The Fly Shop800·669·3474

GPS Coordinates: 61° 7’17.83″N  159° 6’53.53″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

Boats:
The Lodge has seven, 18’ jet boats with Yamaha four-stroke jet motors ranging from 60-to 90-horsepower. You’ll be fishing a combination of boat and bank angling, depending on the river conditions and species. Two anglers per jet boat and guide is the norm.

Fishing Licenses:
Due to the timeliness of getting you settled and ready to fish, please purchase your license online before your trip. Licenses may be purchased at Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s website. You can print your copy of the license to keep with you, or Fish and Game now allows you to use your phone as a proof of license. You do not need a king stamp unless you are going target these salmon, but below average run returns have made this species off the table to pursue in recent years. Licenses are not available at the lodge, so be sure and have one before you arrive!

Please read the pre-trip information well in advance of departure, it will help you prepare for your upcoming trip to Alaska.

PLEASE TRY AND KEEP LUGGAGE TO A MINIMUM
The Ravn Air flight allows 50 pounds of checked luggage between Anchorage and Aniak (two pieces of luggage, as of this writing). As well, there should be absolutely no hard suit cases, avoid HUGE duffel bags, and rod tubes must not exceed five feet.

Weather Conditions/Clothing:
With all the new “high-tech” clothing materials that are available today, there is no need to be cold or wet anymore. Weather in Alaska during the summer varies continuously. Average daily temperatures between June 21^st and August 1^st, are between the low 80’s to low 60’s during the day, and mid 60’s to high 40’s at night; August 1^st through September 20^th daily average temperatures are between the low 60’s to the mid 50’s during the day, and low 40’s at night. Please pack clothing accordingly. To those of you heading to Aniak in late June through July, temperatures can be well into the 80’s at this time of year. A long-sleeved flats-style shirt can be the remedy for fishing in this weather. Dressing in layers is the easiest way to dress for the weather variations of the day.  High quality wicking long underwear is a staple item for a base layer. Fleece pants and tops provide warmth as well as pack easily. Wool or poly-blend socks will keep moisture away from your feet to keep them warm and happy. Comfortable, proper fitting, and broken-in wading boots are also a necessity, as well as breathable waders. We recommend an extra set of walking shoes, hiking boots, or sneakers for walking around camp after a day on the river. A good quality waterproof/breathable rain jacket will make moist days comfortable and is a necessary item.

One note: the sun is not particularly uncomfortable, however the sun shines 20 plus hours each day during the months of June and July, so long sleeves, lip balm and SPF 30+ sunscreen are a necessity.

Fly Tackle by Species:

4 wt. with weight forward floating line

• Perfect for grayling and smaller char

6 or 7 wt. with floating line

• When matched with a quality reel, the go-to outfit for most of our rainbows – a six or seven weight is our favorite for these hard-fighting fish
• Scientific Anglers Mastery Titan Taper Freshwater Floating line is an excellent choice, as it has a bulked-up forward taper perfect for turning over the larger flies used (mouse patterns and streamers, as well as indicators).

7 or 8 wt. with floating line and moderate sink tip

• The outfit of our choice when the target is Silver or Chum salmon as well as our feisty Sheefish and Northern Pike…Faster action rods allow the use of larger flies and longer casts in breezy situations
• A 10 to 15 ft., type 3 sinking tip line will come in handy for these salmon.

Leaders:
Guides provide leaders, though clients can bring their own. Traditional tapered leaders are not required – all you need is to bring a spool each of Maxima Ultragreen tippet spools in 20, 15, 12, 8, and 6 pound test. The guides will construct your leaders for you from these spools.

Spin/Casting Anglers should bring a lightweight rod/reel combination for smaller resident fish and a medium action outfit for salmon.  The lightweight reel should hold at least 120 yards of quality 6 –8 lb. monofilament.  Salmon reels for chums, silvers, and sockeye should hold at least 150 yards of 12-15 lb. class line.  We have surplus spin gear for kings, but in the event you wish to bring your own…a med-heavy outfit capable of at least 150 yards of 16-20 lb. class line will suffice.

Lures for salmon are fairly basic…Pixies and spoons in color combinations of silver and fl. Pink/fl. Orange/Chartreuse are popular and effective.  Bucktail and plastic tube-style jigs can be very effective in fl. Pink/Orange/Yellow as well as Pearl.  Mepps and Blue Fox spinners in these same colors should also be enclosed in a basic tackle box.  Rounding off the list should be an assortment of Bass/Pike poppers and chuggers.  Lures with propellers such as Buzz-baits are very effective.  Areas can have subsurface weeds, so floating patterns provide the most fun.  Also, smaller poppers in bright Pink can provide tremendous fun when fishing for both chums and silvers salmon.  Under the right conditions, this can be amazing action.

Flies:
ARL and your guides will provide flies that are proven fish catchers. Many of these patterns have been developed by staff, although please feel free to bring your patterns to try. Part of the enjoyment in fly-fishing is the ability to catch fish on something that you tied at the vise.  If you are interested in tying patterns for your stay, please contact us for samples or a list of additional patterns.

Mousing:
Aniak River Lodge offers some of the best trout mousing in Alaska. During every week of the fishing season, you can catch leopard rainbows on mouse patterns. The months of June, July, and early August prove to be particularly productive for this unique top-water action.

Standard Fly Patterns and Sizes:

Medication and Medical Emergencies:
Please bring all medication with you for your stay as well in sufficient quantities. If there is any medical situation, please notify the lodge manager and staff immediately.  There is a state-run health facility in the village of Aniak.  It provides basic care for the people of the region. Larger, full-scale hospitals are located in Bethel and in Anchorage. The costs involved for transportation in case of a medical emergency can be tremendous. Please consider purchasing medical evacuation insurance for your trip. The best in the business is Global Rescue www.globalrescue.com/theflyshop/ or calling +1 (617) 459-4200.  ARL has made arrangements with an air medical service out of Anchorage for any possible emergencies.  The American Red Cross certifies all ARL guides in CPR and first-aid. Your safety is ARL’s highest priority.

CPAP Machines:
CPAP machines. If you want to use a CPAP, bring along the appropriate cables to run it from a cigarette lighter type of outlet. We have these outlets in every room, and they are a 12-volt DC source. We have not seen a CPAP that does not run on 12V alternative for a few years now but if this is the case, we will arrange for a special 110V AC.

Communication:
This is a wilderness fishing experience in the Alaskan Bush. There is no cell phone reception. For emergency use, the Lodge uses radio communications from the camp to the lodge and village. They also have a working GCI phone at the lodge.

WiFi:
As with most Alaska lodges, Aniak River Lodge has WiFi available for clients who would like to bring their own WiFi-enabled electronic devices. It is satellite-based and not completely predictable – some days it works better than others – but generally speaking it is more than adequate to send and receive emails. There is not adequate bandwidth to support sending images or for streaming videos. As per camp owner/operator, Ludi Gericke, as of June, 2022.

At the camp we will have a GCI (an Alaskan mobile network that does not cover any other services and does not offer roaming) phone working on a repeater/ booster. This system will allow you to use the phone and has limited internet. It is always subject to solar flare activity and weather conditions. We do have a Starlink, but the system launch has been delayed for a third time now due to the worldwide shortage of silicon chips for the hardware. It is unlikely it will be functional before the season ends. Our guides all carry a Garmin Inreach satellite communicator. You can use the device to text in or out at any time. If you have a crucial email that needs to reach you it can be emailed to ludi@aniakriverlodge.com and it will be delivered to you within a 12-hour period. If someone needs to contact you urgently, they can call Ludi at (720) 280-1529 and I will relay the message. They can also text +1201 579 9716 directly to the Garmin and you will get the message.

Waiver of Limited Liability:
Due to increasing insurance regulations, ARL’s insurance provider requires all guests to fill out and sign the Aniak River Lodge Participant Waiver. Any potential guest unwilling to sign the waiver will not be allowed to stay and fish at the Lodge. The waiver will be provided upon receipt of deposit and will need to be received by us prior to your arrival in Aniak.

Aniak River Lodge will not be held responsible for loss or damage of personal property, injury to participants, cancellations, or incur any costs resulting from delays due to unpredictable weather activities, or flights.

Alcohol & Tobacco:
Aniak, AK is a “damp village.”  What this means is that it is legal to possess alcohol, but not buy or sell it within the general village area.  Doing so is considered “boot-legging” and is illegal. It is advisable to pack or buy any liquor in plastic bottles. Many standard adult beverages can be purchased this way. If you have certain alcohol needs during your stay, feel free to bring it with you and/or purchase in Anchorage prior to your arrival in Aniak. If you are looking to bring a large amount of alcohol up, there is an option to have it pre-shipped from The Brown Jug in Anchorage. The Brown Jug will ship alcohol to Aniak for a fee. If you would like to pre-arrange an order to coincide with your arrival, feel free to contact Brown Jug Bush Sales directly at (907) 562-2413, and they will email you a form to fill out.  Fill out your order, having them “pre-deliver” it to the Lodge address:

Aniak River Lodge:
ATTN: your name/Ludi Gericke (owner/operator)
One River Rd.
Aniak, AK 99557
(907) 675-4333

There is a small store in the town of Aniak where tobacco can be purchased. Often times the store hours do not coincide with the hours of a fishing day. Also, the prices of goods in rural AK can be much higher than what you are used to. Smokers should have their own supply of tobacco to last the week.

IMPORTANT! Please bring a re-usable water bottle, as the lodge – in an attempt to reduce plastic waste – does not have water in plastic bottles at the lodge. If you bring your own bottle (Klean Kanteen, Hydro Flask, Yeti, etc.), you can fill it daily with the filtered water the lodge supplies.

Gratuities:
The custom of tipping is welcomed at Aniak River Lodge for exceptional service.  The employees understand this thoroughly and make every effort to give you 110% service.  The choice is personally yours, and management will be happy to discuss the norms with you at your request.  A good standard is 10% of the lodge rate per person, assuming the lodge staff did a great job for you. A blanket gratuity can be left with the camp manager (easiest and most common method – he will spread the tip out through all the staff, with guides receiving the lion’s share), or you may tip staff individually.  Remember, gratuities should be based on the service you received and are completely at your discretion. Gratuities should be paid in cash $USD.

The recommended gratuity for Aniak River guides and staff (which should be based on merit) is 10%-15% of your trip package, and should be given to the lodge manager at trip’s end.

However, if you wish to present a little something extra to a particular guide, manager, or customer service staff member, you can always feel free to do so in a private, person-to-person gift. We thank you in advance for your generosity towards the staff, as it is an honor for them to serve you in your “Fishing Trip of a Lifetime”.

Alaska Department of Fish & Game Regulation – NO Felt Wading Boots

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

Contact Numbers:

Aniak River Lodge – Lower 48 land line phone number (800) 747-8403, or, cell number (for after-hours emergencies only) (706) 654-6354.

Lodge Phone Number: (907) 675-4333 | FAX 907-675-4551 | info@aniakriverlodge.com

The Fly Shop: (530) 222-3555 | (800) 669-3474 |  travel@theflyshop.com

Items not to forget:

• A headlamp/flashlight can always be handy
• Bring some bug repellent with DEET
• Bring batteries and/or charger for your camera and phone
• Re-useable water bottle