First Of A Series Of Episodes On The Nushagak River In Alaska
Alaska’s Nushagak River is arguably the best salmon fishery on the planet. Careful management and the remote location combine to produce an enormous native run of King Salmon that peaks through June and July.
This is the untamed Alaska you read about. You’ll share the bank with moose and see eagles the size of condors. The Nushagak River is broad, fast, and home to all five species of salmon as well as rainbow trout, dolly varden, grayling and northern pike. It is by any measure an angler’s paradise.
We enjoyed the privilege of professional guide Dan Ross’ hospitality which started from the time our float plane landed to our departure. Dan’s camp is remarkable. Situated deep in the Alaskan bush, miles from electricity or plumbing, Dan’s, like all the others in the area, is a tent camp. Dan has definitely gone the extra mile though in developing his camp. The tents sit on elevated platforms at riverside. They are spacious and comfortable. You can savor a hot shower at the end of your day of fishing; the mess tent is a huge Quonset-type shelter that’s warm and inviting; there’s a walk-in freezer and most of the amenities you’ve grown accustomed to at home.
We fished most every day right off the decks of our tents and caught dozens of salmon just plunking eggs and Spin-n-Glo’s. Dan’s gear, even for plunking, was first class --- no corners have been cut in this camp.
The fishing defies adequate description. While other Alaskan fisheries struggle, ravaged by commercial and sport harvest as well as challenging environmental consequences, the Nushagak continues to belt out impressive numbers of salmon season-after-season. It’s a clear indication of what’s possible when habitat and water quality are maintained to a high standard and careful management’s in place to limit harvest.
We had heard stories of 100 fish days prior to setting foot in camp. When we arrived the stories were verified as one angler after the next extolled the benefits of the camp and this remarkable river.
100 salmon days are certainly not the norm, but they are possible here. Expect to catch plenty though.
Dan prefers to “boon-dog”, that is, cast a bait of eggs with a big Spin’n Glo above the bait and drift down the river dragging the bait along the bottom. There’s more to it than that but it’s an adequate general description. The strikes are hard and deliberate followed by fights unlike any King we’d caught anywhere else. These are strong fish that use the current to full advantage and tear off line in seemingly effortless 25 to 50 yard bursts.
Backtrolling plugs and back bounced bait works well on the “Nush” too, but boon-dogging allows you to make the cast, feel the bite, set the hook, fight and land the fish.
More and more is being written about this river system. Until the last decade or so, this river was a favorite of locals and not many others. To see the numbers of salmon that fill this river, and the fact that these populations are the result of natural production, makes this a very special place that should be aggressively managed, and thankfully is.
Dan’s incorporated all the components that make for a great camp. The food is exceptional. We’d just got off the float plane after a full day of travel and were greeted with smiles, handshakes and a steaming pile of fresh-cooked BBQ ribs…that’s how the trip started and it got better from there. Dan’s wife, Suzie, is responsible for the meals which included a full roast pig one night, baron of beef another, salmon cooked three or four different ways, fresh pastries, baked goods, and breakfasts and lunches that were as multi-coursed as the dinners. The term “first class” fails to adequately describe the quality of the eating experience. Ross put the “H” in hospitality and follows through on that promise every waking moment of every day in camp.
The Nushagak is one of those places that every angler should enjoy at least once in their lives. It’s a special environment filled with honest anticipation and enthusiasm for a prized fish. The experience is genuine and Dan and his wife have done everything possible to make it one of the most truly remarkable fishing experiences you can enjoy anywhere! Need we say more?
| Host: |
Hosted by Trey Carskadon |
| Guide: |
Dan Ross’ Nushagak River Camp |
| Email: |
www.dansspecialty.com |
| Location: |
Nushagak River, Alaska |
| Species: |
Chinook "King" Salmon |
| Date: |
Last week of June |
