anglers and the background work hand in hand, allowing the viewer to feel the true scope of the canopy. A telephoto lens capable of zoom will allow you to jump in close and grab a tighter view when out at a distance. These situations comprise my primary uses of telephotos glass.

On the downside, a telephoto lens usually has a larger minimum focus distance, requiring you to be further away from your subject when shooting. This specifically comes into play when shooting in tight quarters, such as fishing out of a boat.

When out in the field I carry the Cannon EF 70-200mm F/2.8 lens. While this is my most expensive piece of glass, it offers a variety of options when it comes to shot selection. At about $1500, this one lens will definitely dent the pocketbook a bit, but as with all gear, you really do get what you pay for.

While owning multiple lenses can step your photography game up to the next level, only owning one should by no means be a limiting factor. Learn, play with, and explore your lens's strengths. Your images will become more compelling, and you will find yourself looking at your days on the water in a whole new perspective.

Lee Kuepper is professional guide now calling the Kenai River home. He is a co-owner of Alaska's Angling Addiction, chasing the Kenai's monster kings and fabled trout on a regular basis. He is also a member of Loop USA's prostaff and a Certified Fly Casting Instructor through the FFF.

A new film from the Kokkaffe Media team. A portion of the film explores the Kanektok in Western Alaska. Looks great!

From the Filmmaker:

THOSE MOMENTS is a feature film for the 2015 fly fishing festival cycle, following fly fishing guides on their day off. We start in Alaska with Hawkeye and Zac searching for giant, flesh-eating rainbows on the Kanektok River, then join Torrie and Josie on Andros, Bahamas, for some mellow bonefishing and finish in British Columbia, where Scott and Kara swing for steel on the Dean River.