On The Scene

Last year, I investigated Jake's Alaska Wilderness Outfitters Camp and the Nushagak fishery for myself. Arriving there, I found anglers sitting in lawn chairs overlooking the river. "Fishing slow?" I asked. "Nope. We're just resting up for the next wave of fish to come in." said guide Troy Kirchel. "We caught more than 30 kings this morning." The rest period was well advised. Later, four anglers caught 76 kings from 20 to 56 pounds in just four hours. Other than a few that were kept for the smoker, AIl the fish were released unharmed. That evening, as fillet knives flashed in the orange twilight, I sat in one of the lawn chairs lined-up atop the bank of the Nushagak. I watched the closest thing to a sunset that Alaska receives during its summer solstice. Several of the camp's 10 anglers were indulging in a piscatorial "night cap" by catching sockeyes.

"Of course, in the upper river, anglers can expect to catch rainbow trout and arctic grayling. Northern pike to 18 pounds prowl the backwater sloughs. Expect to catch plenty of chum salmon from 6-17 pounds and a few pink salmon. You'll also likely see moose, caribou, fox, an occasional bear, and lots of eagles."

The next morning I was up at 5 am, ready to fish the incoming tide. The camp is within a few miles of saltwater, and as the tide pushes upriver, it causes a switch in current direction. With the current come hundreds of king salmon, all porpoising and splashing, along with thousands of sockeyes.

Meals Fit For A King

Good food, and lots of it, is required to sustain angler energy levels during any king salmon run. And the Alaska Wilderness Outfitters dining hall was an oasis of culinary delights. We feasted on fresh baked cakes and rolls, appetizers, steaks and other meats, fresh-grilled salmon and salads, all prepared by our aptly-named chef, Francis Fish. Of course, the daily fishing action sufficient to burn off all those calories.

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