Nushagak River Fishing

Our Camp

We operate a salmon camp on the Nushagak River during peak king and sockeye salmon migration in June and July.  Our camp is located in the uppermost tidally affected portion of the Nushagak, near the village of Portage Creek.  Additionally, the camp is a place where our guests start and finish their day.

It is a location to get out of the elements if needed, sit by the fire, and enjoy a fantastic lunch.  Furthermore, our camp location is on one of the best king salmon runs in the Nushagak tidal zone, meaning we can drop our gear as soon as we shove offshore!  Speaking of shore, our location makes for very good shore fishing, with king salmon caught from the beach almost every day.

A Day on the Nushagak

A day on the Nushagak starts with a fresh breakfast made by Chef Jason at the lodge.  After breakfast, guests will change into their fishing outfits, and load into our DeHavilland Beaver and head North.  The flight is about 30 minutes long, and takes you down the Naknek River. Subsequently across Kvichak Bay (watch for Belugas!) and finally down the Nushagak, where you will land on the river in front of camp.

Next, your guides will be ready for you, boats will be loaded, and you will shove off and head out for your day of fishing.  Throughout the day, you will troll with spinners, flashers, and plugs.  When conditions allow, we enjoy fishing with spin tackle and bobber dogging.  Catching varies on conditions, but it is not uncommon to hook more than 20 fish per day!

Nushagak King Salmon

The Nushagak king salmon experience is definitely one of our favorites. Our guides often fight over who gets to fish the ‘Nush’.

We love fishing the Nushagak for king salmon for many reasons, but here are a few reasons we love it so much:

• The tactics – fishing multiple kinds of gear each day keeps things fresh and engaging for guide and guest alike!
• The water – we commonly fish 10 miles of river every day. From small dead-end side channels, to large open tidal flats, we fish aren’t ‘stuck’ fishing a few runs close to our camp.
• The fish – fresh from the ocean king salmon vary in size and shape, and when you hook a silver-sided, purple-backed chromer, you will forever be a changed person!