Shop Hours 8am – 6pm Daily (subject to change soon!)
Too much happening around here for me…Getting back from AK, running trips last week, getting geared up for the upcoming season, tying flies and painting beads, rigging rods, re-tooling my new boat, stocking up on supplies for the fall, etc. Anyways, I have a lot to talk about, but not much time. I am going to touch on a couple things and save some for next week. From here on out (until winter), I will be doing my best to post weekly updates…so here we go!!!
First and foremost, I want to thank the great crew at Stealthcraft for building a fine new office for me. The attention to detail and custom work truly makes them the “Best in the Business”! I will feature a more detailed explanation and some pictures in my next report…THANK YOU Stealthcraft!!!
Fall is in the air!!! School has started and there is football on TV!!! Cooler weather arrived a few days ago and there are some (a few) salmon scattered throughout the entire system. NOT MANY YET…don’t take that the wrong way. There has been some smaller pushes of fish through the lower river and a couple here and there in the normal early spots. But, there certainly has NOT been a big push yet and holes are NOT full of fish yet…a couple here and there…it will get much better in time. The lower river is starting to see more fishing pressure and I bet this weekend will be busy. Just a friendly reminder, “ask before you cast”. We are all out there for the same reason; to have fun and feel a couple fish pulling on the rod.
The current river conditions are low and clear throughout the entire system. We did receive a decent shot of rain Sunday afternoon/evening, but not enough to bump up the flows. Water temps are cold, currently running in the mid to upper 50’s in the upper and middle river.
I was out several times last week. One day in the lower river chasing kings on hardware…we saw plenty rolling and on the move, but never put any in the boat. I am back down there tomorrow. Plus, I did a couple trout trips in the upper and middle river. Trout fishing was decent but, very challenging condition with the low and clear water. I spotted several salmon on the move or kicking around some holes while trout fishing, but no real fishable numbers yet. I (we – BBT Guides) will be spending lots of time in the lower river waiting on the first solid pushes to come through…any day now it could happen!?!? I have been hear good reports from the big lake and PM Lake.
We have guides still available daily for the next week (then only a couple openings). My current open dates are August 28 & 31 & September 1 & 4…please call the shop to lock in your guide trips…231-745-3529. Plus, we still have some great lodging availability at our Motel too! Early season we try to target the lower river with hardware, but we are always flexible if the fish move up- stream in fishable numbers.
The shop is loaded up and inventory is still rolling in daily. We pride ourselves in having “the right tools for the job”. Everything you need (or might just want) to fish our area is available at the shop. If there is something you think we should carry, let us know! Plus, we can always special order products for you if we don’t have your size or it’s something you want to try. We are looking forward to the upcoming season!!! Catching up with long time clients, meeting new ones and seeing all the familiar faces on the river, at the shop and Motel.
Stay tuned for more detailed fishing report next week. Enjoy the holiday weekend and be safe out there!!!
Alaska 2025
Like I stated above, we just returned from our annual trip to Alaska. Another amazing week at Alaska’s Naknek River Camp!!! We had a great crew that joined us this year and we had fantastic weather (which is NOT normal)…great memories were made!!!! And more importantly, a HUGE THANK YOU to Jim and Phyllis Johnson for hosting us. You should be extremely proud of all your hard work over the years! It is truly one of Alaska’a premier locations! Camp has come a LONG way from 2007 (our first year hosting a group at camp). You have an amazing team of guides, great fleet of boats, fantastic meals, clean & comfortable cabins, intimate knowledge of the region, years of experience and your in the PERFECT location for everything!!! Each year it keeps getting better and better…THANK YOU!!!
Steve did a great job detailing our adventures for the week in his last report. I could spend all day detailing the trip, but pictures are funner; so here are a couple of my favorites from my camera….enjoy!!!
Our Alaskan dates & rates are set for next year! Please feel free to join us on this fantastic adventure in an awe-inspiring place, Alaska’s Naknek River Camp, August 8th – 15th, 2026
The “BBT Special” will be $4,995.00* per person for a week of fishing in some of the greatest water in Alaska! This rate INCLUDES the “Best of Katmai” Package; two fly outs throughout the week! $4,995 is the standard 2023 weekly rate without fly-outs so this is an incredible BBT exclusive deal!!! (We can also offer a no fly-out package for $3,995.00*, but fly outs are strongly encouraged during these weeks.)
*Rate does not include fishing license, airfare, guide/staff tips or alcohol. We recommend $100.00 cash, per person per day as a good starting point for guide tips as these guys work hard for ya! Any camp/staff extras can be done however you wish just prior to departure and alcohol can be purchased in King Salmon upon your arrival or picked up for you anytime during the week while you’re out fishing!
If you are interested in joining us, please contact the shop at 231-745-3529 for more details on this amazing trip!!!!
Later,
John
