The float is based on the Kanektok River, which flows directly into Kuskokwim Bay. Famous for its beautifully-marked “Leopard” rainbows, the river also hosts superb runs of all 5 species of Pacific salmon, as well as sea run Dolly Varden and resident grayling.

The river is the perfect size – small enough to wade effectively and do some exciting sight fishing, but large enough to comfortably float down.

Floating Alaska’s Kanektok River is one of the ultimate fishing and wilderness experiences. This scenic river flows through the designated wilderness area of Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR). Most of Alaska’s big game and bird species are common within the TNWR and during your float trip it will be possible for you to see many in their natural habitat.

The Duncan family has spent over twenty-five years developing specialized camps and boats for comfort and convenience. Only the best inflatable boats, tents and camping equipment are used. Each raft features rowing racks, floor boards to stand on while fishing, comfortable seats and anchoring capabilities that allow guests to fish any drift in the river.

You will be flown by a chartered float plane to an isolated wilderness lake (Kagati) surrounded by stately mountains. This is the beginning of a remarkable journey down a small river that has incredible numbers of leopard rainbow trout, Arctic Char, grayling, Dolly Varden, and all five Pacific salmon species. The Kanektok River continually grows in size and changes in character as it flows from the mountains, through the foothills and finally merges with the sea.

When it’s time to load the plane and return, the person going home is a different person than the one that came. He or she has a deeper appreciation of, and respect for, the fishing experience and Alaska’s vast wilderness. These trips are limited to 8 guests, with one guide and two guests per boat. 7 days/6 nights, and 90 miles of pure fun.

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2024 Reservations & Rates

The cost of the week-long Duncan & Sons Float Trip package is $6,400.00 per person

Included in your angling package at the Duncan & Sons Float Trip is transportation to and from camp from Quinhagak, meals (including beer and wine with dinners), lodging, and guiding services on the river.

Not included in your angling package at Duncan & Sons Float Trip are terminal tackle, flies, lures, lines, gratuities, transportation between Anchorage and Kagati Lake, and Quinhagak and Anchorage, fishing license, and any favorite alcoholic beverages.

The Fly Shop® is not in the insurance business, but we recommend Travel Guard coverage as a service with a desire to see your best interests protected. It is impossible to know when an unfortunate situation (loss of luggage, fly rods, illness in the family, or an accident) may occur. However, such things can and do happen, and this insurance can provide a means of recourse against non-refundable financial losses.

Travel Insurance Information

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Seasons at Duncan & Sons Floats

The Kanektok River is one of the very few rivers in all of Alaska that offers world-class rainbow fishing in the same water as ocean-bright salmon.

So often one has to choose a lodge located near trout water, then fly to the coast to catch fresh salmon… making this river a rare exception.

The king salmon run heats up on the Kanektok in June, and lasts well into July. The lower river is fairly wide – spey rods are recommended - and comprised of a series of long, deep beautiful runs, perfect for swing fishing to these brutes. An average king here will be 20-25 pounds, with fish over 40 an everyday possibility. As well, the river's sockeye and chum salmon runs overlap the kings, and offer good sport for those looking for a bit smaller game – sockeyes average 6-8 pounds, and the chums 8-12 pounds. This same early season stretch will also see the river's big leopard rainbows aggressively chasing large streamers – trout in the 2-4 pound range are common, and even larger fish are routinely hooked. Look for the annual upstream migration of sea run dollies to begin in this same time period, making this is a great mixed bag time of year.

As July segues into August, two major events occur. First, hordes of chrome silver salmon invade the river, their sheer numbers inundating every slow pool and calm backwater in the river. These aggressive-to-the-fly battlers are a flyrodder's dream, averaging 6-12 pounds, and willing to take surface poppers as well as streamers. Secondly, as all of the earlier-run salmon are now laying eggs, or dying and decomposing, the river's trout populations are taking up sharply defined feeding positions; anglers can either catch big numbers of good-sized rainbows (and dollies) in shallow spawning redds behind procreating salmon, or plop heavy flesh patterns against the banks behind drowned alders in search of fewer, but larger specimens. This will remain the drill into September, when the camps close down.

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Getting to Duncan & Sons Floats

Upon arrival to Kagati Lake you will be met by several camp representatives, who will transfer you and your luggage to awaiting rafts and begin your float downriver.

Guests arrive in Bethel the evening before the float starts, spend the night, and leave for the float the following morning. The scenic flight ends at Kagati Lake, where you will be met by the float staff. They'll load you

and your luggage into their state-of-the-art rafts, and begin the 90-mile float downriver to the village of Quinhagak, where the river meets the ocean. Departure from Quinhagak to Bethel to Anchorage is on the last afternoon of the float. Anglers can choose between departing Anchorage late ?evening to begin their journey home, or overnighting and starting fresh the next morning.

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Lodging at Duncan & Sons Floats

This is truly a one-of-a kind experience. You will view gorgeous, pristine Alaskan scenery just the way Mother Nature made it.

Since the wilderness status of the area does not allow permanent structures, the float uses top-quality tents, with comfortable cots for sleeping. Beautiful vistas and great food round out this remote top-notch trout operation.

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Fishing at Duncan & Sons Floats

Fishing with Duncan & Sons on the Kanektok is an all day event.

Your Alaskan experience will start with a flight on a DeHavilland Beaver through the scenic Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR). This flight will be chartered through Papa Bear Adventures, out of Bethel. Dave Duncan and Sons has been operating within the TNWR since before it was established in 1982. The TNWR is an extremely unique area that provides

some of the best fishing and wilderness opportunities available today. We should all feel privileged to experience an area that is as unique and unchanged as the TNWR is.

On the first day of your trip, each angler will be given two waterproof "dry bags", as well as a Thermorest mattress. The Thermorest air mattress that we provide is self inflating. Remember, in Alaska, a sunny day can quickly turn into a rainy one, so it is good to keep your rain gear close at hand regardless of what the day looks like in the morning.

The guides will get up at 6:00am each morning and will have coffee ready by 6:30am. We serve breakfast at 7:00am and are usually on the river by 8:30am. Around 12:00pm we will stop for a deli-style lunch along the river. Usually camp is set up for the day between 5:00pm and 5:30pm.

What Makes This Destination Special and Unique?

• The Duncan family has been fishing the Kanektok River since the 80’s. These guys know the water like no other, insuring great fishing for you, throughout the week.

The Lower Camp is located just 15 miles above tidewater. They have endless “swing” runs for ocean-bright king and chum salmon, and numbers of bays and slow pools that stack up with fresh silver salmon. You’ll be fishing to chrome colored salmon in prime fighting shape, straight from the sea. •

• The Kanektok is one of the rare rivers that has all five species of Pacific salmon, along with world-class rainbow trout fishing. From the Lower Camp you can fish tidewater salmon one day, and follow up with trophy leopard rainbow trout fishing the next, fish that commonly stretch between 24 and 30 inches.

• Few rivers rival the lower reaches of the Kanektok to swing fish for king salmon. Guides here were responsible for developing some of the first double-handed techniques for chinooks, methods which still work well today. Swinging for kings here is as good as it gets.

• The Kanektok is a very diverse fishery. Anglers can target rainbow trout, sea run Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling, and pacific salmon, all in one week.

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Making Reservations to Duncan & Sons Float Trips

To make a reservation, please give us a call at 800-669-3474 during business hours (Monday - Friday • 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM), or email us at travel@theflyshop.com anytime. We can give you the answers you need, detailed explanations to questions you might have, or check on availability and confirm your reservation in minutes.