Accessible only by floatplane, the headwaters lake of the river you’ll be floating (the Kanektok) will be the jumping off spot for a week of fishing through a hundred miles of remote Alaskan outback.
Each day the scenery changes as you travel down this magnificent river, offering unlimited photo opportunities. You will camp in peaceful solitude with superior accommodations each night on specially selected gravel bars, surrounded by phenomenal fishing. The outfitter, David Stelling has spared no expense in making this the most luxurious float trip possible. From the expedition quality rafts to his impressive camps and meals, fine wine and experienced guides, a better float experience cannot be found, at any price.
2024 Reservations & Rates
The cost of the week-long package is $7,800.00 per person.
Inclusions
Included in your angling package at Chosen River Outfitters is custom camps, air transportation between Bethel and the river's headwaters, and between the trip terminus at the village of Quinhagak and Bethel, top quality boats and professional guide service, meals, an impressive wine selection, as well as all municipal rents, user fees and sales taxes. You will need to bring your own sleeping bag, but all mattresses and cots are provided.
Non-Inclusions
Not included in your angling package float trips are air transportation into or out of Bethel, or the mandatory overnight at the B&B in Bethel, gratuities, fishing license, fishing tackle, alcohol and items of a personal nature.
Travel Insurance
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
Seasons on the Chosen River
These floats take place during the months of July and August.
For those wanting great early season mouse and streamer fishing for the river's infamous leopard rainbow trout, lots of sea-run dollies and , and even a shot at some king salmon and chums, July is ideal timing. Once August comes around, the early season salmon (kings, chums and sockeyes) are on their spawning beds, and most of the other gamefish in the river are stacked in behind them in shallow water, eating
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their eggs. This time of year the trout, dolly and fishing is phenomenally productive, primarily dead-drifting single egg patterns, nymph-style. As later August approaches, fishing white streamers that resemble chunks of drifting, decomposing salmon flesh also become quite effective, as do the mouse flies again; this late season is probably the single best time to target the largest trout in the river. As well, August marks the best silver salmon fishing, a guest favorite for their aggressiveness to a fly, and acrobatic fighting tactics.
Getting to the Chosen River
On the day preceding the start of your float trip, you will need to make arrangements to arrive at the Alaskan Bush town of Bethel. There are several flights a day into Bethel from Anchorage - any one of them will work, as you'll need to overnight in town anyway. Upon booking, will make reservations at Papa Bear Adventures' Lakeside Lodge in Bethel,
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where you will overnight. The cost of this lodging is not included in the package - you may pay the B&B directly upon arrival with credit card, check or cash. Lakeside Lodge will know you are coming - upon arrival in Bethel there will be a representative from Papa Bear Adventures Air Taxi (the flight service that will fly you out the following day to begin your float trip) waiting for you, and will transfer you to the hotel. You will still need to pay for this room (typically less than $100), as it is not a part of your package price. Should they be full, they will find another B&B in Bethel and book you a room – this will cost considerably more, normally between $150-$200.
On the morning of your arrival to the river, Papa Bear Air Taxi will pick you up at the Lakeside Lodge and drive you to where your charter flight is scheduled to depart at approximately 9:00 a.m. In the unlikely event of marginal weather, the flight will be delayed until it is safe to fly. Upon arrival at the upper reaches of the Kanektok (Pegati Lake, the headwaters), you'll be loaded into top quality rafts with custom built floorboards and rowing frames, and begin fishing immediately. You'll split your day between casting to the banks - with your guide keeping you in position with the oars - and wading some of the most productive riffles and runs. Remember, days are long here at this time of year, and each night's campsite is chosen to offer prime fishing for anyone wishing to extend their fishing day after dinner, and before breakfast! For the next week, you'll be floating through some of the most wild, beautiful country Alaska has to offer, catching rainbows, Dolly Varden, , arctic char and whichever of the seasonal salmon that are migrating- often some combination of kings, chums, silvers, sockeyes or pinks. Each night the crew will have your "sandbar chalet" (top notch, comfortable tents) assembled and waiting. After a hot shower, you'll be treated to the incredible Dutch oven cooking and California wine selection that are a hallmark of these floats. Following dinner, relax, enjoy the incredible country all around you, or re-wader and catch a bunch more fish- it's up to you!
On the seventh day, you'll reach a native village (Quinhagak) at the terminal end of the float, where you'll catch a truck shuttle (at approximately 1 pm) to the local airport. Here there will be a charter flight with Papa Bear Adventures waiting (included in the package price), to fly you back to the town of Bethel, departing Quinhagak about 1:30 pm. You'll need to have arranged a commercial flight from Bethel to Anchorage in advance, departing Bethel in the early evening. You may choose to overnight in Anchorage, or connect to a "redeye" flight back home.
Lodging on the floats
Each night the crew will have your "sandbar chalet" (top notch, comfortable tents) assembled and waiting.
After a hot shower, you'll be treated to the incredible Dutch oven cooking and California wine selection that are a hallmark of Chosen River floats. Following dinner, relax, enjoy the incredible country all around you, or re-wader and catch a bunch more fish- it's up to you!
Fishing on Chosen River Floats
You'll split your day between casting to the banks, with your guide keeping you in position with the oars, and wading some of the most productive riffles and runs.
Upon arrival at the upper reaches of the Kanektok, you'll be loaded into top quality rafts with custom built floorboards and rowing frames, and begin fishing immediately.
Read More
You'll split your day between casting to the banks, with your guide keeping you in position with the oars, and wading some of the most productive riffles and runs. Remember, days are long here at this time of year, and each night's campsite is chosen to offer prime fishing for anyone wishing to extend their fishing day after dinner, and before breakfast! For the next week, you'll be floating through some of the most wild, beautiful country Alaska has to offer, catching rainbows, Dolly Varden, , arctic char and whichever of the seasonal salmon that are migrating- often some combination of kings, chums, silvers, sockeyes or pinks. Anglers will want to start each day with two rods rigged and ready to go in the boat each morning - one with a mouse to skate off the banks, and another with either a streamer to swing through deeper runs, or an egg pattern to dead drift behind spawning salmon...all for trout, dollies and . Lower down on the river, switch the mouse rod over to a fly suited for whichever salmon is present.
What Makes This Destination Special and Unique?
• Small, intimate groups – usually 6 people a week – make this a perfect opportunity for inclusive groups of anglers and families that want a private fly fishing experience. You have the majority of the river all to yourself each day, meaning lots of aggressive fish eager to take your flies that haven’t been heavily fished or pressured.
• Using their 16 foot rafts with custom frames and floor boards, a personal, licensed guide will fish and floata maximum of 2 guests per boat. The rafts used are comfortable to sit in, and fish from. At the end of each day you will be tired of hooking fish, but not from sitting in a cramped boat.
• Depending on the season, you can test your skills on as many as ten species of fish, including Leopard Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char, Dolly Varden, Giant Kings, chum, sockeye, pinks and Silver salmon, Grayling and Lake Trout. A great way to learn the techniques needed to catch the different species of fish, and to catch some species that are new to you, in beautiful surroundings…all with family or friends, or those that will be friends by week’s end.
• You will camp in peaceful solitude with superior accommodations each night on specially selected gravel bar camp sites. Here, you will enjoy the finest of meals complete with freshly baked desserts and a prime selection of wine. You can even finish your evening with a soothing hot shower! This is about as comfortable as camping “glamping” can possibly be, far off the beaten path, away from crowds. What better way to reconnect with yourself, friends and family?
• Outstanding Alaska float fishing program with one of the top outfitters in Alaska; these folks are pros with many years of operating experience in Alaska. You are in very capable hands - the float staff will take care of the logistics of the trip, all you have to do is fish to your heart’s content.