Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Aleutian Adventures - Sandy and Hoodoo River, AK

Summer 2015 open dates

Sandy River Steelhead - Photo Courtesy of Trevor Covich

Aleutian Adventures – Sandy River Lodge

A small intimate lodge with legendary fishing. The fish are direct from the Bering Sea. The remaining space is for steelhead, with the King season sold out. The price is
$7600 and includes the charter from Anchorage.

Oct. 4-11, 1 space,
Oct. 11-18, 1 space

Aleutian Adventures – Hoodoo River

Hoodoo River King

The is a 6 person very comfortable riverside camp, located right in the fishing. These fish are also direct from the Bering Sea. The price is $5100 and includes the charter from Anchorage.

Kings June 21-28, 1 space
Silvers August 15-22, 22-29 and Aug. 29-Sept. 5 - (each week has one space)

Aleutian Peninsula, Alaska

Hoodoo River Silver

In September 2013 I was fortunate to fish with Aleutian Adventures on the Hoodoo River and a couple of coastal creeks. We fished for silver salmon aka Coho, using a variety of gear and techniques. The Hoodoo is a decent sized river that has easy wading with sandy or gravel bottom. The coastal creeks were smaller in scale and dumped directly into the Bering Sea. We fished where you could see and hear the ocean as well as explored upstream. The tidewater fishing on the lower reaches was very special. I fished a floating line with a 12’ leader, while others fished with a sink tip. The floater had the advantage of the fly not stalling out in soft water.

If you have fished for Coho, you know that the bite goes on and off. Sometimes changing your fly pattern, depth or speed will elicit more action. When the bite was on fishing the swing with a slow or sometimes fast retrieve were very effective. Fishing the shallow water that was 3’ or less we would have bow wakes coming at the fly, followed by a big grab. No nibbling!

The rods I used were Sage Switchers in 6 and 7 weight with Skagit short lines and sink tips ranging from T-14 to MOW medium 7 ½ foot sinking. Also used were Sage 10’ 8 wt with floating line and 9’ 7wt with floating line.

Jerry Swanson: Fish Head Expeditions

The season is mid June into July for Kings. The Coho fishing begins in August and goes into October.
The Steelhead fishing starts in mid September and goes into mid October or when the weather closes it out. They take 6 anglers per week. This is not a steelhead destination, but more of a bonus. Quite the bonus though.