Lake Aleknagik sits at the bottom of the Wood-Tikchik State Park. Watch the ice come off the lake as we approach the 2012 season at Tikchik Narrows Lodge.

By Matt Spence, Executive Chef

Hello, my name is Chef Matt Spence, and I would like to introduce a new area to the TNL blog – the culinary aspect of your fishing trip to Alaska! I have worked as an executive chef at fishing lodges in Alaska for the past 14 years with the last several at Tikchik Narrows Lodge. Our culinary program is all-inclusive to your trip with breakfast lunch and dinner consisting of Alaskan favorites such as salmon, halibut, and Alaskan king crab legs. At Tikchik, we offer two entrees for each dinner that is chosen for each night on your arrival. The kitchen staff and myself will start you out with a combo plate of savory salmon and a ginger marinade flank steak served with maple mashed sweet potatoes and green bean sauté. Each meal is served with a starter course of soup or salad and a fresh dessert made by our pastry chef with fresh baked breads. From the fresh salmon to the potato encrusted halibut with a roasted red pepper cream sauce, each meal is made from scratch using the finest local ingredients supplemented with our own fresh herbs and greens from the greenhouse we have on property.

On the first morning, you will start off your day with a hearty breakfast, featuring sourdough blueberry cakes or our version of eggs Benedict using homemade smoked salmon and dill hollandaise sauce. After breakfast, you get ready for your fly out trip to fish the surrounding waters of the Wood-Tikchik State Park and surrounding Bristol Bay watershed. Your lunch consists either of pre-made sandwiches and fresh baked cookies or you can choose to have your well-trained guides prepare an authentic Alaskan shore lunch – where you catch your own meal of salmon, lake trout, or char. A shore lunch is prepared on-site with a large variety of styles and presentations. This is a unique Alaskan experience that I recommend for your stay.

After a wonderful day of fishing and camaraderie, you will arrive back to the lodge where you will be greeted with your favorite beverage along with a hors d’oeuvre hour up in the main lodge. Again, with our hors d’oeuvres we try to use the products Alaska has to offer, including Smoked salmon canapés and a fresh salmon gravlax with mustard sauce. Each day there is something new for you to try – even sushi made fresh from our kitchen. I take pride in serving you the best of the best. Each dinner concludes with a delectable dessert offering from the pastry chef that can include bananas foster and the traditional baked Alaska served flambé.

I hope to provide pictures and recipes for future “Chef’s Corner” blog posts. I look forward to seeing all of our guests at the lodge again this summer. And, I am excited about where we are going with the culinary program at Tikchik for the 2012 season with some new entrees and recipes.

Home Is Where The Heart Is Fish Are

By Cory Luoma

In my last article, 5 Reasons Tikchik Sits At The Top, I wrote that the TNL’s “homewater” deserves its own blog post. Well, I decided to follow up with that.

Often times, Alaska fly out lodges are criticized for not being able to fish during times of poor weather and no-fly conditions because of their lack of “homewater”. That is, fishable waters close to the lodge. Many operations can boast excellent riverside homewater like the legendary Kvichak, Naknek, or Alagnak Rivers. However, very few can offer the variety of homewater fisheries of Tikchik Narrows Lodge, thanks to the incredible Tikchik Lake system that the lodge sits amid. Here’s my short list for TNL’s best homewater fishing.

1. The Narrows

The short “river” that connects Nuyakuk and Tikchik Lakes. This bottleneck is the founding fishery for which Tikchik Narrows Lodge was built. We won’t talk numbers, but when you hit it right, you’ll never forget it.

2. Sad Face

The dramatic cliff of Sad Face and the surrounding formations is just the backdrop to this back slough secret. It is common to catch 40”+ Northern Pike in this area, and it’s only a short boat ride from the lodge.

3. The Falls

See photo below. Enough said.

4. Northwest Passage

Another short river connecting Lakes Chauekuktuli and Nuyakuk in the Tikchik system, the NW Passage offers incredible fishing for Arctic Char, Lake Trout, Arctic Grayling, and the occasional Rainbow.

5. Allen River

Just across the lake from the NW Passage is the legendary Allen River. You won’t find any trophy trout up the Allen, but the scenery and remote setting is unmatched. You can catch Arctic Grayling on dry flies in a dreamlike slot canyon squeezed between two waterfalls. And of course, enjoy the picnic.

6. Tikchik River

Just a short boat ride away from the lodge is one of TNL’s smokin’ aces for trophy Rainbow Trout. During the sockeye spawn, large to very large lake Rainbows follow the salmon up the river to gorge on eggs. The lodge doesn’t own the Tikchik River, but they might as well with its close proximity and zero crowds.

Honorable Mention: The Islands, Caribou Slough, Strike Zone, Mirror Bay

We don’t ever bad-mouth our competition as there are many great lodges and guide services throughout Alaska. Tikchik has the upmost respect for the sport fishing community here in SW AK. However, we are constantly asked about what makes Tikchik Narrows Lodge special. Well, from a guide’s perspective, I’ll give you the 5 reasons why Tikchik stands above the rest. 

1. Scenic Location - Tikchik’s location is one of the most spectacular in all of Alaska. The dramatic scene surrounding the lodge is difficult to match. Perched on an isthmus, the lodge overlooks two incredible lakes connected by a short “river” (The Narrows) for which the lodge is named. The Kilbuck Mountains loom in the west, and stunning rock formations line the eastern horizon. When you’re sitting on your front porch after a long day of fishing, you’re not overlooking alder-filled jungle, nor are you watching jet boats flying by on a busy river. It’s quiet, and calm. And, those who have been there know that this serenity is part of the experience at TNL.

2. Uncrowded Variety – Being located on the western watershed of Bristol Bay, Tikchik only sees a fraction of the lodge traffic that those of the Kvichak River, Naknek River, and Katmai fisheries. Yet, TNL enjoys the same world-class fishing opportunities. Our guests and guides rarely have to race to any special hole or fishery. In addition, Tikchik has exclusive and semi-exclusive guiding permits for some very special waters. See the lodge density map below.

3. Lodge Culture – At Tikchik Narrows Lodge, the guests mingle with the guides, hospitality staff, pilots, and everyone who happens to be a part of the Tikchik family that particular week. This creates a dynamic environment where many different people of varying backgrounds share the Alaska experience together. Many lodges/operations quarantine their staff from the guests during après-fish as if their presence will spoil the enchantment of AK. Tikchik employs the opposite philosophy, and it has become central to the tradition.

4. Evening Fishing Reports – As many of you know, after dinner at Tikchik head guide, Chip King, directs a series of fishing reports from each party that went out that day. In doing this, guests get an honest review of the waters, guides, and overall experience that others enjoyed. If the king salmon fishing was slow, everyone gets the skinny. If it was 100-fish day on the Upper Nushugak, each guests hears the report after dinner. There are no secrets. This type of transparency helps our fishing program focus on providing the best fishing experience for each guest.

5. Elite Flexibility – With 4 planes and over 40 boats stashed all over Bristol Bay, Tikchik Narrows Lodge has unmatched mobility in a 1.5 million acre wilderness park. Three DeHavilland Beavers and one Cessna-206 can easily accommodate all of our guests for daily fly outs. In Alaska, you have to take what the weather, waters, and environment gives you. Tikchik’s aircraft, boats, and other resources allow them to shuffle guests, change fisheries, and exhibit flexibility in a generally unforgiving Alaska wilderness. Additionally, TNL’s diverse homewater is the best insurance policy you can have against no-fly weather conditions (Note: Tikchik homewater deserves it’s own article).

To me, all of these things are part of what makes up the “Legend of Tikchik”. I am sure that many past guests could add to this list. You can write why you think Tikchik stands out on our Facebook Page.

1. If you’re fishing from a boat, try to pull over to the side of the river, and get out on shore. This way, you can hold the fish over water instead of the floor boards of a jet boat. Plus, you have the Alaska scenery in the background of the photo rather than an outboard motor.

2. Have the guide hold the netted fish in front of you and submerged in 1-2 feet of water so you can easily kneel down and pick it up. This gives you a chance to get the desired grip while the fish is recovering in the water. A good guide will make sure that the net is out of the photo frame.

3. Hold the fish with a semi-firm handshake. You can hold large trout and salmon under the belly and at the notch of the tail. Try to keep your hands from covering the side of the fish you are taking a picture of. I like to put my right thumb on top and in front of the dorsal fin. This keeps my fingers on the backside of the fish. Don’t squeeze to hard. . . It’s just a picture after all.

4. Tilt the fish toward the ground about 15 degrees (not toward the sky). This is a little trick that prevents that reflection that you can get off the scales of the fish. By doing this, the unique colors and texture of a trout or salmon will show in the photo.

As seen on the Outdoor Channel.

Last Summer Tikchik hosted Wounded Warrior Chad Fleming and Orion Multi Media Production Company the week of June 25 through July 2nd, 2011. We were filming a fishing episode (or two) for the Ford Fishing Frontiers Series to be aired on the Outdoor channel sometime this winter (We will let you know when it will air).

Emmy Award-winning Orion Multimedia sent a crew of 2 photographers, a director/
photographer along with anglers Chad Flemming, from Tuscaloosa, AL and Max Collier, from Alexandria, VA. The production team was incredible with amazing Hi-tech equipment. They shot a lot of flying footage with cameras mounted on the outside of the beaver. They had a mini remote-controlled helicopter with a camera mounted on it. They shot footage of the anglers fighting a fish from all angles. The mini helicopter would hover just outside of casting range, looking back at the anglers. It was very cool to watch.

The camera team was very professional and fun to work with. On our first morning of fishing, Chip guided Chad and Max in the Narrows right in front of the lodge. They were catching Lake Trout and Char on streamers. After just two hours the production team announced they had enough fishing action for one episode. That did not stop them from filming, and it certainly did not stop Chad and Max from catching a bunch of fish. Throughout the week they fished several different locations for different species of trout and salmon.

The production team shot a lot of footage of the crew and facilities, aerial aircraft to aircraft footage, and the activities of the lodge operation. I spoke with one of the cameramen who was editing the footage, as he had some questions about locations. He commented to me that the show turned out awesome.

We all had a lot of fun and it was an honor to host Chad Flemming. In talking with all of the other guests who fished with us that week, they all enjoyed having the production team around, as did our crew. We are excited to see the finished production. We’ll keep you posted for the release of the Ford Frontiers Fishing Show from Tikchik on the Outdoor Channel.

Fishing and Shooting at “The Falls”

Click the link below to listen to the report that the majority of Americans oppose the Pebble Mine.

KDLG: Public Radio for Southwest Alaska

In the November “Angling Report” (a newsletter for the traveling angler), Tikchik Narrows Lodge was featured in a candid review by Joelle Kayden who visited the lodge during our Mother/Daughter week in June. See what she had to say below:

And, finally, subscriber Joelle Kayden is pleased with the two-for-one family trip she and her daughter took to Tikchik Narrows Lodge (907-243-8450; www.tikchiklodge.com) in Alaska this past June, and her enthusiasm for the trip shows in her report. She writes:

“I spent the week of June 24^th at Tikchik Narrows Lodge with my daughter to celebrate her graduation from college. We had an absolutely spectacular vacation, which was a result of superb guides, excellent fishing, and great camaraderie with staff and other guests at the lodge. Tikchik is only accessible by float plane from Dillingham, which is about an hour-and-a-half flight from Anchorage. The setting is breathtaking, as the lodge and its cabins are located on a promontory in Wood Tikchik State Park.

“I am sure many fellow subscribers have fished in Alaska, but for us it was a first. We were very impressed with the skill of the pilots and their ability to handle the logistical complexity of flying 20 guests to different locations each day. The fly-outs were simply amazing. After you leave the lodge and land on a remote river, it’s just you and your guide and fishing companion – and hopefully no bears. You are literally in the middle of nowhere. There was wildlife everywhere, including moose, cranes, and bald eagles.

 “Although it’s hard to sing out our best experience, I have to commend Megan on her skill as a guide. She helped my daughter land a large chum salmon on a 6-weight fly rod. The big salmon hit a secret fly called the Dalai Lama. The whole thing was amazing. I know my daughter and I will be telling our fish tale about that day for years to come. We also had a world-class day with Megan on the Grant River where we walked and waded a breathtakingly beautiful six-mile stretch of the river. We caught so many large rainbows that we began to think of a 20-inch fish as a disappointment. Oh, did I mention that we caught graylings and Dolly Varden as well? My daughter earned the prized Tikchik pin for catching a rainbow larger than 24 inches.

“Lodge owner Bud Hodson runs a first-rate operation. There is no detail that escapes his attention. It is impressive to behold and pleasure to be a guest there. We look forward to returning, although it is hard to imagine having a better trip.”

Thank you Joelle for being a first-rate Tikchik guest! You can subscribe to The Angling Report at http://www.anglingreport.com/.

Props to Veteran Guide Megan Giese

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On Tikchik Narrows Lodge

Float Planes and Jet Boats: Tikchik Narrows Lodge from Cory Luoma on Vimeo.