2019 Aniak Trip Report
Aniak River Lodge
One of Alaska's Best Fishing Trips
Spin or Fly Fishing
Located in Western Alaska, the Aniak is a 95-mile tributary of the Kuskokwim River. The Aniak is one of Alaska's best rivers due to its variety – rainbows, dollies, grayling, all five salmon species, sheefish, and northern pike – and the sheer number of fish you'll catch. This trip is one of the best in the world for novice fly anglers because they’ll get so many opportunities to hook and land large quantities of fish each day. Aniak River Lodge now practices catch-and-release - although there will still be some guide-prepared shore lunches. Aniak River Lodge is now an Orvis-Endorsed Fly-Fishing Lodge.
2023 Hosted Weeks
7-nights and 6-days guided fishing
$7,765.00 per person
Rainbow Mousing Week:
• July 13-21, 2023: SOLD-OUT
Rainbows and Silvers Weeks:
• August 10-18, 2023: SOLD-OUT
• August 17-25, 2023: SOLD-OUT
2024 Hosted Weeks
7-nights and 6-days guided fishing
Rainbow Mousing Week:
• July 11-19, 2024: Phil Lighty hosts
Rainbows and Silvers Weeks:
• August 1-9, 2024: Guy Schoenborn hosts
• August 8-16, 2024: Guy Schoenborn hosts
• August 15-23, 2024: Guy hosts
Book Anytime: You're not restricted to our hosted weeks. Provided there are openings, we can book Aniak River Lodge for a time that works best for you.
About Aniak River Lodge
Aniak Rainbow Fishing
Aniak's rainbow fishing may be some of Alaska’s best. Rainbows average 20" in length, with up to 30" bows landed. Aniak River Lodge offers some of the best mousing for trout in Alaska. You can catch giant leopard rainbows on mouse patterns every week of the fishing season. The months of June and July are particularly productive with this unique topwater method, plus peak char, grayling, and northern pike.
Kurt Rathjen with nice Aniak silver
The Kuskokwim boasts Alaska’s largest run of silver salmon, and the Aniak is the best-producing tributary of the Kuskokwim River. From early August through early September, it’s not uncommon to land thirty-plus silvers a day here. Aniak's unique location offers many of the same options as expensive lodges without the need for fly-outs, allowing more time to fish.
Tillie and Mike Sevon - 2022 Hosted Week
Dollies are very colored up from August 10th on.
Aniak Fishing Facts:
Season: Mid-June thru September. The Camp hosts 16 anglers per week, except for the final two weeks of the season when the maximum is 14.
Boats: Aniak has ten 18’ G3 Jet Boats with Yamaha four-stroke 40 to 90-HP motors. Two anglers per boat and experienced, Coast Guard licensed guide.
Methods: Spin or fly fishing. You’ll fish from the boat and bank, depending on the river conditions and species.
Fishing Days: You’re guided daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fishing Equipment: The Camp can provide fly rods and reels on a limited basis, and the guides provide flies. A complete tackle and gear list is provided in our confirmation packet.
Fishing License: is not included in the package. You will not need a king stamp for the Aniak.
Drying Room: The Camp has an unheated drying room for your gear.
Fly Tying: The Camp has a fly-tying vice and materials available. We can send sample flies if you want to tie some before your trip.
A Signed Liability Release Form: is required for this adventure.
Guy Schoenborn with dolly varden
Sample Itinerary:
Friday: You’ll arrive at the Mid-River Camp.
Saturday - Wednesday:
7:00 a.m. Coffee.
8:00 a.m. Breakfast.
9:00 a.m. Begin your fishing day. If weather permits, guides prepare a shore lunch for you. Otherwise, you’ll enjoy a packed lunch from the cooler.
5:00 p.m. Return to the Lodge for a hot shower.
At 6:00 p.m., drinks and appetizers are served.
7:00 p.m. Dinnertime. Afterward, the guides discuss the next fishing day.
Thursday: After a full day's fishing, you’ll return to the Mid-River Camp by 5:00 p.m. Shower, appetizers, dinner. Pack for the next morning's departure.
Friday: Departure day. After breakfast at 8:00 a.m., you'll take a jet boat ride downriver to the Base Lodge in Aniak. Then at 10:45 a.m., you'll take the five-minute shuttle ride to the Aniak Airport.
Guide and Bob Buchman - 2021 Hosted Week.
Tyler and Guide with Northern Pike - 2021 Hosted Week
Carl Quertermus with large Aniak sheefish
Our hosted weeks are a great time to target beautiful leopard rainbow, silver salmon, grayling, char, and a few sheefish.
Mike Sevon with Grayling 2022 Hosted Week
Aniak's Deluxe Mid-River Camp
Aniak's Accommodations
The Camp has high-end 15 x 30 WeatherPort Tents. Each tent has two single beds with quality bedding, a toilet, a shower, and a sink with hot running water.
Meals: The Camp has a gourmet kitchen with delicious chef-prepared meals served in the dining tent. After dinner, share fishing stories around the fire pit and watch the sunset.
Alcohol: The Lodge cannot provide alcohol, but you are welcome to bring your own. Aniak is a damp village, which means it is illegal for the Lodge to serve or sell alcohol.
Communications: There is no cell phone reception and no Wi-Fi at Camp. For emergencies, the Lodge uses radio communications between the camp and the village. The guides all carry a Garmin Inreach satellite communicator.
Abundance of Wildlife
The region is loaded with an abundance of wildlife. It’s not uncommon to see brown and black bears as well as moose, wolves, otters, mink, beaver, wolverine, osprey, or bald and golden eagles.
We've hosted trips At Aniak River Lodge since 2000.
Larry Schoenborn with a nice Aniak rainbow. Larry began hosting trips at Aniak River Lodge in 2000. The Aniak was Larry’s favorite Alaska freshwater trip.
Getting to Aniak's Mid-River Camp:
You will need to spend a night in Anchorage as your flight to Aniak is early the next morning. (There's a hotel in Anchorage five minutes from the airport with a free shuttle that we recommend, and our clients receive a 10-percent discount. No flights or hotel nights are included in the package.)
The following day at 9:30 a.m., you'll take a one-hour and 35-minute flight to Aniak.
At Aniak Airport, you'll be greeted by the Lodge staff and driven to Aniak's Base Lodge, a five-minute drive from the airport. At the Base Lodge, you'll have a sandwich and beverages and a brief orientation. Then, you'll fish for salmon, sheefish, and pike during your 25-mile boat ride upriver to the Camp.
You'll reach Camp at about 5:30 p.m. Your gear is shuttled ahead on a separate boat and then transferred to your tent. You'll have time to relax before dinner with a beverage or fish unguided in front of the Camp.
2023 Rate:
Friday to Friday
7-nights and 6-plus days guided fishing
$7,765.00 per person
Our advice is free.
We never charge more than the Lodges we represent.
Packages Include:
• Ground transfers from Aniak airport to Aniak's Base River Lodge
• Boat transfers from Aniak to the Camp
• 7-nights Lodging at Mid-River Camp
• Meals at the Camp
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• 6-plus days guided fishing from a jet boat and wading
• All flies, guide-provided.
Packages Do Not Include:
• Airfare to Anchorage and return• Airfare from Anchorage to Aniak, and return
• Hotel, meals, and ground transfers in Anchorage
• Alcohol
• Fishing license $45.00
• Fishing equipment and tackle
• Gratuities to guides and staff
• Global Rescue or similar medical/safety evacuation insurance
• Travel insurance
• Anything not mentioned under inclusions.
Book Aniak River Lodge, one of Alaska's best fishing trips today!
1-800-205-3474
