Travel Tips
Getting to the lodge and what to bring
Plane reservations
- To get to the lodge, you will need to travel to Anchorage, Alaska, (ANC) and then to southwest Alaska’s regional airport in the town of King Salmon (AKN). There are no direct flights from outside Alaska directly to King Salmon. The ANC to AKN flight takes about 1 hour and the cost of each leg varies from $200 to $250.
- In 2022, Alaska Airlines operated two daily round trip flights. The mid-morning flight used a 124 passenger 737-700 and a late-afternoon flight used a 76 passenger E-175 . Each flight takes about an hour and is on the ground in AKN for 1 hour for the turnaround. On the weekends an additional early morning flight was offered.
- In 2021 Ravn Alaska emerged from bankruptcy and ran a combination of randomly scheduled flights and chartered flights between ANC and AKN. This is a option we do not recommend.
Once you arrive at the AKN airport and until you are returned to the AKN airport for your return to ANC, you are covered by our package pricing. You will be met at the airport by our flying service, Branch River Air (BRA).
TSA operates security at the King Salmon airport. They operate with limited staff and tight timelines. They required passengers to be checked in and their bags inspected at least an hour before the scheduled flight. This in turn requires our clients to depart the lodge at least two hours before flight time.
It is essential you arrive in King Salmon on a morning flight and depart on a mid-afternoon flight
Our flying service, Branch River Air (BRA) starts and concludes each day delivering clients to and from remote fishing locations. The middle of the day is when BRA services clients flying to and from the airport to the lodges.
Weather issues, particularly fog, frequently disrupt operations and cause delays. BRA does not fly when the conditions make flying unsafe. BRA tries to fulfill all commitments, but it is not always easy.
For these reasons, we do not allow our guests to schedule flights outside of the parameters of arrival in the morning and departure in the afternoon.
Hotel Reservations
- Overnight accommodations in King Salmon and Naknek are limited. An overnight stay in Anchorage is often the better choice.
- We do not recommend a specific hotel; we recommend an internet search to find the best value hotel with a shuttle service.
Branch River Air
- Once you arrive at the King Salmon airport you will be met by our flying service, Branch River Air (BRA) (907-246-3437).
- They usually allow you to make quick purchases at the local general store, then drive you to the BRA river office and dock.
- Once all the incoming passengers are assembled and a floatplane is available, you will be flown 25 miles north to the Alagnak Lodge dock.
- The flight time is about 25 minutes in the air plus the time to taxi on the water at both ends.
Phone - Internet - Wi-Fi
- The lodge has two mobile phone lines for incoming and outgoing calls for use by the clients and staff. The numbers are 907-287-1265 and 907-287-1266. You are free to use our phones for calls of reasonable length.
- The voice function on your cell phone will not work at the lodge.
- We have satellite internet service and a wi-fi router for sending and receiving e-mails and data. This is not broadband and does not support your smart phone for voice, but it does support text messages and some browsing depending on how many are accessing the service at any given time.
Fishing license
- It is best to go online to the Alaska Fish & Game Online Store (www.adfg.alaska.gov/Store) and follow the instructions to purchase your fishing license. You can add on the King stamp if you will be targeting Kings in July.
- Print out two copies and pack them in different locations.
- Licenses can also be purchased at the airport gift shop upon your arrival in AKN or ANC.
Packing list
- Waterproof hooded jacket suitable for cold and wet conditions
- Layered clothing
- Thermal underwear
- Waders and wading boots (or use ours)
- Gloves and hat
Keep in mind that we offer free laundry service so you will be able to use clothing multiple times.
- Insect repellent and sunscreen (or use ours)
- Polarized sunglasses
- Fishing gear and equipment (or use ours)
- Medicines
- Camera and charger
- Alcohol / tobacco
- Suitable footwear
- Fishing License
- Checks or cash
Gear the lodge has available
- We have a good supply of quality waders and boots in good condition. We are adding to this inventory every year. We may not have an exact fit, but we should be able to come reasonably close.
- We usually have sufficient casting, spinning and fly rods and reels to accommodate all clients.
- Not all boats carry all the various rods and reels at all times.
- Please let us know in advance through the guest information form the lodge gear you plan to use so the guide can have them available for your use.
- We try to anticipate the number of rods and reels that will be damaged in the course of the season. We could be short on some things given the length of time it takes to get replacements.
- We have a well-stocked fly tying area and a good selection of flies and terminal tackle available for the use of our clients.
- All this is available for your use at no additional charge
Gear you may want to bring
- If you have fishing equipment you are comfortable with and fits you correctly, you really should bring it.
- If there is something you think you really cannot do without, bring it.
- While our equipment is of good quality, it may not fit your preferences or be your exact size.
- We are trying to help you avoid the extra fees often imposed by airlines. Keep that in mind as you select what to bring with you.
Fly Rods, Reels and Lines
The lodge will provide the rods, reels, lines and terminal tackle you need. If you want to bring your own, you should do so. Here is a broad overview of what is appropriate for fly fishing the Alagnak River watershed.
Kings
- Rod: 8-11 weight
- Reel: High quality with dependable disc drag system, min. 200 yards of 30lb backing
- Line: 24ft, 300-400 grain sink tip. Shooting head systems are also popular.
- Spey Rod: 12.5 to 14ft; 8 to 10 weight
- Spey Reel: Min. 100 yards of 30lb backing
- Spey Line: Skagit belly line with 300-400 grain sink tip
Silvers, Chum, Sockeyes, Pinks
- Rod: 8.5 or 9ft, 7-8-9 weight
- Reel: Single action with a good drag system
- Line: Floating lines and 13ft sinking tip Type III lines are most productive
- Spey Rod: 12.5 to 14ft; 7 - 8 weight
- Spey Line: Windcutter type line or full floating Skagit line
Rainbows
- Rod: 8.5 or 9ft, 5-7 weight
- Reel: Single action with min. 75 yards of 20lb backing
- Line: 13ft Type V sink tip for streamer, sculpin or leech patterns. Weight forward floater (dry) for dead drifting dry flies and egg patterns, skated dry flies, and deer hair mice.
Flies & Terminal Tackle
Guides tie and provide their own flies as part of their service to you. However, many of our guests like to tie and use their own flies. At the Alagnak Lodge, we maintain a well-stocked fly- tying area available to all at no additional charge. Enjoy the instant gratification of tying a fly then using it catch a great fish.
We use various lures and spinners for the casting and spinning rods. We supply these, but you can always try out some of your own.
