The Fly Shop800·669·3474

GPS Coordinates: 59°7’51.96”N 155°33’24.55”W

Trip Questionnaire: Please click on the link below. This will take you an electronic questionnaire form that we ask you to complete and submit to The Fly Shop. Please be sure to click the “Submit” button at the end of the form. The information provided will help us — and the outfitter best coordinate your trip.

THANK YOU!   Click HERE

Alaska State Sport Fishing License:
The only way to acquire your fishing license is to pre-purchase it online through the Alaska Department of Fish & Game at: http://www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us/license/ Licenses are not available at the lodge, so be sure and have one before you arrive!

Communication at the Lodge:
There is very limited WiFi at the lodge – the super slow bandwidth can’t handle loads at all, so is prone to shutting down.  Texting iPhone to iPhone works pretty well, as does WhatsApp texting and FB messenger. But NO social media at all, it will crash the system.

Gratuities:
Gratuities are a personal decision based on services rendered.  Normally, guides and staff are tipped upon departure, in accordance to their individual effort and service.  In most cases, we like to leave a gratuity with the camp or lodge manager.  A good rule of thumb for an amount to leave is 10 percent of the package cost, which covers the entire staff, including the guides. If you have any questions concerning gratuities, please feel free to call us, or ask the Lodge manager for guidelines.  Please note that Big Ku Lodge is not equipped to take credit cards – please take enough cash or personal checks to cover gratuities and any gift shop purchases.

Electricity at Big Ku Lodge:
Electricity at Big Ku Lodge is provided by a diesel generator during the day, 120V. The lodge also runs an inverter system which delivers 120V electricity all night. If you use a CPAP machine, you can plug it right into the electrical outlet in your room, no battery required.

Contact Numbers:
In the event of an emergency, you should have your office or family first get in touch with The Fly Shop®. Our number here is (800) 669-3474 or (530) 222-3555 or E-mail travel@theflyshop.com.

The direct phone number to Royal Wolf Lodge, sister lodge to Big Ku Lodge:
Toll free: (866) 428-1842 or Alaska lodge number: (907) 205-5253. This is a Voice Over Internet Protocol phone.

• Nate Morris (541) 993-0577 | nate@royalwolf.com
• Bill Betts (719) 371-6177 | bill@iliamnariverlodge.com
• Lake & Peninsula Airlines is located at Merrill Field Airstrip at 1740 E. 5th Avenue, Anchorage, AK  99501 (907) 345-2228

Alcohol:
If you would like more than the limited amount of beer and wine provided at dinners, you can bring in your own beer and other alcohol. Just let us know well in advance how much you’re planning on bringing so we can let the lodge know, and they can allow for the extra weight on the charter flight in. There is limited space, but the lodge is willing to work with you as much as possible. If it will be a significant amount (several cases), let us know a few months in advance – if it is something the lodge can purchase in advance and bring out well before your trip, they’ll do so and charge you for it when you arrive to the lodge.

Baggage:
70 pounds checked bag and 10 pounds carry-on (60 pounds) MAXIMUM baggage weight per person,

Day Pack & Hiking:
Many of the trout rivers and streams Big Ku fishes, involves day long hikes, sometimes as many as three miles.  In order for anglers to take full advantage of these hike and wade fisheries they should bring a comfortable day pack large enough to carry their gear, including a rain jacket.

*Please note: changeover days are non-guided fishing days at Big Ku Lodge*

Big Ku Lodge Re-booking Policy:
Big Ku Lodge is a small operation and demand for space each year often exceeds availability. The lodge has initiated a rebooking policy in order to better support returning anglers.  Each guest will have the opportunity of rebooking for the same week the following season.  Commitment must be made known to The Fly Shop within 15 days after departure from Big Ku Lodge.  The space will be released to other interested anglers after this 15-day period.

Electricity at Big Ku Lodge:
Electricity at Big Ku Lodge is provided by a diesel generator during the day, 120V. The lodge also runs an inverter system which delivers 120V electricity all night. If you use a CPAP machine, you can plug it right into the electrical outlet in your room, no battery required.

Anglers headed to Big Ku Lodge to fly fish for trophy rainbow trout (with seasonal options to catch Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling, or sockeye salmon), will find the gear and techniques similar to that used for these species elsewhere in Alaska. As always, there is no substitute for quality equipment, the value of which is immediately apparent upon hooking into your first wild Alaskan rainbow trout!

Big Ku Lodge has a very limited number of spare rods and reels for their guest’s use. These are quality back-ups should anglers, for whatever reason, find themselves in a pinch. If you would like to simply use the lodge’s tackle, let us know, and we can try and arrange this ahead of time. As a general rule, you’ll need to bring all your fishing and personal equipment with you to the lodge.

Single-handed Fly Rods:
Though the home river, the Big Ku, is large enough to allow the use of light switch rods, single-handed rods are really the best choice on the various streams you’ll be fishing. They are best fished with 9’ graphite rods that are designed to cast 6, or 7 weight fly lines. Ideally, fishermen should have two rods available for the trip, each rigged with different flies and fly lines according to the guide’s suggestions. This will help maximize your time on the water, negating the need to continually change out fly lines, and flies. Bottom line, though, a floating line will be what you’re using the most; if you’re only bringing one outfit, make sure it has a floating line rigged up and ready to fish. Sage, Scott. Winston, and The Fly Shop’s Signature Series of fly rods.

Fly Reels:
Single-action fly reels with rim-control features are needed for these hot rainbow trout. Your reel should be equipped with a drag system that’s smooth, and reliable. Extra spools rigged and ready to go with sinking tips or spare floating lines are optional. Ross, Galvan, Abel, and The Fly Shop’s L2A.

Fly Lines:
A floating line is going to be the most used tool during your stay at Big Ku Lodge, as it allows for maximum flexibility with different fishing techniques. Anglers often go from dead-drifting single egg patterns beneath indicators to throwing weighted streamers, to skipping mice across the surface, all of which can be accomplished with a large belly floating taper. Sink-tip fly lines are great for those fishing strictly streamers, allowing you to keep your leeches and smolt patterns deep and in the domain of Big Ku’s large rainbow trout; a great line to keep rigged on a spare outfit.

Fly Line Suggestions:
Make a note to bring bright-colored fly lines, such as yellow, orange or chartreuse. This allows constant tracking of your fly’s whereabouts, and the ability to avoid submerged snags that are more than willing to take your flies. For a floating line, we recommend the Scientific Anglers Mastery Anadro Floating line, as it has an extended and bulked-up forward taper perfect for turning over the larger flies used. The Scientific Anglers sinking tip line, 15′ sink tip, Type 3 sink rate, is an ideal choice for the leech and sculpin-hunting rainbows in the streams you will be fishing.

Early Season Rainbow Trout Flies:
Early in the season, big streamers are the bugs of choice. Leeches, smolt patterns, sculpins, and wooly buggers are all great choices, often swung through riffle drops and deep current seams. As well, don’t hesitate to skate a big mouse pattern, as these early season fish are hungry after a long, cold winter, and will often crush a skittering rodent. Remember, these big trout are by no means leader shy. Bring on the 0x!! Guides prefer flies tied on #6 hooks.

Fly Selections for the Early Season (June-mid July):

• Sculpzillas #4
• Silvey’s Sculpin tan/black/olive #4
• Egg Sucking Leech black/purple #4
• King Smolt #2
• Dali Lama, olive #6
• Lanier’s Streamer #4
• Living Leech, black/chartreuse #6
• Home Invader, white #6
• Mr. Hankey (mouse) #6

Late Season Rainbow Trout Flies:
Once the heaviest runs of spawning sockeye salmon are over, resident trout will slowly slide back into bank-side cover, and more and even larger lake rainbows will continue to enter the rivers. Streamers and mouse patterns will once again be swung and skated. Beads continue to be quite effective, but savvy anglers understand that the biggest trout are scarfing down tons of decomposing salmon flesh, as the spawned out sockeyes die and drift downstream, disintegrating along the way. Dead-drifting “flesh” patterns this time of year can account for the largest trout of the season. Along with the chance for a trout of a lifetime, there are sea-run Dolly Varden in full and spectacular spawning dress. Bank-side foliage is beginning to change colors, days are getting shorter and crisper – this is a gorgeous time of the year to experience Alaska, and is probably the most popular with guests.

Mid-Season Rainbow Trout Flies:
At this time of year (mid-late July-early September), sockeye salmon will be thick, and spawning in the rivers of Big Ku Lodge. With the onset of spawning, trout begin to move out of traditional river lies and adjacent lake systems, positioning themselves behind mid-river salmon spawning redds, drawn to the massive protein infusion into the system. Typically guides will have guests’ indicator-nymphing with beads or yarn egg patterns. Arctic grayling and Dolly Varden compete with the rainbow trout at this time of year; each are crazy about salmon eggs – this is definitely the time of year for those who predicate the success of their trip on sheer numbers of fish! Guides will provide the beads and hooks.

Fly Selections for Mid Season (mid-late July-early September):

• Flesh Flies (Articulated Flesh #6, Mini Carcass #8, Skin N’ Bones #6)
• Clown egg #6-10
• Single egg #8
• Mouse patterns are optional at this time of year

Late Season Rainbow Trout Flies:
Once the heaviest runs of spawning sockeye salmon are over, resident trout will slowly slide back into bank-side cover, and more and even larger lake rainbows will continue to enter the rivers. Streamers and mouse patterns will once again be swung and skated. Beads continue to be quite effective, but savvy anglers understand that the biggest trout are scarfing down tons of decomposing salmon flesh, as the spawned out sockeyes die and drift downstream, disintegrating along the way. Dead-drifting “flesh” patterns this time of year can account for the largest trout of the season. Along with the chance for a trout of a lifetime, there are sea-run Dolly Varden in full and spectacular spawning dress. Bank-side foliage is beginning to change colors, days are getting shorter and crisper – this is a gorgeous time of the year to experience Alaska, and is probably the most popular with guests.

Fly selections for late season trout (Mid August-September):
Identical to the selection listed for Mid-Season, with the following additions:

• Egg Sucking Bunny Leech, black #4
• Living Leech, blk/chart #2
• Twofer Flesh #6

Alaska Department of Fish & Game

Statewide:
Anglers are reminded that footgear (wading boots) with absorbent felt or other fibrous material on the soles are prohibited while sport fishing in the fresh waters of Alaska.

*Please do not wear felt soled wading boots in Alaska this summer*

You are also free to contact us with specific equipment and trip preparation questions at (800) 669-3474 or travel@theflyshop.com.  We are extremely familiar with the techniques and equipment needed to best take advantage of the fishing opportunities on the Big Ku rivers.

Alaska Travel Check List