September Fishing in Alaska
What to Expect in September
September fishing in Alaska is a time of transition in Bristol Bay and conditions can change on a daily basis. The first half of September will still offer excellent fishing for coho or silver salmon in the Naknek and Becharof drainages. Fly fishing with streamers and dry flies as well as spin fishing with jigs and spinners are all effective methods. Arctic Char fishing will enter our weekly fishing program, as these lake-run fish will start to stage at creek mouths and at Ugashik Narrows. Arctic Char in our region are very slow growing and can reach incredible sizes, with fish over thirty inches not uncommon! We still find Dolly Varden and grayling on our small stream fisheries as well and lots of amazing wildlife viewing. The coastal brown bears are so fat from eating salmon all season Katmai National Park puts on a “fat bear” contest.
The real draw for September anglers is the presence of massive rainbow trout. The Naknek will become a very consistent fishery in early September and continue until our season comes to a close.
Read our 'Fall Fishing in Bristol Bay' blog to learn more.
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
September fishing in Alaska is a time of transition in Bristol Bay, and conditions can change on a daily basis. Some of the smaller streams that had been fishing well the month before are starting to slow as salmon spawning numbers decrease. While other streams like the Kulik and Brooks River will start to fish better and better.
- Fishing for Silver salmon in the Naknek and Becharof drainages.
- Fly out for Arctic char
- Fishing for trophy Naknek Rainbows
- Fishing in Katmai National Park
- Exploring Becharof Wildlife Refuge and fishing via float plane
- Some of the best brown bear viewing as they continue to hunt for the best fishing places among the spawning salmon
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 September include:
- Coho or Silver Salmon (up to the first two weeks of September depending on weather, conditions, and run timing)
- Rainbow Trout
- Grayling
- Dolly Varden
- Arctic Char
- Northern Pike
Bring Home Salmon
For the first two weeks of September, based on the coho run, this 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.
