What to Expect in July

The lupine are blooming. The sockeye are running. Summer is in full swing! The Lodge at 58* North is bustling, and we are fishing and flying every day. Though many anglers think of July as a month solely focused on salmon fishing, the Bristol Bay region has some incredible small-stream fishing for rainbow trout, grayling, and char during this time. This is often more traditional trout fishing methods with nymphs, dry flies, streamers and even mice! We fly into Katmai National Park and Becharof Wildlife Refuge in float planes to these remote streams often finding the solitude we crave and the trout fishing experience we dream about!

Typical Day

A typical day starts between 6-8 AM with a delicious breakfast to order, as well as coffee, tea, and juice.  Lunches are prepared daily using fresh ingredients from local produce and greens from the garden, as well as homemade bread baked daily and sliced fresh. You’ll meet your guides at the boats or at the plane between 7-9 am. Based on the unique daily adventure, you’ll be back to the lodge around 4 pm to 5 pm.  Appetizers are at 6 pm, and dinner is served at 7 pm.

Fishing

There are both boats and walk & wade options, and guests have options to fish with terminal tackle (gear) or fly fish. 

The first two weeks of July we fish for Sockeye salmon right out our front door! A short jet boat ride to some premium spots on our home water should produce limits of sockeye salmon daily. (5 per person per day)  The later part of July we will often fly to other rivers to find fresh Sockeye running in numbers that we can catch.  Throughout the entire month of July we are targeting Chinook or King Salmon on our home water typically through gear methods which are varied. It is best to fish 4 per boat if possible to maximize our lures in the water. We can also swing flies for King Salmon with spey rods if weather and tides permit, if you are interested.  The entire month is great for fishing more traditional patterns for rainbow trout, dolly varden, and grayling.  We will fly in our float plane to remote streams, hike a little and then fish dry flies, mice patterns and streamers to attract the attention of our targeted fish. It is such a fun and rewarding experience!

• Small intimate streams with hiking options
• Fishing in Katmai National Park
• Exploring Becharof Wildlife Refuge and fishing via float plane
• Fishing for king salmon on the Nushagak River
• Watching coastal brown bears grab salmon on the waterfall at Brooks River

Guides

Our guides are experienced, knowledgeable and focused on safety.  We are all patient teachers who love to share Bristol Bay with our guests and meet them at their ability. Click here to meet our guiding team!

Two anglers per guide.   We rotate boat partners and guides daily. Each evening guests discuss our upcoming adventure with their guide.  On the Nushagak River we may put four anglers per guide in one large boat to increase the chances of hookups-the more lines in the water the better!

Target Species

Target species in July include:

• King & Sockeye Salmon
• Rainbow Trout
• Grayling
• Dolly Varden
• Arctic Char
• Northern Pike

Bring Home Salmon

The trip includes all fish processing, fileted, frozen, and vacuum sealed, placed in an airline-approved fish box.   Most hotels in Anchorage have a freezer where you can keep your fish frozen if you are staying for a few extra days.

Getting Here

Your Alaska adventure starts when flying from Anchorage to King Salmon. Once in King Salmon, one of our trusted staff will drive you to the beautiful Lodge at 58 North.