Floating remote Alaskan waters

[cwb124]

Hey folks,

A couple of friends and I are doing a DIY float trip in Alaska next summer. We will get dropped off with gear via bush plane and float for 5-6 days and then get picked up. Fishing for Dollies and Sheefish.

Just wondering if anyone had some tips from experience to share to make the trip better. I've read a ton about preparing for the trip, gear lists, and overall how to make sure we are prepared. We'll have 2 boats, camp gear, rain gear, tarps, bear fence, etc etc.

One question specifically I had is what do you do if you're floating down a river and there's a bear in your way in the middle of the river fishing and doing his thing? Do you try and scare them off when you're upstream? Do you just float silently down as far away as you can? Will they bother you if you're in a boat? The bear aspect and unfamiliarity with them is the biggest concern/question mark we have with this trip. We will be armed but obviously don't want to hurt anything but the fish.

 

[jpbfly]

I think Ard will give you good infos when he sees your post

 

[itinerant]

Hey folks,

A couple of friends and I are doing a DIY float trip in Alaska next summer. What river will you be floating? Enquiring minds want to know. We will get dropped off with gear via bush plane and float for 5-6 days and then get picked up. Fishing for Dollies and Sheefish.

Just wondering if anyone had some tips from experience to share to make the trip better. Don't get so caught up in the fishing that you don't take the time to appreciate the other aspects of the trip. Also, know that in Alaska, weather often plays havoc with schedules, if it happens to you, just roll with it. I've read a ton about preparing for the trip, gear lists, and overall how to make sure we are prepared. We'll have 2 boats, camp gear, rain gear, tarps, bear fence, etc etc.

One question specifically I had is what do you do if you're floating down a river and there's a bear in your way in the middle of the river fishing and doing his thing? Do you try and scare them off when you're upstream? Do you just float silently down as far away as you can? Will they bother you if you're in a boat?

When you see a bear in or near the river pull to the bank or a gravel bar as soon as you can and make your presence known. Do not approach the bear either afoot or afloat. If the bear just keeps doing his thing relax and enjoy the show. Bears (and moose and caribou and .....) have the right-of-way and if they don't yield you'll just have to wait. On a Kisaralik float several years ago we had two occasions where we spotted bears from a distance and pulled over to observe and photograph them, one was digging up ground squirrels on a hillside and the other was fishing. Watching and photographing those bears was a very memorable part of the trip.

Making plenty of noise by talking loudly is a good general rule when you're floating through confined waters or other areas where visibility is limited to short distances. The same is true when you're afoot scouting a rapid or portaging, the worst thing you can do is surprise a bear.

The bear aspect and unfamiliarity with them is the biggest concern/question mark we have with this trip. We will be armed but obviously don't want to hurt anything but the fish.

Just remember that the bears and other animals you will see on your trip are WILD animals. You don't need to be afraid of them but they do demand your respect.

Rick

 

[ptarmigan]

I wouldn't be too concerned about bears in the river up there. If you do see one I'd let it know you're coming through though. Bears don't like surprises very much. Keep your campsites bear safe. No food in or around your tents. Not as big of a concern (still a no-no) if you're on a river that is plugged with salmon but up in the NW part of the state where you will be I would keep my camp clean. Have fun catching those freshwater Tarpon!

 

[cwb124]

Good info so far. I really appreciate it.

We will be floating the Wulik River after flying into Kotzebue, which I have been informed does not hold sheefish but can hold big Dollys so we're going after them. Also holds grayling, chum and possibly a few edible salmon.

We will also break up the days by hopefully walking up some ptarmigan. One guy might even get a caribou tag, but it will mostly be a fishing expedition.

 

[mcnerney]

This sure sounds like an awesome trip your planning and I hope you take lots of photos and take the time on your return to write up a trip report, I'd love to see what that area looks like.

Not sure if you have thought of this or not, but it would probably be a good idea to look into one of those satellite devices. A few years back I bought an InReach from Delorme. With their basic plan it gives you the capability to hit an emergency button and that will notify them that you are in trouble and has some limited email capability, I think it will do up to 160 characters, but not sure. You can add the application to a home computer and someone there can track your progress as long as you have it on, but then you would need a small solar panel for recharging like the one I use for my GoPro and cell. The other option might be to look into what a satellite phone rents for. Having some way to communicate your situation would be priceless if you have some sort of emergency while your in the field.

 

[ptarmigan]

If you're on Facebook, look up Alaskan Salmon Slayers. Dennis and his crew just did a trip up there a couple of weeks ago. He is more than willing to help with any questions I'm sure. Looked like a fun trip!

 

[100954]

I have floated a very remote western Alaska River, but with a guide. One of the biggest challenges you should be prepared for is braiding. Most of the rivers up there are bigger and wilder than those in the lower 48. You can come to a section that braids into several channels and if you take the wrong one, you may float for a mile, then find it impassible, and have to go back. We spent part of an afternoon taking turns sawing our way through a log jam with a rope tied around the waist of the guy on the saw. So be sure you know the river. We saw a lot of bears, including one in the middle of the river one day. As stated previously, they tend to be preoccupied with eating salmon. But I would have my bear spray ready as you float by, just in case. We had a black bear with two cubs come into camp one night because our guide forgot the frying pan from supper on top of the camp stove. So keep a clean camp. And we were camped on a gravel bar. Have fun and bring plenty of deed.

 

[itinerant]

The other option might be to look into what a satellite phone rents for. Having some way to communicate your situation would be priceless if you have some sort of emergency while your in the field.

This is an excellent idea and I'm embarrassed I neglected to mention it. On a Kisaralik River float a few years ago our group rented a sat phone from the outfitter who flew us out and dropped us off (Papa Bear in Bethel), you should check with whomever is flying you out for availability either from them or someone else in that area. Split three ways the cost of rental for your trip will be very reasonable.

Rick

 

[cwb124]

Yeah we are splitting a sat phone rental. Think we can grab one for a week for under $100.

Good advice about the braids. Hadn't thought of that and no map will provide adequate info.

So my party is considering all freeze dried food for the trip. That and eating some dollys and any edible salmon/grayling we find could do the trick. I'd like to have some fresh food but they said it's not really worth it. Do you guys usually just eat freeze dried backpacking food on these kinds of trips?

 

[mcnerney]

Yes, when ever you are using a bush plane to haul you, your gear and your boat to the river, you are going to be on a tight budget weight wise. One easy way to reduce the weight is to get freeze dried food and like you said supplement that with some fresh grilled fish.

Good to hear you guys are splitting the cost of the satellite phone, very wise move.

 

[100954]

We spent 7 days in the Alaskan bush and ate fresh, sometimes gourmet, meals every day. The trick that our guide used was to lay out all 20 - 21 meals, then reverse pack them in a cooler, then put the entire cooler in a walk-in freezer for 24 hours. He placed a 2" sheet of styrefoam insulation on top of the food inside the cooler. Each meal was always right on top and to thaw upcoming items he placed them on top of the insulation, so that space (between the insulation and the lid) acted a fridge rather than freezer. Worked great, everything stayed frozen or cold, as wanted- all week. But......because of the weight, the plane made two trips to drop off my wife, the guide, me and all the gear. More money but we sure ate well.

 

[cwb124]

There will be 4 of us with our fishing gear, camping gear and boats so we're already at 2 trips. $3200-$3400 in bush plane fees alone. Yikes. Plus $1200-$1500 in commercial airfare. I may even bump to 1st class to have the refundable ticket and ability to change as weather changes. Plus 1st class will be nice traveling out of Philadelphia or BWI. Might actually get some sleep on the plane.

The ONLY thing that could put a damper on the trip is several days of rain. I can handle cold, wind, etc. But days of rain is just soul crushing.

What is the expectation of daylight about 150 north of the arctic circle around the 2nd or 3rd week of august? I don't believe it ever gets dark. Just 4 hours of dusk? That will be a trip.

 

[itinerant]

The ONLY thing that could put a damper on the trip is several days of rain. I can handle cold, wind, etc. But days of rain is just soul crushing.

August is typically the wettest month of the year in Kotzebue, averaging about 2" of rain and at that latitude snow is possible as well.

What is the expectation of daylight about 150 north of the arctic circle around the 2nd or 3rd week of august? I don't believe it ever gets dark. Just 4 hours of dusk? That will be a trip.

Sunrise will be around 0600-0630 and sunset will be around 2300-2330 depending on the time of month, it will be dark enough to need a light source to see well. At that time of year the length of the days changes rapidly with the sun rising about 4 minutes later and setting about 7-9 minutes earlier each day. On a one week trip you will lose about an hour of daylight between your first and last days.

Rick

 

[cwb124]

One thing I forgot to ask:

Chest vs. waist waders. Personally, I despise chest waders and only use waist waders to fish. I'm 6'5" and if I have to wade out somewhere over my waist, I am doing something very wrong, so I simply don't. I have a really nice pair of patagonia waist waders and a cheaper Cabelas pair for backup. Do I really need chest waders? Is it more for overall rain proofing my body or do you actually have to wade far/deep to get to the fish? My nice Orvis wading jacket covers my waist waders so water shouldn't run down my pants. Something i'm missing which chest waders?

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

Regarding hip/waist/chest waders, my rule of thumb serves me well enough. If I expect the water to be no higher than mid-shin, then I use hippers. If it will be up to my knee to just above it, waist waders, and if I expect a few spots to mid-thigh or crotch, or more importantly if I am not sure then I use chest waders.

Personally, I'd prefer hippers, and my wading pants at worst. That said, you need to plan on unforeseeable high water levels, unseen holes, or deep silt that might have you crouching more than you expect. So it's not so much what you need, but more what you hope you won't encounter.

Just last week I was wading the North Branch of the AuSable which I had never fished. From all I read, all who told me, and always wading cautiously I could have gone with my waist waders... Instead just to be sure I wore my chest waders. A couple spots would have really tested the wisdom of the waist-highs. As it turned out though, I killed my camera drowning it which was in my outer chest pocket which is about level with my lower ribs. Where during the night-time wade that happened I'm not sure, but it happened never the less. Granted, I'm just over 5'10", yet is it worth getting soaked and having wet waders for your trip just because you squat down or kneeled to do something?

f.w.i.w. :shades:

B.E.F.

 

[lak]

I just returned from floating the Wulik, and you should have a great time..And you will see Bears, not really a problem, but be aware and pick up some bear spray when you get into town. I recommend Jarred Cummings to fly ya out. great outfit and great survice... Bring some some Dolly Lammas and and have fun..outstanding trophy class Dolly fishing and large Grayling.. a float trip of a life time...I agree with everyone about making those bears aware of your presents..make some noise, keep camp clean, and carry bear spray...And we did float up onto a bear in the river, and he wasn't happy, lots of yelling and rowing the other direction until he decided to move on...

 

[akfred]

I have spent lots of time on the Wulik River over the past 30 years. Your choice of the 2nd or 3rd week of August is good if you hope to catch Dolly Varden in full spawning colors. If you can wait until the last week of August or 1st week of September you will also have a decent chance to catch silvery fat nonspawners freshly returned from the sea. It also depends a bit on the parts of the river you plan to float. There are more spawners in the upper reaches. The timing of the fall non spawner overwintering migration is variable. Some years it begins as early as August 10 other years not until mid September. Peak of spawning is around the third week of August.
There is a USGS gauging station near the mouth of Tutak Creek on the Wulik. Google "Wulik River flow" for current flow data. This can be very helpful in planning. The river comes up very rapidly during rain events. If the river is high change your plans. Be sure to pull your rafts high up on the gravel bar for the night and TIE them to something anchored in the ground.
Have a good trip.