2018 Trout Opener with Anglers Alibi

​Anglers Alibi has been known as a premier salmon fishing lodge on the Alagnak River in Alaska for the last 25 years. This river branches out from Bristol Bay, winding and weaving for 60 miles up river to its origin, Nonvianuk and Kukaklek Lake.  The lodge sits on top a bluff with a riverfront view at mile marker six. Locals will tell you that good fishing begins at mile marker three and prime fishing begins shortly after...giving guests at Anglers Alibi front row seats to pristine fish-able tidewater.

Beautiful Rainbow Trout Caught With Angler's Alibi

​2018 Alaska Fishing Begins!

​We are happy to say that the days of waiting for the salmon run to begin the Alaska fishing season are long over.  Lodge owner and operator, John Perry, started the 2018 fishing season in early June for what marks the first official Trout Opener for Anglers Alibi.

“The thought never existed about bringing people up for fishing before the salmon run until we started learning how excellent the fishing is and can be for trout. It’s always been good, but now it’s just too good up here to not share,” says Perry. “My goal for this opener was to begin showcasing a fishery that has been overlooked and continue to enhance the client experience by offering yet another species to target. Rainbow Trout are not normally targeted in the tidewater but are just as likely to bite”.

The opening week included four guests with daily trips to the Alagnak River Braids – a delicate and intricate stretch of river that plays a crucial role in the salmon run. Just a short jet ride upriver from Anglers Alibi; the Braids are the beginning of the salmon breeding grounds. This influx of fish creates a huge biomass of protein beginning with bears feeding on the salmon, tearing and dispersing flesh and eggs throughout the river and ending with the salmon dying after they have spawned. This is also the spawning ground for trout.

​But what really makes June ideal for the opener?

​Pre-runoff, clear water and deep-pocketed gravel beds provide ideal wading conditions for anglers eager for the ultimate, technical fly-fishing experience. Perry says, “These fish are different than the trout you experience in the lower 48. They are never harvested and they don’t get the same type of pressure so they’re hungry and feeding off of instinct. They haven’t seen a fly for months, if ever, and they fight like hell. Instead of using a 5wt or 6wt rod, which is what most clients are used to, a 7wt is necessary for battling these fish”.

Armed with three jet boats specifically provided for Braids trips and several experienced fishing guides with intimate Braids experience, Anglers Alibi is only adding to its legacy of being known as an outstanding fishing lodge.

The first salmon run was a huge success and the Anglers Alibi fishing guides are already looking forward to next year but, for now, it’s primarily salmon fishing time!

contact us to book for the next fishing season

​About the Author

​John Perry grew up in Michigan on an island called Grosse Ile, in the mouth of the Detroit River and Lake Erie. It was here, surrounded by great fishing and waterfowl hunting that John developed a passion for the outdoors. John moved to Colorado to chase trout in the summers and ski patrol in the winters. John had the privilege to start guiding for Angler’s Alibi with his fly fishing mentor TR Rafferty the second year it was in business. He left a head guide job in Colorado to pursue bigger and better fish.