Included / Not Included –
Included: Meals, guiding, major camping equipment, transfers from Bethel to the river and back, and some flies.
Not Included: Airfare to Bethel, accommodations and meals in Bethel and Anchorage, Alaska fishing license, sleeping bag, pillow, sleeping pad, alcohol, personal fishing equipment, gratuities.
Travel Logistics:
Arrival Information: To reach the Kisaralik River you will need to make travel arrangements in and out of Bethel, Alaska. You will need to arrive in Bethel the evening prior to the start of your trip and spend the night (not included in the package price).
Getting to the Lodge: A lodge representative will pick you up in Bethel for the drive to the Kuskokwim river where you will board a float plane for the flight to Kisaralik Lake.
Departure Information: On the last day of your trip you will be picked up by jet boat and shuttled about three hours back to Bethel
Documentation Requirements:
To participate in the float trip, anglers will be required to sign a Frontier River Guides’ Terms and Liability Release Form which must be received by the outfitter before the trip start date.
Travel Cash:
As a guideline we recommend that each guest travels with approximately $600 - $700 for staff & guide gratuities, etc.
Gratuities:
Gratuities are not included in the cost of the package and are left to the discretion of the individual angler. For planning purposes fishermen can expect the industry standard of around 10% of the trip price. This should be in cash and can be given to the head guide at the end of your trip to be distributed equally amongst the staff.
Fishing Licenses:
We recommend that your purchase your fishing licenses online prior to your trip. Please use the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game website and purchase a 14 day non-resident fishing license, print the licenses and bring them with you.
Climate:
In general, during June and July average temperatures are in the 60's to mid 70's. Temperatures in the fall are quite a bit cooler and average in the 50's-60's. Temperatures can drop into the 30's and 40's at almost any time in Alaska. Keep in mind that Alaska has unpredictable weather...it is good to always come prepared. You will encounter some biting insects such as mosquitoes, no see-ums, and white sox, but typically a light coating of insect repellent is enough to keep them off. On the river, where there is usually a light breeze, you should hardly notice them. If the weather is perfect for bugs sometimes a head net is nice to have.
Medical Facilities:
Emergency facilities are not readily available. The only access to medical assistance is by emergency evacuation by National Guard helicopter. The guides carry first aid kits and either a satellite phone or emergency locator beacon on all trips. Please assess your medical problems before booking. Travel insurance and/or medical evacuation coverage is encouraged. We recommend Global Rescue.
Power and Communications:
The trip will be equipped with an emergency locator beacon as well as a satellite phone for emergency communications.
Water:
The guide will purify all drinking and cooking water throughout the course of your tip. They will also provide you with a personal water bottle for use during the trip.
Clothing:
As the climate is extremely changeable and a wide range of temperatures and conditions can be expected, we recommend layering clothes. Typical fishing clothing consists of synthetic long underwear, fleece jacket and pants, hooded sweatshirt, and a good fishing rain jacket. Fingerless gloves are nice for cold mornings, and bring along a warm hat for early and late season fishing. For anglers made particularly uncomfortable by biting insects, pack along a mosquito head net if visiting during the first half of the season.
Beverages/Alcohol:
The guides do not provide alcohol. Guests may bring in their own. Hard alcohol is best placed in plastic stainless steel bottles. If you would like assistance in shipping a canned beer or box wine order to Bethel, please call us for details.
Tackle/Equipment List:
Rods: Trout, Char, and Grayling; 9 ft. 5-6 wt; Salmon; 9-10 ft. 7-8 wt. rods.
Reels: Any well-made reel with at least 50 yards of backing. Disk drags work well.
Lines: Trout; Weight forward floating lines are the norm but if you are fishing in June, July, or September bring along sinking tip lines such as the, or Rio Versi-Tip in the appropriate weights. Salmon; Weight forward floaters are the most common but bring along at least one of the following if you are deliberately targeting Salmon: Rio Versi-Tip, and or Teeny 200 or 300 grain heads in the appropriate weights. Note: For fishing mice and large streamers we think that the wulff ambush line is the best possible product.
Leaders/Tippet: Trout; 9-10 ft tapered leaders in 1X- 3X (four or five of each) and tippet to match. Salmon; 9-10 ft. tapered leaders in 1X-0X and tippet to match. Note: Fluorocarbon has become popular for the trout fishing.
Flies:
Trout: Streamers Various Flesh Flies (24+) # 4 like the Battle Flesh # 4 (streamer a Battle Cr. W/ a strip of lt. Brn. Rabbit, tied zonker style, forming a tail, & forward to the eye), Bunny Flesh Fly # 4 (streamer body of lt.brn, strip tail of pale orange/salmon marabou), Steak-n-Eggs #6, Cotton Candy #4, Purple Egg Sucking Leech(6) # 4 streamer tied plain, Battle Creek (12) # 4 & 6 streamer, Woolhead Sculpin or Morrish Sculpin (6) #2 & 6, Black Wooly Bugger (4) # 4 & 6, Olive Woolie Worm (2) # 6, Egg Patterns (3 dozen total), Glo Bugs (18) # 8-10 pink with orange patch pink & yellow w/ orange patch yellow with pink patch beads (6) # 8 pink creamy pink, Double Egg Pattern (6) # 6 streamer shell pink chenille eggs silver tinsel "body" white marabou "wing", Lead Eye Pinkie (10) #8 extra sm. Dumbbell eyes pink chenille reddish/orange e patch w/ marker.
Salmon: Purple Egg Sucking Leech(6) # 2 (purple cactus chenille body red/orange "egg" w/dumbbell eyes purple flashabou & krystal flash in tail marabou), Purple Egg Sucking Leech(6) # 2 (tied plain), Spectre Shrimp Bugger (3) # 2 (pink cactus chenille body red
cactus head w/ dumbbell eyes fuchsia flashabou & pink krystal flash in tail marabou), Purple Egg Sucking Zonker(2) # 2 , Flash Fly (3) 0/0 (salt water silv. tinsel body red throat orange calftail underwing flashabou wing).
Waders & Boots: Chest high breathable and or neoprene waders with felt soled wading boots. No studs or cleats please, as they can damage the boats.
Miscellaneous: Fishing vest or chest pack, polaroid fishing glasses, needle nose pliers or hemostats for releasing fish, split shot, indicators, hook hone, nippers, camera and lots of film, insect repellent and a head net if you are sensitive to bugs, sunscreen, a waterproof bag for your day gear, hat, bandana, split shot, and tape measure.
