What Keeps You From Going to Alaska to Fish?

[Ard]

It goes without saying that Alaska is a long way from anywhere in the lower 48 states. Air fare alone can be a substantial cost but beyond the cost of getting here & non resident license fees what is keeping you from coming to Alaska to fly fish?

Ard

An uncrowded spot that I visit;

 

[mikel]

Beyond the cost? Having the right person or people to go with. -m

 

[jimw]

It's on my list of things to do. The biggest thing for me is the economy. i own a small contracting business and we are off about 65% compared to 5 years ago. I will be there one of these days as business is getting better but it's is going to be a few years.

 

[fire instructor]

Forum rules say that need at least 10 characters, correct?
So here's my answer:

$$$$$$$$$$

 

[stanbiker]

I think a lot of people over estimate how much it costs. It's expensive to travel anywhere, but a DIY trip can be done easily. Of course, if an Alaska trip only means staying at a Bristol Bay lodge then it probably is a very expensive trip!

 

[mcnerney]

Ard: I'm really itching to get back to AK for some fishing. I promised the girlfriend that I would take her to France first, the plan was to go in the Spring, but I didn't realize I needed a passport before I could even make a flight reservation (I think that requirement is a Homeland security deal), so now we are planning to go in the fall, sight seeing in Paris (not my idea) and then taking the train down to southern France and spending a few days with JP and his wife.

 

[littledavid123]

Time, would be a huge factor for me. The area is so large and unknown to those of us in the lower 48, unless you hired a guide. I can see spending almost an entire trip just learning about a particular area and meeting the right people whom you could trust for accurate information. A person could easily put themselves in a life threatening situation if not enough time is spent learning a particular area. I think it would still be a great trip as long as your expectations of catching fish were kept low.

Dave

 

[gt05254]

I will echo fire instructor's comment:

Forum rules say that need at least 10 characters, correct?
So here's my answer:

$$$$$$$$$$

There's so much more involved, from a dollar standpoint, than just the cost of a plane ticket and a license.

Gary

 

[fyshstykr]

Money has been a factor, and still is depending on the timing.
Finishing the landscape renovation for our daughters wedding this Summer (atleast that's when they tell us it is (now)) has thrown a monkey wrench in our plans temporarily.

Soon we won't have any more excuses.

Soon...:frogdance

 

[Ard]

You people should be aware that you have a friend in Alaska here on this forum. Bringing someone with may make you feel that you are with a friend but having a connection here can be a huge factor. Just say'en,

Ard

 

[williamhj]

I'd love to get up there. Yes $$$ is a factor, but in addition to that is having a one year old little girl. So time is a real factor for me. I figure head up there when I can do it right, either as part of a family trip or as a get-away with my brother and/or some friends. For now, I'm busy enough exploring all Colorado has to offer, not to mention getting to Wyoming, Montana, etc etc. Someday though, someday...

 

[Brewmaster]

Last trip I made to Alaska was in 2007. The last few years the only thing that has kept me from going have been pesky medical issues. This year is blocked, but I am thinkling 2013 is the right year (if the knee replacement rehab is successful). I still have enough frequent flyer miles to cover the basic airfare, so after that it is just those few other costs (lodging, food, transportation, license, and possibly some guides)! I am eager to return!

In the meanwhile, Ard's posts & photos will have to continue to raise my spirits!
:wavetowel

 

[Guest1]

Because I heard Bigfoot lives there. Scary! All kidding aside, I may have to make a trip up there. I really don't have a lot of excuses. I may have to time it according to what they decide to do with my back though.

 

[ausablebrown]

I was very close to heading up there two years ago when I had 17 days off, but we decided to do Yellowstone, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming tour instead. I enjoy the drive to a place nearly as much as I enjoy the destination but I would have to make an exception for AK. So....airfare, rental car, guide, liscenses, etc., and Grayling MI in April looks pretty darn good. I get there for about $35 in the Yaris with the trout stickers on the back and camp in the state forest land for free. Costs me about $100 instead of $3000.

 

[Monello]

Alaska is much more reasonable than most people believe.

I went on a DIY trip in 2005. Late June, early July 2 weeks in an RV rented out of Anchorage and headed to the Kenai peninsula. I learned a lot on that trip. Caught some fish but should have caught more. Did plenty of sight seeing also.

Then I went back in 2006 for 2 weeks selecting August/September time frame. We caught so many pinks and a few silvers. After that I was hooked.

I went back in 2008 for the summer. Took 4 weeks to drive up from Maryland. I fished many different bodies of water. Many days I had the water to myself. Spent a lot of time on the river also. Best day in the boat was 102 legally hooked pink salmon. Had a few silvers in there also.

In 2009 & 2010 I volunteered with the state parks. Spent a summer in Seward and the other summer in Kethikan. Hiked and fished all over the place. Caught a lot of different species of fish using lots of different techniques. I had a few friends come up and stay with me. They took advantage of the situation with me being there.

If your credit card has air miles you can fly up very reasonably. We spent $50 for tickets one year using miles. Once you are in AK, if you go the RV route you can really save some money by cooking your own meals. Some nights you can camp dry lakeside or in a pull out for free.

2 people in a motorhome for 2 weeks can be done for under $2,000 total.

 

[bluedaksi]

Money (lack of it), time, AND the fact that I live in a region that has arguably comparable quality of fishing opportunities. It's beautiful in many places here, but I'm sure it's not comparable to AK. However, you'd be hard pressed to beat the year-round diversity and quality of fishing that we have here in Western NY. Shshshshsh! It's a secret... I do hope to make it up to AK to fish at some point in my life.

 

[dhayden]

It's on the list for us.. probably the biggest thing for us, is Alaska is so big.. it's hard to figure an area to target.

We'd like to see the bears eating Salmon, but only want to fish for trout (I'll include char as trout ), I'm thinking rainbows would be the main target species for us.

 

[trout trekker]

Hey Ard,

It's not the cost so much, we rack up a lot of airline miles, hotel and rental car rewards, so the getting there isn’t that much. It’s just that there are a lot of places that we haven’t been to yet and plenty of places that we just couldn’t go without fishing every year. We also share a tendency to plan trips to places that others might find uncomfortably hot ( We thrive on 80 to 105 degrees ). So I guess Alaska’s more a matter of. getting it on to the priority list and getting some new long woolies.

It’s February 17, it’s going to be around 70 degrees here today without a cloud in the sky and we have our choice of steelhead, wild trout or black bass this afternoon, in shorts and short sleeves.
How’s the weather and the fishing around your parts today Ard?

By the way, thanks for taking care of that other thing.
Best wishes, TT

 

[mikel]

It's on the list for us.. probably the biggest thing for us, is Alaska is so big.. it's hard to figure an area to target.

If you pick a species, say silvers, then look at your dates and say "where can I catch silvers at this time?" you can narrow your search...then ask here and let Ard give you the right answer.

 

[ausablebrown]

Alaska is much more reasonable than most people believe.

2 people in a motorhome for 2 weeks can be done for under $2,000 total.

I'm not sure how you do your math, maybe you counted free airline tickets into you calculations. From what I can see it is a 1200 flight for 2. I dont' see any way to rent an RV, eat, sleep and fish for $800.

I am in no way bemoaning my lot in life, because there are about 6 billion people in the world who would love to trade places with me, but $2000-3000 is a very expensive vacation as far as my bank account is concerned. I've never been on a $2000 vacation anywhere. When we went 17 days through Montana, Yellowstone, Idaho, and Wyoming we spent 16 of our 17 days in a tent and ate from a cooler in the hatch of my Toyota Yaris.