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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Published By The Angling Report Newsletter

On Tikchik Narrows Lodge

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

Dear Angler,

We have finished up another successful season in Bristol Bay. This summer was much improved over last season, when we had a lot of rain and challenging weather. Although not one of our warmest years, we had very few delays and excellent fishing conditions in most of our fisheries throughout the season.

Please note that our 2012 Rates and Information Brochure is available. Our price will remain the same except a fuel surcharge may apply depending on fuel costs.

Linda, Gabe and I have moved back to Anchorage, Alaska after 6 years in Port Townsend. Thus, I have closed our Port Townsend office, and established my office here in Anchorage. Logistically, it will be easier to operate the lodge living here. I can get started flying earlier in the spring, and of course, have Linda and Gabe closer.

I was very surprised and pleased to see the Nushagak Kings (Chinook) salmon do as well as it did last summer. After a dismal return in 2010, I anticipated a terrible run in 2011, Wow, was I wrong! The Nushagak had a terrific run of King salmon and an epic run of Coho (Silver) salmon. The Togiak King run was down, and although the Kulukuk Kings were a bit late, it also turned out to be a good run with terrific fishing. We operated Sunset camp from June into August with terrific fishing. Karen Moore was back as our Sunset cook and hostess and Brandon Beebe returned for his 6th year at Sunset and David Blanton for his 3rd year.

From an operational point of view, our summer was very smooth. All of my veteran guides and pilots returned and our Executive Chef Matt Spence, produced his awesome cuisine. My manager of hospitality, Carol, made sure our level of service was extraordinary. Head guide Chip King orchestrated each day of fishing with experience and professionalism.

Above all, it was wonderful having so many return guests fish with us yet again and it was a pleasure to meet of the new anglers who we hope to see again. Thank you all for a fantastic season at Tikchik Narrows Lodge.

Sincerely

Bud Hodson Owner/Operator

The President of the Alaska Senate has consistently preached caution in regards to the proposed Pebble Mine and he reiterated those words of caution again during a visit to Dillingham last week. KDLG’s Mike Mason sat down with Gary Stevens for this report.

KDLG: PEBBLE PACKAGE

Every year there is a gap period between the smolt run and the bead drop when a select few Tikchik Guides known as the “PAC Rats” show off some trophy trout. Located in the heart of the Wood-Tikchik chain of lakes is the famed Agulapak River, or the ‘PAC’ as we call it. This is a two mile stretch of river that connects Lake Beverly to Lake Nerka. For a few weeks every summer, the PAC turns into a very challenging tail water. The words Midge and Light Tippet leave anglers shaking their heads in frustration. In this “how to” article, I will discuss some fly patterns and tips to help you land a fish to remember.

THE LEADER

First, I use a hand-tied ten to twelve foot fluorocarbon leader with an aggressive taper from the butt section to the tippet. Tippet has a smaller diameter than the normal tapered leader and as a result, the flies will sink faster and will be in the strike zone longer during your drift. Next, when midge fishing you have to eliminate all drag. The longer leader will allow you to keep your fly line on the reel, which results in less surface drag. Finally, Fluorocarbon is less visible and denser then Monofilament, which is key on the PAC where the fish get a lot of angling pressure.

THE RIGGING

When Nymph fishing, you want the flies to tumble and bounce along the bottom freely. One common oversight I find with a lot of anglers is that they fish with the same indicator depth all day. Because the PAC has both deep buckets and shallow shelves, you need to constantly change the depth of your indicator according to the depth of the water. If you set your depth too long, you will miss strikes due to the slack in your system. On the other hand, if you set your indicator depth too short, you won’t be in the strike zone. A good rule of thumb is you want your indicator to just slightly bounce as it drifts downstream.

There are many different ways to rig your tandem flies but I find that a distance of 15 inches between the split shot and the fly works best. I tie a piece of 5x tippet section with a double surgeon’s knot at the end of the leader to stop the split shot from sliding down the tippet. Attach your first fly, or point fly to the end of your tippet off the bend of the first hook. Then add a second piece of tippet usually 5 or 6x depending on your fly size and attach your second fly, or a dropper fly remembering the 15 inch rule to the end. Typically the leader break down is this: one foot of 15LB, one feet of 12LB, one foot of 10LB, two feet 8LB, and five feet 5LB line.

Now with the spilt shot bouncing on the stream bed, you are able to cover the first 30 inches of the water column with your flies.

THE FIGHT

To allow these tiny flies to drift drag free you will need to use 5 or 6x tippet. Again I use fluorocarbon. On most streams this would be the ‘go to’ sizes of tippet, but when you are targeting 24 plus inch fish this puts you at a huge disadvantage. First set the drag loose, once you hook a fish they will bolt off with runs going into the backing. If you tighten the drag, the fish will easily snap your line. DON’T EVER palm the reel. You have to go after these fish if you want a shot at landing them. Sometimes the fight lasts more the ten minutes. But when you have the Trophy pin at dinner time, it’s all worth it.

THE FLIES

THE DARK KNIGHT

This is my go to fly for the lower buckets. I have hooked and landed fish up to twenty six inches in length on this midge pupa pattern. With midges having black heads, you can use either a glass or metal bead.  The fly is very easy to tie and has great durability. I almost always use the fly as a dropper or last fly.

HOOK: Tiemco 2488SPBL size 24-26

Bead: Matte Black or Black Glass

Thread: Black UTC 70

Rib: small blue wire counter wound

Body: Black UTC 70

Thorax: Black UV Ice Dub

THE REVEREND

This is my favorite fly for the upper flats, where the water is gin clear and moving slower, giving the fish a good look at what they are eating. When we spot and start to sight fish to a big rainbow this is the fly I put on. I will use this pattern as a point fly but find it works best in the second position.

HOOK:  Tiemco 100SPBL size 20-24

Body: Olive UTC 70

COLAR: Grey Ghost krystal flash

HEAD: Black UTC 70

Photo Credits: Jennifer Shupert

Naturally, the remote setting of the lodge is a cause for logistical challenges for attaining fresh produce. However, our chefs and kitchen workers take a lot of pride in serving the best quality food available despite our spectacular wilderness location. Most folks who visit Tikchik already know about the exceptional salmon meals and shore lunches. Just as Mother Earth provides us with beautiful fish, Tikchik has also embraced the fertility of its soil. That is why the lodge has invested in a large greenhouse set to help provide fresh herbs and greens for our guests.

Tikchik always has fresh herbs growing including dill, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, chives, tarragon, and cilantro to name a few. Last year, Ursula (our Sous Chef and head Baker) had a rotational crop of baby lettuce mix, spinach, and arugula growing all season long. It takes about three weeks from planting to picking, but the timing on the rotation allows our lodge to have fresh greens every week!

This is an example of the extraordinary effort that our kitchen staff puts toward the quality of dining at TNL. The organic nature of Alaska and Bristol Bay is infectious. It may sound cliché, but a day on the water has a way of bringing us closer to the elements; nature. There is something very organic about fishing, and we try to exhibit that in our food and our service.