Alaska is booking up as fast as we have ever seen.
Many of our favorite Alaska operators are nearly sold out for the 2026 summer, though as occasionally happens the few openings they have left happen to be among the best dates of the season! These four destinations are all at the top of their respective games, and the dates represent some incredible fishing.
Lava Creek Lodge
We have exactly 4 spots left in king salmon season, and they are in what has proven to be the heart of the chinook run in recent years, the week of July 6-13, 2026. The weeks before and after are sold out for a reason – it’s actually unbelievable these 4 spots are still free. If you want to experience some of the finest fly fishing for kings in Alaska, if not the world, this is your chance! Lava Creek Lodge also has a smattering of other dates available, including July 20-27, August 3-10, August 10-17, and August 24-31, 2026.
Duncan’s Upper Camp on the Kanektok River
Finding August space at the Duncan’s exclusive Upper River Camp – the only destination allowed to operate a semi-permanent tent camp inside the vast Togiak National Wildlife Refuge – is nearly impossible. Anglers routinely book two years in advance in order to secure space. Due to a late cancellation, eight spots just opened up in the week of August 15-22, 2026. The Kanektok is a fish factory, and this week typically sees anglers hooking large numbers of big rainbows, Dolly Varden, chrome silver salmon, and grayling. There could be a few other August dates opening up at both the Upper and Lower Camps soon – feel free to reach out to us for the latest updates.
Aniak River Lodge
This tent camp boasts the well-earned reputation as having the most consistent mouse fishing for big rainbows in the state (watch Todd Moen’s exciting video shot here, showing just exactly how good the mousing is need link to video). While the fish take skated mouse patterns aggressively all season, guides agree the best of it is early and late in the season, before and after all the salmon spawning takes place. There is currently still limited space available in the prime mousing weeks of July 3-10, July 10-17, July 17-24, July 24-31, September 4-11, and September 11-18, 2026.
Alaska Steelhead Company
Comfortable lodge near a number of great steelhead (and silver salmon) rivers. Guests have their choice of wading smaller streams or floating larger rivers, as well as helicopter access to rivers with no road access. Guides are happy to swing for steelhead or fish indicators and beads, to client’s preference. The season here is short, and currently the lodge still has availability in the weeks of August 23-29, September 27-October 3, October 4-10, and October 11-17, 2026. The lodge is also running some shorter, 4 night/3 day Spey schools at the end of the season for those wanting to learn the finer points of casting and fishing for steelhead with double-handed rods. Those school dates are October 17-21, October 21-25, and October 25-29, 2026.
Contact Mike Mercer mercer@theflyshop.com or give us a call at 1-800-669-3474 to book your next Alaskan adventure today!