Shop Hours 8am – 6pm Daily (subject to change soon!)
Well….I wish I had a more up-lifting report for you, but I don’t. Not yet at least! The truth hurts sometimes and “honesty is the best policy”! The kings have been on a slow trickle thus far this season. Extremely LOW water has the fish “late to the party”, but there are some kings scattered throughout the system and new ones entering the lower river daily. Just no big pushes yet. On the bright side, we did get a couple hours of rain today and it was very heavy at times (more rain is forecasted for Friday too). The river gauges are starting to bump up, so keep your fingers crossed this does the trick and we see our first big push soon…stay tuned!
There has been some smaller pushes of fish through the lower river and a couple small pods in the normal middle river early spots. The fish have been keyed into structure and cover in the low water. It has been a tough start to the season, but rewarding when you get some fish. Catching a couple king salmon in a day is a major accomplishment in other parts of the world…sometime, I think we are spoiled here with our fall fishery. Everyone take a deep breath and relax; it will get better! The fish will come home when they are ready and until then, keep your nose to the grindstone!
I (we – BBT Guides) will be spending lots of time in the lower river waiting on the first major push to come through…any day now it should happen!?!? We have very limited guide dates available (only a couple openings left). Please call the shop to lock in your guide trips and/or lodging…231-745-3529. 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. It’s not too early to start thinking and planning your fall/winter steelhead fishing trip. Typically, we start targeting steelhead around the middle of October…only 6 weeks out and counting!!!
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.
September is here and we are fishing!!! “Team BBT” is excited about another great fall! The guides are rigged and ready; the shop is loaded up; the Motel is spotless; the shop staff is “braced for impact” and ready for a long season…here we go!!!
Good luck and be safe out there!
John
Recap from 8-26-2025 Report…
Alaska 2025
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!!!!
