Fly Fishing For Steelhead - Sandy River Lodge - Alaska

Our needs/wants are simple, hook a fish and hopefully land it 

 Then we want a fish with size 

 Chromer, yeah we want a hot chrome rocket of a fish 

 A wild fish would be very cool as well 

 Not to be greedy, but more action could be fun…

Low angling pressure where the fish move to the fly, finally! 

 Fishing on a wild river with no dams, logging, mining or roads. 

 How about all of the above and maybe a fish fresh out of the ocean with sea lice? 

 I fished that place the last week of September this year, the Sandy River on the Aleutian Peninsula in Alaska. It was the best fishing I had since the Dean and the 80’s in Oregon. It was so fun and special. Yes, we got lucky with the weather. 

There is a wide range of water types to swing. These range from the head of the run the break, bouncy glides, cut banks, the rare rocky patches, slots, the ends of gravel bars and a variety of tailouts. 

The wading is typical Alaskan, easy with mostly gravel to small coble bottom. The Rio MOW tips used ranged for 5/5 T-11 to 10’ of T-14. I fished a floater with a skater but could not tease one up. A reason to return. 

Fishing is accessed by jet boat and is all wading. The guides are very experienced and each fishy in a different way. * Do you want me to name? 

 Accommodations are cabins and the main lodge. They are comfortable and warm. Fresh food is flown in each week. The meals were special, way more than fuel for fishing. 

The logistics of a weekly charter flight direct to the lodge on a Pilatus from Anchorage make this trip possible and safe. 

The Sandy River Lodge takes 6 anglers per week for the 5 week steelhead season which is the last week of September through October. There is also a King season that runs June into the first week of July, fishing 10 anglers per week. The rate is $7600 per angler, with the first week $6900 per angler. This price includes the RT charter from Anchorage. 

You can email or call me for additional information, to talk gear or to reserve a spot. Go wild! 

Jerry Swanson

Fish Head Expeditions, LLC
jerry@fishheadexpeditions.com
503-539-1451

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Fly Fishing of your Dreams - Aleutian Peninsula

Wild Aleutian Silvers

The fly fishing of your dreams….

Big Bows

The Aleutian Peninsula is wild, with strong runs of native salmon and steelhead. The fish run straight out of the Bering Sea. There is nothing like it anywhere. As anglers we are fortunate to visit and fish this amazing place. All trips are accessed by a private charter from Anchorage that is included in the price.

For the 2016 season the following space is available –

Sandy River Lodge 

$7695

King Salmon – July 1-8, 2 anglers
Steelhead – September 23-30, 2 anglers

Aleutian Rivers Angling Camp, fishing the Sapsuk River 

$5100
Silver Salmon – August 12-19, 4 anglers

Dream Big! Dream Alaska

Jerry Swanson
Fish Head Expeditions, LLC
jerry@fishheadexpeditions.com
503-539-1451

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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.

Please email or call for more information. The program is evolving for next season with a charter flight from Anchorage in the works and some additions to the fishing program.

Jerry Swanson
Fish Head Expeditions, LLC
jerry@fishheadexpeditions.com
503-539-1451

"Fly Fish the World with Us"