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"

Silver Salmon, Aleutian Peninsula - August 12-19, 2016 - Last Chance Deal!

Silver Salmon, Aleutian Peninsula
August 12-19, 2016

Four spots available

This primo week for bright Silvers is available at $1900! 

The fishing is on the Sapsuk (aka Hoodoo) River, 600 miles SW of Anchorage. These fish really eat the fly, wet and skaters. The comfortable 6 person camp is built above the river on a large wood deck with a panoramic view.

Additional costs are flights to Nelson Lagoon approximately $1300, License, adult beverages, and gratuities.

I fished With Aleutian Adventures on the Sapsuk 3 years ago and it was very fishy and so much fun. Fishing is done with either a switch rod or a single hander.

For more info or to check on space please email 

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

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Wilderness Steelhead - Sandy River, Alaska

Live your dream!

There are very few Summer / Fall Steelhead Rivers where the fish come in on fire straight out of the sea and take over the river. The Sandy River, Alaska on the Aleutian Peninsula is that place.

Available Dates: September 23-30, 2016
Rate: $6900 per angler and includes Charter Flight from Anchorage to Lodge

We wade and fish for Steelhead from the mouth on upstream. Fishing is accessed by jet boat and very experienced guides. The fishing is typically done by swinging flies with 2 handed rods. This particular week there is a shot to skate a fish up with a floating line.

 Accommodations are in comfortable cabins an the food is great. They take only 6 anglers this week. If you go you should bring an extra outfit as the first one may get ripped out of your hands by a chrome wild animal, headed back to sea.




My week on the Aleutian Peninsula 3 years ago was memorable and outstanding. That is why I am going back this year. The rate is $6900 per angler and includes the charter flight from Anchorage to the lodge in a Pilatus.









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"

Cinco Rios Lodge and Estancia Del Zorro Lodge, Coyhaique Chile

Chilean Brown

Cinco Rios Lodge and Estancia Del Zorro Lodge
Coyhaique Chile

Save $1400 per angler for a week in Chile!
The peak season double occupancy rate is $ 4375, Reduced to $2975 per angler for the same lodge and guides. 

The discount that they are offering has to do with trying to fill a few more spots in a less attractive travel period. It HAS NOTHING to do with reduced quality of fishing. In fact for the wading enthusiast it's as prime as it gets. Please inquire as to reduced single angler rates. This is like fishing in June in the US, long days with hungry trout!

Aqua Blue Waters

There are 2 types of specials available:

Option 1 :
A dedicated week at either of the two lodges above or a combination of the two. The weeks available for option 1 are : Dec 12-19, Dec 19-26 and Dec 26-Jan 2.
Price is $ 2975 double occ.
They can also provide very attractive private room/shared guide rates as well but this will be based on availability.

Option 2 :
The same discount is available anytime Nov 14-21, Nov 21-28 and Nov 28-Dec 5 and Dec 5-12 for a dedicated week at Estancia del Zorro program. This is truly world class wade fishing for mostly browns up to 27 inches. The variety of rivers make it a good combination of size and Numbers. 50 and 60 fish days will happen on some rivers.

All photo credits to Mr. Brian O'Keefe

The private rivers they wade fish are:
Rio Zorro
Rio Nirehuao
Rio Norte
Rio Pedragoso
Rio Mayo ( Argentina ).



These rivers are totally open and are made for wade fishing. Uncluttered banks, small gravel river beds and totally unobstructed casting. This is the best wade fishing available in all of Chilean Patagonia. They provide comfortable 4 wheel drive vehicles taking you right to the waters edge on
private ranches. There is even fishing on the local spring creek, a 10 minute drive from the lodge, right on the estancia. This also can be an after dinner option. They access the most private waters in the region. 

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"

Monster Arapaima in the Deep Jungle of Guyana

Some anglers like to fish the same water for many years. Each time you fish there it becomes like visiting an old friend, reflecting on special days and fish from the past. Other anglers look beyond what they know and where they have been for new angling challenges and adventure. That is exactly what clients Dave Farley and Tim Youngkin had in mind when they heard about fishing for Arapaima in Guyana from my article in the Gorge Fly Shop Newsletter in the spring of 2013.

It is a very limited fishing season in Guyana, for 3 weeks in the spring and 3 weeks in the fall, with only 4 anglers per week. Outside of that the fishing for this species is illegal in these protected waters. The next available week was in November 2014. They said we are in and put their money down. There was a lot of preparation on their part with fly tying and buying as well as a lot of new heavy duty 65lb core Rio Leviathan lines. The rest of them break like trout tippet. As there is a weight limit on the charter flight into the jungle, strategic packing and planning was essential. This part was unrealistic but the reality of the situation. This is not a full service fishing lodge but the remote jungle Rewa Eco lodge reached by charter flight and a boat trip.  The money they get from this tourism helps the tribe be self sustaining without selling of logging and mining rights that would destroy this rare place.

After fishing the water nearby the lodge the guides determined there were more fish up river and further into the jungle. So they left the comforts of the lodge for a hammock in the jungle under an open shelter. They spent days up there without creature comforts. It was extremely rustic but in the middle of huge Arapaima that would eat the fly. There was also a scientist along that had been studying those ancient fish for years. They both had some ass kicking action as well as landing fish. The two photos included show a fish landed by Dave and one by Tim. The largest was well over 200 lbs.

So get out of bed….put down the remote….get off the computer and make a plan to get on the water!

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

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

House on Metolius (Oregon)

House of Metolius

House on Metolius, located in Camp Sherman, in the heart of Central Oregon, has served as a private estate and retreat for over a hundred years. This beautiful two-hundred acre estate sits astride the Metolius River, with its magnificent view of Mt. Jefferson and Three Finger Jack.

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Fishhead Expeditions

Gorge  Fly Shop Travel Page

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Grande Ronde Wilderness Steelhead Float Trip

A nice Grande Ronde Buck

The Upper Ronde

If you are looking for a steelhead trip without the crowds of other anglers low-holing you everyday, but with stellar scenery, this one is for you. Floating the Grande Ronde River in the roadless section from Minam to Troy while fishing for steelhead is a unique angling treat. This trip is 4 days and 3 nights on the river, October 20-23. These summer run steelhead can be aggressive to the surface fly. When the air temperatures drop, swinging wet flies is the way to get the big pull down. These trips are outfitted and run by Little Creek Outfitters, which is owned by Marty and Mia Sheppard. With many years of experience on the Ronde and a year-round steelhead guiding, you will be in great hands with Marty and his experienced crew. Trips are limited to 6 anglers with 3 guides and includes a camp boat.


Contact:  Jerry@fishheadexpeditions.com
Phone 503-539-1451