Alaska: What To Bring

I have to admit part of the fun of going on a fishing trip is deciding what to bring or even better deciding what to buy! Bringing the right gear to Alaska is critical because the fish and weather can be unforgiving on inferior equipment. First and foremost, know what is and isn’t provided for you on your trip. A top notch fly out lodge may provide all your rods, reels and terminal tackle as well as waders and boots while a do it yourself lodge may not provide any of those things. Of course the location and species of fish that you are targeting can dictate what type fly fishing gear to bring and I could write an entire book on that. So, instead lets focus right now on the must bring items. First and foremost good quality outdoor clothing whether it be a good jacket, coat, gloves, pants, thermal underwear, boots etc. Even in summer Alaska can be quite rainy and windy and of course spring steelhead season or fall steelhead/rainbow season can be downright nasty. Polarized sun glasses are also on my must list as much of Alaska fishing is sight fishing and even when it’s not it’s good to protect your eyes from the large flies you could be using. Anywhere in the state, but especially in places like Bristol Bay, bug spray is a godsend! You’ve never experienced how annoying mosquitoes can truly be till you’ve been up here during the summer – not to mention all the no-see-ums. A camera goes without saying as a must bring item and I always make sure to bring a backup digital or just a plain cheap one time use camera in case something goes wrong with my favorite camera. Even though some lodges provide waders and boots I would always recommend bringing your own because of limited size amounts and personal preference in comfort. In fact even if it’s not required bringing your own gear is a good idea. Even though flies and rods for example may be provided it is always fulfilling to catch your dream fish on your own hand tied fly or favorite standby rod. Speaking of flies and fly rods, make sure you do your research on what type of gear you will need. Sounds obvious but I can’t tell you how many fisherman I have had come with 7 weight fly rods for big King Salmon or wanted to fish small dries for trout during the egg drop. If you are on a do it yourself camping or float trip always bring extra food. Alaskan weather can be unpredictable and you could be in a remote location waiting for your plane ride out for a few more days than expected – in which case the extra food will come in handy to say the least! As I mentioned earlier, terminal tackle for each species could be a chapter or book in itself so I will try and make some brief gear suggestions. For smaller King Salmon in smaller water a good fast action 9 weight will suffice but in most cases you’ll wand a 10 weight. An 8 weight will have you covered for Silver Salmon and Chum Salmon as well as large Rainbow Trout in big water and Steelhead. The best all around trout fly rod In my opinion is a 7 weight. A 7 weight fly rod is also a good rod of choice for sockeye salmon. For smaller water however a good trout rod would be your classic 6 weight. Finally make sure to bring an open mind about everything. Take time to smell the roses! Too many people come up with tunnel vision about the fish they want and don’t come to fully appreciate the other things such as scenery, wildlife or just the lack of civilization. Those who do come to appreciate the entire experience always end up with a more memorable trip!