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• The Top 10 Best Fishing Lodges in Bristol Bay, Alaska
• February 24, 2021
• Opinion , Sportfishing hotspots

Fishing lodges in Bristol Bay Alaska offer the adventurous fly fisherman some of most amazing fishing opportunities in North America. Alaska’s Bristol Bay is home to the world’s largest salmon run. This sprawling watershed of winding streams and rivers, vast wetlands and tundra, forests of alder and spruce, is referred to as “America’s Fish Basket” because it is one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. All five species of Pacific salmon—sockeye, king, silver, chum, and pink—spawn and rear in the Bristol Bay watershed, supporting wildlife like brown bears and eagles, as well as human industry and culture.

From r ustic fishing camps that are all about hardcore fishing to luxurious off-the-grid lodges, like everywhere in Alaska there is a good selection of fishing lodges in Bristol Bay. With so many options for catching salmon in Bristol Bay as well as rainbow trout, steelhead, cutthroat trout or any of the numerous species available), we poured through our directory of Bristol Bay fishing lodges and compiled a list of the top 10 best fishing lodges in Bristol Bay by analyzing:

• customer ratings
• quality of food, accommodations, boats and gear
• value for the money
• customer service

We’ll review and update this list periodically. For now, may we present the best of the best in Bristol Bay Alaska, in no particular order:

Becharof Rapids Camp

Quite simply, Becharof Rapids Camp is a fly fishing paradise. They have so little fishing pressure on the River with only two small camps on the entire drainage. Float Plane access is limited so you will never feel crowded. They put you in the middle of the world’s largest salmon run, in one of the most remote and unspoiled places in all of Alaska. This is Salmon fishing Nirvana.

• Freshwater (rivers)
• Fly fishing

What makes it unique

• They have so little fishing pressure on the River with only two small camps on the entire drainage.
• Each year only 114 people in the world get to participate in this remote all-inclusive fly-in fishing adventure of a lifetime.
• 1.5 miles downstream from Becharof Lake (2nd largest lake in Alaska).
• 800K-1.2 million annual sockeye run.

Alaska Trophy Adventures Lodge

Situated on one of the most iconic sections of the Alagnak river known as the “Upper Braids”, Alaska Trophy Adventures Lodge is another really remote lodge that provides a whole lot of luxury, and great prices translating into considerable value. The property consists of 160 acres of prime river frontage, so it’s guaranteed to be uncrowded. They are only accessible via bush plane, and have their own landing strip.

• Freshwater (lakes)
• Fantastic access to one of the best salmon and rainbow trout fishing rivers in the world.
• Luxury surrounded by complete, vast, raw Alaska wilderness.
• Close proximity to Katmai National Park – World’s largest protected brown / grizzly bear population.

Angler's Alibi

Angler’s Alibi is a “high-end” remote fishing camp that doesn’t feel like a typical rustic fishing camp. Tents that feel like a building (carpeted wood floors!), electric perimeter fence and fantastic food prepared by world-class chef. We especially like the low 2:1 guest-to-guide ratio. Their location on the tidewater section of the Alagnak River means great fishing right off the shoreline and the dock.

• Their location is remote – no roads or crowds…just unbelievable fishing, spectacular scenery, and an abundance of wildlife.​
• Angler’s Alibi is located on the tidewater section of the Alagnak River. This location allows for great fishing right off our shoreline, even right off the dock!
• The Bristol Bay Watershed is the only designated trophy trout area in the state. Angler’s Alibi guests can target trout on the fly in this world-class watershed—a must for any angler’s bucket list.

Alaska Kingfishers

Only open for a few weeks during the prime time of the bountiful Salmon runs, this fishing camp is all about the fish. Lots of strong, energetic king, chum and sockeye salmon in almost unimaginable numbers.

Alaska Rainbow Adventures

These multi-day wilderness float fishing trips are for the hard-core anglers (of all experience levels) who demand world-class freshwater fly fishing with extraordinary attention to detail and some of the finest guides in the business. Fish on remote rivers (Arolik, Kanektok, Goodnews, Togiak, Alagnak, Moraine and more) at the peak of the salmon runs or during times when availability is highest for native species like the rainbow trout. You’ll also have increased time on the water (after all you couldn’t be any closer to the fishing as you’ll camp right on the river at the best available fishing holes) and cover more water, where jet boats and airplanes simply cannot go.

• They offer premier multi-day wilderness float fishing trips on Alaska’s best waters.

River King Outfitters

In a remote location on the Nushagak River in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The Nushagak River is home to one of the the largest King Salmon runs anywhere in Alaska. River King Outfitters provides mind blowing, uncrowded, world class fishing on traditional tackle & on the fly.

• The Nushagak River is home to the LARGEST King Salmon run anywhere in the state of Alaska! With other regions in Alaska battling depleted salmon runs and large crowds why fish anywhere else?
• Their remote location on the Nushagak River provides mind blowing, uncrowded, world class fishing on traditional tackle & on the fly.

Bearclaw Lodge

Bearclaw Lodge is in Bristol Bay and is a full-service, family-owned lodge in Alaska that offers the finest amenities for your trip. Despite being in the heart of the Alaska bush (with a spectacular backdrop of mountains), you can choose a main cabin or camp experience, and both are quite deluxe. The fishing goes without saying!

• A remote lakefront location, Bearclaw lodge can only be reached by boat or floatplane.
• You have access to all five lakes in the 1.6 million acre Wood-Tikchik State Park, the largest state park in the U.S.
• We’re able to offer varied Alaska fishing packages because we have multiple locations for fishing: Lake Aleknagik AND the Nushagak River.

Jake's Nushagak Salmon Camp

Jake’s Nushagak Salmon Camp is all about the fish. Not only are they right on the world-famous Nushagak river, but their whole operation revolves around catching huge numbers of huge King and Silver salmon. Comfortable tents, hearty meals, and that’s about it…except for very knowledgable guides and and an “it’s YOUR trip” philosophy. With 19 hours of daylight in the summer, you really won’t find any place where you can catch more.

Alagnak Lodge

At the Alagnak Lodge you will enjoy an adventure that is all about you. This is a wilderness fishing lodge on tidal waters where the genetically pure salmon arrive on the incoming tides. We provide everything you need so you can make wonderful lifelong memories. Our mission is to deliver to you the wonderful experience you seek at a great value. You will have a lot of control over how you spend your days.

• Fish when you want for up to 10 hours daily from morning through evening.
• A true wilderness – the entire Alagnak River watershed is protected as an unspoiled wilderness. Our genetically pure salmon are wild from birth to spawning.
• With a capacity of up to 20 clients we are large enough to accommodate extended family and business groups.
• The twice daily tides deliver the fresh from the saltwater fish close to our lodge.
• The lodge provides the up to date amenities and services you expect while remaining true to its heritage as a fishing camp. It delivers comfort and a top notch experience while maintaining an upscale fishing camp experience.

King Salmon Outfitters

King Salmon Outfitters is one of the original sport tent camps on the Nushagak River. They have comfortable, dry accommodations and deluxe cots with memory foam mattresses, hot shower, 24 hour electricity for freezing your catch, CPAP, and other electronics as needed.

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Bristol Bay Fishing Lodge

When you think of fishing in Alaska, your mind conjures images of remote primal landscapes where scores of teeming fish gather in abundance. Fishing in Alaska is a fully immersive experience. Alaska Trophy Fishing Safaris is a Bristol Bay fishing outfit that turns your imagination into reality.

Our Alaska family-owned and operated fishing camp is located in Bristol Bay, surrounded by some of the most remote frontier country in North America. When you visit our fishing location, you never have to worry about combat fishing or scarcity of fish.

Your fishing adventure will take place on the Mulchatna River, which is remote even by Alaskan standards. The Mulchatna is considered “one of the last great wild salmon strongholds.” The Bristol Bay fishery remains the best place in the world to target hard-fighting ocean-bright king salmon in their natural habitat. Anglers at our Bristol Bay fishcamp routinely catch hundreds of fish of varying species per day from only six to eight fishing boats.

Other targeted species besides king salmon:

• Sockeye salmon
• Coho (silver) salmon
• Chum salmon
• Pink salmon
• Rainbow trout

Dolly Varden

• Arctic grayling
• Arctic char
• Northern pike

Are you ready for an Alaskan angling experience that exceeds your imagination? Contact us today and book your next fishing adventure with Alaska Trophy Fishing Safaris.

About our location in Bristol Bay

When you fish with the pros at Alaska Trophy Fishing Safaris, you are entirely immersed in a wild and pristine environment virtually untouched by human hands. The only way to truly understand it is to experience it for yourself. Our home is special and will touch all of your senses in ways that are difficult to describe.

Many people are familiar with the Nushagak River, which is the main artery of the Bristol Bay River System. However, few people understand that the Mulchatna River flows from Lake Clark National Park and the tributaries from the Lake Iliamna foothills, and to the north, the Tikchik Lakes. All of these tributaries flow to Bristol Bay.

Alaska Trophy Fishing Safaris is located in the heart of Bristol Bay watershed surrounded by prominent headwaters. This is some of the most pristine, remote, and pure wilderness that Alaska has to offer. We are also one of the only outfits on the Mulchatna River. The exclusivity of our location cannot be overstated. We have no significant competition along more than 250 miles of river.

This means you will enjoy a true Alaskan wildlife wilderness experience in a place where the water actually turns black because there are so many fish. Guests at our Bristol Bay fish camproutinely see brown bears, caribou, moose, wolves, wolverines, eagles, ospreys, kingfishers, and waterfowl while enjoying their time on the river.

Watch these videos

The Carlin Family Story - Our Life in Alaska

“Like most Alaskans, we were drawn to the wanderlust of the Last Frontier and the sense of adventure that encompasses the 49th state. Little did I know three decades ago that my passion for fishing would turn into an Alaskan lifestyle for me and my Family.

I was introduced to Alaska at the early age of 18 when I ventured to guide on the remote Mulchatna River, in Bristol Bay. I learned from the best — under the tutelage of Master Guide and legend, Dennis Harms. Even after graduating from the University of Notre Dame, I knew corporate life was not for me. So I continued following my heart and eventually purchased the business from my mentor. It is here, at this exact location, I have worked all the summers of my adult life learning the Bristol Bay fishery, respecting the water, fostering rapport with Alaskan Native elders, and sharing that passion with others for 35 years.

Our exclusive lease in Bristol Bay, in which I have been grandfathered, makes our location extremely unique. We are not part of the “combat fishing” tributaries on the Alaska road system. We are grateful to be the only Alaska-owned and operated fishing outfitter on this 250 mile-long river.

Together with my wife, Melissa, and teenage daughter, McKenna, we work to host memorable Bristol Bay fishing trips, while being respectful and good stewards of the fishery and the river. It has become our home away from home and where many memories have been made, fish stories told, and where legends were born.”

– John Carlin, Alaskan Trophy Fishing Safaris Owner

Come as our Guest...Leave as Part of a Family

All about the fish in bristol bay.

The main reason you travel to a Bristol Bay fishing outfit is to experience some of the best fishing on the planet. What follows is a brief overview of the most popular Alaska fish species we catch at Alaska Trophy Fishing Safarisover our seven-week season. It is not uncommon for our guests to catch a “Grand Slam” of all these species during their stay — and sometimes in one day!

Chinook (king) Salmon

Bristol Bay is hands-down the best king salmon fishery in the world. This is an indisputable fact because the rivers that flow through this region, historically, see an annual return of more than 100,000 king salmon. Wild native king salmon in the Mulchatna River can run anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds and average a whopping 25 to 30 pounds. The kings in Bristol Bay are healthy, bright, and put up an incredible fight. There is a good reason why we call them “Kings.” Anglers at our Bristol Bay fishing camp catch hundreds of kings every single day on only six to eight boats with two anglers apiece. On a good day, Kings can be caught on every drift. On average, we catch around thousands of kings every year during our narrow four-week king fishing window. If you’re serious about catching king salmon free from the combat fishing crowds on other rivers, this is the place to fish.

Sockeye (red) Salmon

The Mulchatna boasts close to world- record sized sockeyes in the 12 to 15 lb. and 30″-34″ range. This strong run is evident as Alaska Fish & Game has increased limit to 10/day over the past few  years.

Coho (silver) Salmon

Bristol Bay is so famous for king salmon that silver salmon are often overlooked. However, the Mulchatna and Nushagak Rivers offer some of the most incredible silver salmon fishing in the state of Alaska. Even better, there is little competition from pink salmon, so it’s possible to target silvers with pinpoint accuracy.

Pound for pound, it’s hard to argue that silver salmon are the hardest fighting fish in the north. The bright chrome coho of the Mulchatna River make hard runs and leap high into the air. Beginning in July, more than 200,000 – 500,000 silver salmon make their way into this part of Bristol Bay every year, and it’s possible to easily target them on fly fishing or traditional gear.

Rainbow Trout

The wild-run rainbows of Bristol Bay grow to more than 10 pounds and put up a tough fight. While you may have caught a rainbow trout in the Lower 48, you’ve never tangled with the rainbow subspecies we catch in the Mulchatna River, which is called the leopard-spotted rainbow trout. Leopard-spotted rainbows are covered with large black spots from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. They are native and indigenous to Bristol Bay waters and have nothing to do with hatchery-stocked fish caught in ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams in other locations. Leopard-spotted rainbows are hardcore predators that attack flies and lures with surgical precison. When you hook into one of these beautiful fish, you will definitely know it.

Arctic Char

Thick and colorful arctic char are yet another large fish you can target in Bristol Bay. As a fish species, char lie somewhere between salmon and trout, with delicious delicate meat that we serve to guests at our fishing campshorelunches. They are a great substitute for eating any rainbow, grayling, or Dolly Varden that live in our system year round.

Similar to arctic char, these fish run a little smaller but are plentiful in Bristol Bay. They exhibit incredible coloration especially in August.

Arctic Grayling

Experienced angels often have arctic grayling on their bucket list of fish. Grayling are plentiful in Bristol Bay and easy to target with a variety of fly patterns.

Northern Pike

Hard fighting pike are a blast on fly tackle or light spinning gear. They’re also toothy so be sure to bring along some wire leaders if you plan on targeting an Alaskan “slough shark.” There are a number of other fish species you may be able to catch when you visit our Bristol Bay fishing camp. If there is something specific you’re after, let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

All about our Bristol Bay fishing camp

We take a lot of pride in offering our guests the Alaskan fishing adventure they’ve always dreamed of. The quality of your experience begins with our incredible staff. We take a service-oriented approach to everything we do, ensuring you get the care attention you need to fully enjoy your fishing trip. Most importantly, every member of our crew loves what they do and their passion for this land and the fish that inhabit it is what sets us apart.

We operate jet boats in shallow water and propeller-driven jon boats in the main river. There are typically two anglers per guide, ensuring you get the help you need to keep catching fish throughout the day. When you include camp personnel, we boast nearly a one-to-one staff to client ratio at Alaska Trophy Fishing Safaris.

We use only the best gear, and our tackle and fly shop is fully equipped.We maintain pricing on par with tackle shops in Anchorage because we don’t believe gouging customers is good business. Our fishing camp is all-inclusive. All you need to bring is rain gear and boots and we will do the rest. If you plan to take some fish back home, you should also bring a cooler.

The fishing camp offers rustic comfort (glamping) in a sturdy wood-framed wall tent cabins with hot showers and access to power. However, most guests at our fishing camp are eager to unplug their phones and enjoy a true wilderness experience, using the opportunity to bond with their kids, grandkids, husbands, wives, business associates or favorite fishing buddies. In fact, guests often share how much closer they feel to their family members after spending quality time at our fishing outfit.Our guest book boasts countless entries of “best family vacation,” “best fishing ever,” and “life changing experience” – true magic happens on the Mulchatna.

All of the meals we serve are top-quality. We prepare shore lunches of char and salmon and enjoy hearty dinners featuring Alaskan crab, steak night, pork loin, and even a special “Thanksgiving Dinner” with all the fixingsat the end of guests’ stay. It’s our way of showing thanks to you and our gratitude for the blessing of working in this special place.

At Alaska Trophy Fishing Safaris, stewardship and sustainability are a key part of our core values. Only a few thousand human beings have ever seen this amazing place we call our summer home and we work diligently to ensure you get to experience it in a pristine, unspoiled environment. We have several return guests that have fished with us since the 1980s and comment on how well the fishing has lasted over the decades. It’s a testament to the lack of pressure on the resource and our commitment to not over harvest to keep the fishery strong for our next generation. This is our home, and we are eager for you to become a part of its history.

Contact us today for the fishing trip of a lifetime

Book your trip with Alaska Trophy Fishing Safaris today and experience the Alaskan vacation of your dreams.

• (907) 299-1598
• [email protected]
• P.O. Box 43 Homer, Alaska 99603
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Salmon Fishing Packages

Fishing packages are all-inclusive at Nushagak River Adventures Lodge where guests choose fishing for king or silver salmon. We can customize your trip if you desire to fish another species. Anglers can expect to fish 8 hours on a regular, full day of guided fishing. The Nushagak River is home to Chinook, sockeye, coho, chum, humpy (on even numbered years), Dolly Varden, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and northern pike. Nushagak River Adventures Lodge is open annually from mid June to mid August with kings abundant during the first half of the season and silvers in the second half. The full lodge is available to rent for groups and makes an ideal team-building trip. Our lodge culture is based on providing a comfortable atmosphere for guests while our staff is friendly, professional, and service focused. Meals are exquisite, fishing is outstanding with expert guiding, and the lodge, cabins, and bathhouse are newly rebuilt and immaculate. Scroll down to learn what’s included in your package.

Fishing Packages are for 4 Days / 4 Nights Fill out the Request Trip Information form and we will contact you. or call 1-877-876-NUSH (6874) for Pricing and information or to Book a Trip.

Discounts Available

Frequent Fisher:

Guests who book 5 stays in 10 years receive a $250 discount for each subsequent annual booking as long as the frequency holds true.

Group Leader:

Organizers of groups of at least 8 will receive a $200 discount from their original price.

Service Member:

A $150 discount is given to Active Military and First Responders, plus all US Military Veterans. Thank you for your service.

To determine if you qualify for any of the above discounts, please send an email to [email protected].

Above discounts are non-combinable. If guest qualifies for more than one discount, we will apply the larger of them.

Packages — What’s Included?

Included in your trip

Flight from Dillingham, AK to Nushagak River Adventures Lodge

Comfortable lodging

Gourmet meals

Daily guided fishing

All bait and fishing gear

Fish packaging

Satellite internet connection

Not included in your trip

Airfare Dillingham, AK from Anchorage

Fishing license with king stamp

Wet weather gear

Fill out the Online Request Form for more information about our Alaska fishing packages and to request open dates.