Now Booking For 2025 Call For Early Bird Specials

Fly-in fishing trips

Alpine Lakes Fly-in for Arctic Grayling

Available June 11th – August 5th

For this trip, Drifters Lodge partners with a local float plane charter to drop you off at one of several high alpine lakes in the Chugach National Forest with one of our private guides. You will likely not see any other people all day, since these lakes are only accessible by long mountain pass hikes or by plane. There are towering mountain peaks on both sides and plunging waterfalls coming off the mountainside.

Arctic grayling are beautiful fish with a sail-like dorsal fish and electric blue, pink and green highlights. They are aggressive, and will eat pretty much any lure or fly presented to them.

 

Location

Departs from Moose Pass. Distance from Drifters: 20 mi. Then, fly to local alpine lakes.

Trip Type

Fully private trip. Float Plane dropoff with a Drifters Lodge guide, then wade fishing the lake

Techniques

fly fishing, spin fishing using ultralight gear

No matter what the fishing day has in store, it’s an incredible experience getting up in the air in the float plane, navigating the peaks, and then dipping down between the mountains to land on the lake. It’s quite a feeling when the pilot takes off, leaving you alone at the lake. The wilderness is absolute, and you are then free to seek out the grayling. Sometimes, they’ll be congregated near the inflow areas or cruising the perimeter of the lake on the dropoffs. Many of our guests tell us this was their favorite day in Alaska.

float plane evan clients

Location

Departs from Soldotna. Distance from Drifters: 50 mi. Then fly west to Lake Clark National Park.

Trip Type

Float Plane dropoff with a Drifters Lodge guide, then boat to wade fishing areas

Techniques

Spin fishing, Fly fishing, Flipping/Flossing

Fly-in Fishing at Crescent Lake in Lake Clark National Park

Available July – September, the bears show up in mid August

Take a 40 minute float plane ride across Cook Inlet and up into the beginnings of the Alaska Range to beautiful Crescent Lake, located within Lake Clark National Park. The striking scenery includes turquoise water, mountains on all sides, and a glacier visible from the lake. Upon landing, your guide will help you into a boat so you can motor to the fishing areas at the outflow of the lake. Fish sockeye salmon from about July 10-31. Target silver Salmon from about Aug 20-Sept 15. Fly and spin anglers alike will enjoy incredible dolly varden fishing all summer long and lake trout from early to mid summer. The bears move in around mid August, providing world-class viewing in the late summer-fall. This trip is an adventure for those who want to visit a remote location and get a taste of Alaska’s incredible wilderness. You will be placed with a group of up to 6 anglers and your guide to spread out and wade fish.

Fly-in Fishing and Bear Viewing at Wolverine Creek/Big River Lakes

Available June 10th – Aug 31st

Take a 20 minute float plane ride across Cook Inlet to a salmon stream renowned for bear viewing. You’ll be among other boats also looking for amazing photo-ops of the bears as they fish for salmon returning from the ocean to spawn. From the safety of your guide’s boat, you can get close looks at incredible bear behavior such as sows teaching their cubs to fish. There will be an opportunity to harvest some salmon by snagging at the creek flow, before turning your attention back to the bears. You will fly on a 10-seater float plane, and fish with a group of 3-5 anglers.

wolverine creek BRL mama bear + cubs june 2024

Location

Departs from Soldotna. Distance from Drifters: 50 mi. Then fly to the west across Cook Inlet.

Trip Type

Float plane dropoff, then fishing from a motorized boat.

Techniques

Spin and conventional gear, snagging for sockeye early June through late July. Spin, conventional, or fly fishing for silvers late July - August. These fisheries are separate from the Kenai, and have different regulations on tackle and retention.

Enjoy prime Alaska fishing

Contact us to book a half or full day guided fishing trip or to start building a package.