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Service at Reel Action Alaska Lodge
At Reel Action Alaska we realize your Alaskan fishing experience is extremely important to you. The amount of time and effort you put into the planning and preparation, the cost of the trip and air fares, the time you take off from your job in the real world - all weigh heavily on your decision. You want this trip to be special, you want it to be spectacular, you want the best possible experience for you and your friends or family. We understand this and will flat out work our hardest to outperform your expectations. We have taken the time to pay attention to every detail of your stay with us, starting with your accommodations, service, meals, guiding, photography and video of your trip. Combine this attention to detail with the hottest fly fishing action in Alaska and you have what we are all about at Reel Action Alaska!
At Reel Action, we pride ourselves in the unique fishing program that we can provide our clients. With special and distinct areas to fish, we are very lucky to offer clients the option of fishing in the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and on the Kanektok River!
Each night you will meet with your guide to discuss the next day and what type of fishing you would like to do. For example, you may want to spend your whole week swinging for King Salmon on the lower Kanektok river, or you might enjoy stripping top water flies for silvers in the morning hours and spend the afternoon mousing for Rainbows up river. Even still, you may decide you’d like to fish for Rainbows, Dolly Varden and Grayling twenty five miles up river in the Togiak National Wildlife Wilderness area.
The bottom line, is that this trip is all about you and your fishing preferences – both in terms of species and methodology. We are flexible and can accommodate any angling palate!
Ben with a nice chrome silver salmon |
Simon with a with a nice king salmon |
The Equipment at our Lodge
The lodge has seven jet boats to transport you to the hottest fishing action on the river. Our lodge takes a maximum of 12 anglers. The Kanektok is easily wadeable so we use the boats to get to a prime fishing location, jump out and start fishing! Our guide to client ratio is two clients per one guide assuring you the highest level of service on your trip. We also have many high quality rods and reels for your use while at our lodge. We have spey rods, switch rods, 9wt's, 8wt's, 7wt's, and 6wt's available. We carry Winston, Sage, and G-Loomis rods. All the terminal tackle, leaders, and flies will be provided for you by your guide. Each of our guides tie their own specialty fly patterns for your trip. You are always welcome to bring your own rods and equipment as well, but if you want to travel light - feel free to use ours.
Spey fishing on the Kanektok
Spey fishing for fresh run king salmon on the Kanektok is one of the greatest feelings a fly fisherman may have. Skagit-style spey casting with a 9 weight rod, (loaded with an interchangeable shooting head), gives you the greatest sense of freedom to cover water. Punching out 60 to 80 foot casts with ease to king infested water is the ultimate adrenaline rush. The take is mind blowing, the excitement is overwhelming, the experience is priceless. Millions of years of evolution now pulls at the end of your line with the ferocity of a lion. As 100 yards of backing peels out, you have a second to realize you're not in control. Your 9 weight spey rod, bending at a full “C” shape does nothing to slow the king down on its first run. You now understand what this river is all about, why it is unlike any you have fished before, and why it is called the "Chosen River".
We recommend using a 9 weight, skagit-style spey set up - equipped with interchangeable sink tips and at least 200 yards of backing. A large arbor reel with a strong disc drag works best. Your leaders should be 15 pound maxima ultra/green - enough to handle a 45 plus pound king and abrasion resistant for any rocks or snags that get in your way. The Kanektok is a fly fishermans paradise with an abundance of gravel bars and shallow enough areas to effectively swing flies to monster kings. We have carefully chosen our lodge location to be only 1 mile up from tide water giving us excellent access to the king salmon fishery. We use both spey and switch rods to target most species on the river including rainbows, dollys, silvers, and chum salmon.
Single Handed Rods
We use single handed to fish for everything from the chrome bright salmon to the beautiful leopard rainbows, dolly varden, and grayling. We recommend using a 9 or 10 weight for the kings, 8 weights for silvers, 6 or 7 weights for rainbows and dollies, and 5 weights for pink salmon and grayling. The Kanektok river has many small tributaries and branches in the upper sections that we travel up and fish for rainbows, dolly varden, and grayling. The diversity of the Kanektok keeps your week interesting as you can catch multiple species at any given time during the summer.
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Underwater release shot of a silver salmon |
Swinging flies for salmon |
Staff and Guides at our Lodge
Our staff and guides pay close attention to detail in making every day, every hour, every fish count. We work hard for you and our guests notice the difference - just ask some of our past clients. Fifteen years ago we started a business called Reel Action Fly Fishing in Western NY state. A decade later we have expanded bringing Reel Action to Alaska. Dedication and hard work day in and out is what we are all about. There are no egos - we are a focused team of hard working individuals working to make your Alaskan experience the best. We look forward to seeing you in Alaska!
Guide landing a silver salmon |
Guide assisting with landing of a leopard rainbow |
Management at our Lodge
Captain Paul Jacob is the lodge manager, guide and co-owner of Reel Action Fly Fishing. Paul is a full time fly fishing guide spending more then 300 days a year on the streams, rivers, and lakes. Paul is a certified casting instructor with the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) with 20 years of fly fishing guiding experience in Alaska and 30 years of fly fishing guiding experience in New York State. Paul leads our team of guides and has hired each one, training them on the principals we hold dear to our service and our commitment to excellence. Steve Olufsen is also a guide in New York and co-owner of the business. Steve is in charge of sales and marketing with 30 years of experience in the fly fishing industry. Steve manages the website along with booking trips for both services in New York and Alaska.
Paul with a king salmon on a spey rod |
Steve with a silver salmon |
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