Alaska to do / to see suggestions

[Greenheadless]

Gonna be all up and down the Kenai, up towards Fairbanks, and around toward Delta Junction/Glenallen for a week and a half.

Already ready have a fly out fishing trip planned and a halibut run planned.

Looking for must do’s, must see, must stop places to eat, suggestions for bank/min. wade fishing for all species (doesn’t have to be just salmon) along the highways, and any other etc. all around.

Thanks in advance.

[jeffpg]

When will you go?

I will be there during April and May, and probably a couple weeks into June. Working at first but then play time starts around mid May. I have a thread here and on a couple other sites that I'll share with you.

Jeff

[huntmaster]

May be too far south but Denali and Whitier should be on any Alaskan list

[Iansumrall]

Highly recommend Matanuska and walking on the glacier.

[Greenheadless]

Be there end of June.

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by huntmaster

May be too far south but Denali and Whitier should be on any Alaskan list

Both on the list, and are in opposite directions from Anchorage.

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by Iansumrall

Highly recommend Matanuska and walking on the glacier.

I saw this on another site, thanks.

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by jeffpg

When will you go?

I will be there during April and May, and probably a couple weeks into June. Working at first but then play time starts around mid May. I have a thread here and on a couple other sites that I'll share with you.

Jeff

Thanks, I saw that and might have even tagged it.

[slayr]

I’m sure you have, but did you reach out to Andy? He should be able to point you in several directions.

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by slayr

I’m sure you have, but did you reach out to Andy? He should be able to point you in several directions.

Box already checked. He has been very helpful.

[HogCommander]

I lived in Anchorage many years ago... definitely agree with Denali and Matanuska glacier. If you want to see brown bears check out Katmai National Park. You have to get there by boat or float plane but its truly amazing! Search for photos of Brooks Falls.

For Bald Eagles, there was a place between Kenai and Homer (Ninilchik or close I think) where fishing boats would dump guts/carcasses on the beach. Incredible photo opportunities. Recommend a good camera with at least a 200mm lens for wildlife and a wide angle for landscapes.

Also highly recommend "The MILEPOST 2023: Alaska Travel Planner." It literally tells you mile by mile what's there and which places are open by season. It's also hard copy which is handy when you're in remote areas with no cell service.

Enjoy your stay!

[ColinR]

We went in Summer of 2021 for 2 weeks. One of the best trips I have ever done. The highlight of our trip was a float plane trip into the backcountry over by Lake Clark forest catching salmon and watching brown bears less than 20 yards away. We did that through Talon Air services. I would HIGHLY recommend you check into it.

A couple other things i remembered that are cool to see.
Bear Creek Weir, its just north of Seward. When we were there in July here were millions of salmon swimming up stream at the weir. Very cool to see and its just off the road. Very easy access.

Hike into Russian River Falls. Also tons of salmon swimming up steam. Lots of fishermen too. carry bear spray as the bears were there fishing as well.

Oh yea, also I would recommend the bus tour of Denali park. Its all day like 8 hours but so worth it. I was afraid my son would be bored but he had a blast. So much to see. So many animals. There were some smaller kids on our bus and they all had a great time.

[bullets13]

We were in Homer on a fishing trip for a week many moons ago. Did Halibut twice, kings twice, and were also at Homer during their Salmon snagging season, so we went down to the spit and snagged, which was a lot of fun.

[Lynn21]

I can’t remember the name of the store in Delta junction, but It’s a huge building kind of like a warehouse with tons of hunting and fishing equipment. It’s all kind of disorganized and you have to kind of look around at everything to find stuff but they had great deals on clothes, boots, hunting fishing, etc.. just ask around there somebody will know.

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by ColinR

We went in Summer of 2021 for 2 weeks. One of the best trips I have ever done. The highlight of our trip was a float plane trip into the backcountry over by Lake Clark forest catching salmon and watching brown bears less than 20 yards away. We did that through Talon Air services. I would HIGHLY recommend you check into it.

We are doing this and that is who we are using

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by bullets13

We were in Homer on a fishing trip for a week many moons ago. Did Halibut twice, kings twice, and were also at Homer during their Salmon snagging season, so we went down to the spit and snagged, which was a lot of fun.

Yeah, I have looked into ‘flossing’ (snagging salmon), but was also looking for some places to do some DIY walk-in rainbow trout, grayling, etc. fishing on our own as well.

[hgiles]

Can always stop at The Great Alaskan Bush Company

[ColinR]

Originally Posted by Greenheadless

We are doing this and that is who we are using

It is so freekin awesome!!! We caught out limit of salmon pretty quick and then went over to this little island where our guide cleaned them. While he was cleaning them he set my son up with a rod and he sat there and caught white fish one after another. The bears swam over to us and was eating the entrails of the fish he was cleaning. He even broke out this little grill and cooked some up while we watched the bears. INCREDIBLE!!!

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by hgiles

Can always stop at The Great Alaskan Bush Company

Have you been?

[hgiles]

Originally Posted by Greenheadless

Have you been?

I've been to AK many times for work travel

[diamond10x]

Originally Posted by hgiles

Can always stop at The Great Alaskan Bush Company

This would be a great family activity

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by hgiles

I've been to AK many times for work travel

Not sure you answered the question

[Greenheadless]

Anyone done an overnight in one of the cabins in Katmai?

[bklem]

Originally Posted by Greenheadless

Anyone done an overnight in one of the cabins in Katmai?

Haven't overnighted there but have fished below the falls and to do so we had to walk through the cabins. Also had to eat our lunch inside the designated outside eating area by the cabins and as we were eating, a sow and cub came strolling down the path 15' from us. Also got a picture (he was up on the bank and we were in the river fishing) with Otis, the old boar bear that is rather famous on the Brooks Falls cameras. Katmai will be VERY packed by July and especially August. Tons of tourists and every single one has a camera with a 5' long lens!

[TeXXaN]

Delta store is granite outdoors, you can catch grayling at just about every pull off in clean not muddy water. Montana creek and willow would be good trout and salmon spot off the parks highway. Pike fishing in land locked lakes is fun they are hammers, we always had a 5wt fly rod with a ant/mosquite fly for grayling bad A dorsal fin. Just drive and glass, in denail you will see sheep in the mountains and bou in the flats. I miss it the Air Force let me live up there for 8.5 years. Anchorage is like Austin, hippies and the like. I consider it heaven on earth.

[Greenheadless]

Great info, thanks gents.

Looking forward to it!

[Greenheadless]

Anyone ship fish back? Whadya do?

[Leon County Slayer]

Originally Posted by Greenheadless

Anyone ship fish back? Whadya do?

There’s a place in Homer and may be a couple now that flash freeze your fish. Contact them ahead of time and see if they also handle shipping. We just packed ours in styrofoam coolers and brought them back on the plane frozen.

[Txtourist]

Originally Posted by Leon County Slayer

There’s a place in Homer and may be a couple now that flash freeze your fish. Contact them ahead of time and see if they also handle shipping. We just packed ours in styrofoam coolers and brought them back on the plane frozen.

10th and M seafood is super easy seafood storage in anchorage ( not too far from the airport). I don’t remember exactly what it cost, but not bad. Lots of places will process/freeze and store game/seafood. Most hotels have walk in freezers and resorts all have chest freezers. Some even have food savers, you just buy the bags.
I skip the coolers and fish boxes, just freeze everything solid and put in a sleeping bag inside a duffel. It stays frozen solid 8-12 hours easy. If you’re over #50 throw a stack of frozen fish in a balled up sweatshirt in a carry on. If you get a credit card for the airline you use, pay for a couple extra bags coming home. Fish boxes are fine, but they add up and many won’t hold 45-50 pounds of fish.

Old Denali highway is a lot of fun to drive and a great glimpse of real interior Alaska ( big contrast from anchorage and the peninsula. Bring a gas can and fill up every chance you get, it’s fairly desolate and the fuel and everything gets exponentially more expensive.
The fishing is ridiculous, learn about flossing and “chuck and duck” steel head style “ fishing” for reds.
If you can swing it, pop for a lodge on the Kenai. They’re all right in the honey holes, and will fill your freezer.
Water taxis out of Homer and Seward can be a great side trip and are pretty affordable.
The glaciers are all great, highly recommend hiking them all.
Be prepared for lots of people and traffic in the summer months. Lots of campers and giant boats being towed down the road. You can get pretty much anything you need up there, so don’t stress about packing a bunch of stuff. Some stuff like waders will be sold down at the peak early sockeye late June.
Talkeetna is a fun stop over, jet boat tours are great and there’s some decent rafting there as well.

[DapperDan]

Wife and I went caribou hunting last year out of Kotz. Spent 5 days traveling down the Kenia and it is beautiful. If you’ve never been get ready to be hooked. We cant wait to go back. Heck, we’ve contemplated just moving there bc we love it so much. Some great breweries and recommend stopping at each one. We were there during the fall and got to watch the colors of the leaves change. It was incredible!

The guide we fished with on a float trip was hands down the best fishing guide I’ve ever fished with. He grew up on that river and knows every inch of it and put us on a ton of rainbows and dolly’s. His name is Mike and he’s out of cooper landing.

If you need to rent anything here is a place in anchorage. We rented waders and wading boots from them. One of the waders had a small hole in the knee. I’d recommend keeping some Contractor trash bags with you in case one springs a leak. I’m sure they would have most everything else you’d need if you choose to leave something at home. Better call and make a reservation if it’s the busy season.

https://www.alaskaoutdoorgearrental.com/

I’d also recommend renting a sat phone in anchorage or at least renting/buying an inreach mini if you’re going to get off the beaten path. You can text using the mini through your phone. Better safe than sorry and the cell service is non existent unless you’re in a town. Huge plus in my opinion!

Alaska is a magical place and has stolen my heart!













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[tps7742]

Looks like a great trip y’all had DapperDan. Grasp life by the tail and hang on, it flies by all too fast so keep enjoying it.

[DapperDan]

Originally Posted by tps7742

Looks like a great trip y’all had DapperDan. Grasp life by the tail and hang on, it flies by all too fast so keep enjoying it.

That’s the plan! Maybe kids soon??? We shall see.


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[jeffpg]

We rolled into Anchorage Sunday night a whole day late thanks to American Airlines.
Drove into Kenai yesterday and got set up in our lake house.
I started work today.
It's cold here.

[Bjayroe]

I've heard deep dropping is fun.

[frios]

talkeetna flightseeing trip - a must do

[diamond10x]

Originally Posted by jeffpg

We rolled into Anchorage Sunday night a whole day late thanks to American Airlines.
Drove into Kenai yesterday and got set up in our lake house.
I started work today.
It's cold here.

It has warmed up quite a bit the last couple weeks. Will probably be an early spring, which will hopefully help out come moose season.

Only thing now is snow freeze and thaw but all the roads here on the KP are clear so shouldn’t be an issue.