The Bristol Bay River Academy is now planning for its sixth year. The mission of the Academy is to impart to the youth of Bristol Bay - the joy of fly fishing, the practices of a professional fishing guide, the skills needed to work at a fishing lodge, an appreciation of the habitat complexity of the Bristol Bay salmon ecosystem and an understanding of the conservation tools available to protect that ecosystem. The annual Academy accepts 12 to 15 participants.
How You Can help - Sponsor a Participant
There is no charge to the young people accepted into the Academy. There is no charge for the assistance we provide to graduates of the Academy who want to pursue opportunities to work in conservation or the recreational fishing community of Bristol Bay. We can do this because of the the generous support of many individuals, businesses and organizations. A simple way to help is to sponsor an academy participant for $250. That donation helps cover the cost of air transportation for a participant from his or her village to the lodge hosting the academy.
You can donate online directly here --------------> DONATE
If you are an Alaskan resident you can provide a donation to the Academy by designating the Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust for a portion of your Permanent Fund Dividend under the Pick, Click, Give program.
If you are interested in helping in other ways email us.
Help us create opportunities for the next generation of Bristol Bay residents that are linked to healthy fish habitat.
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on Thursday, 27 February 2014.
Posted in Article, Video
Former Alaska State Senator, Rick Halford speaks about the conservation movement, the Pebble Mine, and protecting the resource in the last place we have it on this planet.
A behind the scenes look at filming this incredible bear diving segment from Discovery Channel's North America. I never knew they would go down that deep, but we all know how resourceful these brown bears can be in order to get their salmon dinner. Enjoy.
A really great video montage from the 2013 season at Mission Lodge, with some fantastic timelapse video and underwater footage. This gives you a small taste of the experience at a fly out lodge in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
I've been seeing these really cool fish illustrations pop up on the Fly Out social media feeds for the past year or so from an Andrea Larko. I kept seeing these really unique pieces of digital art, paintings, color pencil, etc. I'm not an artist (in the traditional sense), but her work really struck me. I asked Andrea if we could do a progression series on AlaskaFlyOut.com with a steelhead piece she would be commissioned to do. The video above is the result.
Find out more about this super talented artist at AndreaLarko.com. And, you can purchase Andrea's art at her etsy site.
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on Friday, 21 February 2014.
Posted in Article, Video
The 2nd video episode from Ultima Thule Lodge's Beyond Series just hit the interweb. This particular episode focuses on the vast wilderness where UTL sits, which happens to be the largest protected land mass in the world. Stop and think about that for a minute. That sheer size of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is hard to fathom. While were were shooting this series, that was the one thing that really stuck with me. I came away from that trip thinking that I had finally seen "True Wilderness".
Watch the previous episode from the BEYOND SERIES.
Brad Waitman at Igiugig Lodge graciously invited us to his lodge for a couple days of fishing and filming for our recent fly fishing film, Long Live the King. Located at the mouth of the Kvichak River and the outlet of Alaska's famous Lake Iliamna, sits his humble, family-run fishing lodge. The beach front location on the giant lake makes it feel you are on the ocean somewhere - maybe the Oregon Coast. Waves were licking the shore, and we really felt like we were out there - in the REAL Alaska. Brad runs a small operation, hosting just 4-6 guests per week. Brad is a pilot and a guide. So, he flies a Cessna 206 to many different fisheries in Bristol Bay and Katmai National Park, where he puts his 29+ years of Alaska guiding experience to work for you. The truth is, the guy is a fish hound. I mean he is fish nuts! One of those guys that has a sixth sense, and just knows how find fish, with every type of tackle and skill level. We asked Brad to try put us on King Salmon on fly rods on the very large Nushagak River, which does not naturally lend itself to fly fishing. Nevertheless, Brad was able to put us in the right spots at the right time for outstanding success. Nothing like having an ocean bright King Salmon tearing line off your reel at slack tide!
In addition to Brad's skills as a guide/pilot, he and his wife Brenda were incredibly generous hosts. The family atmosphere, good home-cooking, and comfortable accommodations made for a fantastic apres-fish experience. If you're looking for serious fishing, comfortable accommodations, with a first-class family owned lodge - consider Igiugig Lodge.
Homewater - Located on the Kvichak River, their operation is based on one of the most productive fisheries in Bristol Bay for both salmon and giant rainbows. When weather doesn't allow you to fly, it will not affect your day of fishing. It just might improve it.
Small Group Exclusivity - The lodge is available as exclusive with just 4 anglers.
Serious Anglers Take Note - If you're interested in fishing and fishing hard for a solid week, you've found the right place. If you want to swing for the world's hottest rainbows on the Kvichak with one of Alaska's most experienced guides, Igiugig Lodge.
Price - As a Bristol Bay operation offering fly outs, Igiugig Lodge's week rate sits at a modest $6,200. With special pricing available through us at Fly Out. Questions? Contact Us
Brad Waitman at 