With another great season ending, we would like to thank all our valued guests for making it another successful and enjoyable one. Our success is based on sharing our passion for the ultimate fishing adventure with each guest, every day of their trip. We are blessed to be able to share this passion in the only ‘Designated Trophy Trout Fishing Region’ in Alaska. As we enter our third decade of operation, we will continue to earn your business, respect and friendship one quality fishing adventure at a time.
All five of our salmon runs and huge population of trout are increasing every year. Many rivers around the world, even in Alaska are experiencing smaller salmon runs and weaker trout populations with increased angling pressure. This is not the case on the Alagnak, in part because of its remoteness, difficulty of travel and limited public access.
JUNE
The weather was warm the entire month, which encouraged awesome bug hatches, the dry fly fishing was like out of a fairy tale. The Rainbow, Char and Grayling fishing was excellent. The water was a little higher then normal, which made wading a bit more difficult but the fishing was outstanding.
The first small schools of Sockeye arrived around the 27th of June, however, they were rather sporadic. One day there would be an abundance of Sockeye and then the next day there would only be small pods of fishing coming by. On July 1st there were tens of thousands of Sockeye coming in the river, averaging 5 to 9 pounds, on every tide. The 2006 Sockeye run was the third largest recorded at 3.7 million fish. Our sockey ended this year on July 22nd.
Anglers were able to harvest five Sockeye per day. Unfortunately, other rivers in the Bristol Bay were restricted to three (3) fish daily limit due to small runs.
Our King run started June 30th with huge schools entering the river on every tide. The river was about a foot above normal, but it did not adversely affect the fishing.
"I have been fishing the Alagnak with Katmai Lodge for over 20 years. Thank you for your support the past two years during my ownership! I have enjoyed continuing to make the best better here at Katmai!” Ernie Duncan
JULY
“Unbelievable”, “Phenomenal”, “Monsters” and “What a Battle” were just a few of the comments made about the King fishing every evening in the dining room! We had fly-fisherman hooking 5 to 8 adult King (fish over 20 pounds) every day. Some of our gear fishermen were landing twice as many adult Kings. This season offered our guests some of the best King fishing we have seen since the 80’s, with huge numbers of 35 to 45 pound Kings caught each day!
On July 6th our Chum Salmon run started with an explosion of thousands of fish coming in the river on the morning tide. On an average day anglers either got a bite or hooked a fish on every other cast. With MILLIONS of Sockeye and Chum Salmon plus thousands of Kings in the river, you could not help but have a great day salmon fishing.
Guests would fish for Kings during the day and after dinner fill their daily Sockeye limit right in front of the lodge. This provided great entertainment for all!
Fishing was so reliable that over 80% of our guests took half a day off and went to see the bears at Brooks Falls in the Katmai National Park. When they returned, they could still get in five or six hours of fishing.
“Phenomenal! The King fishing was out of this world. This is my 9th King fishing trip to Alaska and I have never caught as many adult Kings on any other trip.”
Dave from Seattle
AUGUST
Our second run of Chums started on August 2nd this year and the fish were a little larger then the first run in July, even seemed to be a little more aggressive. The Silver run started very strong the second week of August and continued through the end of the season. In 2005 we had the best Silver run ever, but in 2006 it was even larger yet! We had guests hooking 20 plus Silvers a day, with over half being caught on the surface using our famous pink Pollywog. Chums and Silvers, the river was full!
Our Rainbow trout fishing was fantastic, as their food source increases they start gaining a lot of weight very quickly.
“The Silver and Chum fishing is not comparable to any other fishing I have done anywhere else in the world.”
Bradley from England
SEPTEMBER
This is the time of year for not just BIG, but Steelhead sized Rainbow Trout! The weather starts changing and all the animals, including the fish, are feeding more aggressively. We still had huge schools of chrome bright Silvers coming in, but fall is the time for the Jewels of the Alagnak to shine. The trophy trout season started with style. Anglers were landing 20 to 30 Bows a day, 20% were in the 5 to 8 pound plus class. Most of our September fishermen took a day or two to catch steel bright Silvers as well.
During the fall the Rainbows are in unbelievable condition partly from the huge abundance of eggs and all the dead salmon, which helps make for an excellent June Rainbow fishing opener next year!
