FISHING REPORT
ANGLER: Stan Masneri
TRIP: Alaska Wilderness Fishing Excursion
CONSULTANT: Patrick Kissel | Outdoors International
August 2-15, 2020
We did a 14 day, 95 mile unguided float trip down the Kwethluk River in Alaska.
The weather was typically Alaskan. Pouring rain to Perfect sunshine. We had planned to do the 100 mile Kanektok River, but with Covid this year, the natives in Quinhagak did not allow any outsiders into their village. So we chose the Kwethluk as an alternate. As a ‘Plan B’ river,the Kwethluk was everything we could have hoped for. The campsites were plentiful with sufficient firewood, and the salmon fishing is good.
What it lacked in adrenaline excitement, it made up for in scenic beauty and quality fishing.
Normally we like to book fishing trips on rivers that offer a good bit of Class III and Class IV rapids, where the Kwethluk is never more than Class II.
The top 20 miles and the bottom 15 miles were not the best fish producers, I understand that the silver run did not materialize as it normally does. But the middle 60 miles was full of grayling and rainbows, with spawning salmon found in many of the back channels.
Our outfitter handled everything perfectly for us.
We shipped two pallets of gear over to Bethel from Anchorage including our raft, frame, and oars
. The outfitter picked it up from the freight company and had it waiting for us in their own hangar. Our personal assistant, Avery, met us at the airport, drove us to their hangar, helped us unpack the pallets, weigh everything, and repack for the flight in their Beaver.
After the trip he also helped us re-pallet everything and dropped it off at he freight company for its return to Anchorage. All-in-all a very smooth and seamless operation. Everyone we dealt with from the owners to the pilots were very helpful.
Fishing Report
Patrick Kissel is our Outdoors International Fishing Consultant. Patrick was initially helping us attempt the Kanektok River in 2018, but the rains that year had completely flooded out the western rivers. We were allowed to keep our deposit on account until such time as we would want to try again. This happened in 2020 and again we were to fail on our Kanektok attempt due to CoVid 19.
We were thankful that Outdoors International hooked us up with a great outfitter because they were able to find us an acceptable alternate on short notice. Overall the two year process to get this float in was seamless and worry free. Just like it should be. – thank you, Stan Masneri
- Overall, my Alaska adventure was a great experience.
- My outfitter’s communication before, during and after the trip was good.
- Physically, the trip was moderate.
- The accommodations were good.
- Would you book another trip with us in the future? Yes.
- Can we use your stories and/or photos on our website? Yes.
- Can we use this in social media? Yes.
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I expected big trout on this trip based on all the stories I've read over the years, and I was not disappointed! I broke my own personal best rainbow trout record at least SIX times on this trip, with the biggest being a 16 pound beauty.
I will be going again soon!
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