Fly Fishing Alaska: Battling Bears and Behemoth Artic Char
With : tightline_grappler & alpineflyguy
We caught up with Russell and Mark, two die-hard anglers who recently chased Arctic Char in the rugged backcountry of Alaska. From battling bears and navigating remote waters to hauling in some of the hardest-fighting fish they’ve ever encountered, their story is packed with adventure, challenges, and lessons. Here’s a glimpse into their incredible journey, their favorite gear, and the techniques that made it all possible.
Russell, can you tell us how you ended up in Alaska chasing Arctic Char on the fly? What drew you to that specific trip?
Similar to most epic adventures I have been on, my great friend Mark is the reason I ended up chasing Arctic Char. Mark is like a brother to me and has impacted my life more than he will ever know. He has continually pushed my comfort zone with new adventures and exploring deeper into wilderness. We assembled my band of brothers and we began dissecting the trip over a group text titled “char char”. What began as a dream quickly became doable through research, and our circle was able to visit brothers and friends in Alaska making the trip a dual purpose. This specific location was attractive because it is one of the most beautiful regions of Alaska and produces some of the most beautiful world class Arctic Char I have ever seen.
Mark, what inspired you to take on the adventure of hunting Arctic Char on the fly in Alaska?
The endless tracts of pristine and rugged country make Alaska a daunting yet irresistible place to explore. Years ago I became captivated with the idea of taking a bush plane deep into the backcountry. I saw it as an opportunity for an incredible adventure and a means of getting myself somewhere I would not be able to reach otherwise. From a fly fishing lens it also offered the unique opportunity to chase some of the largest char and grayling in the world. All of this however came at a price (literally and figuratively). There is a reason it took so many years to make this trip happen and I certainly couldn’t have done it alone. Fortunately, I have a really good friend that is always down for an adventure. Russ is the most dedicated backcountry fly fisherman I know and when I brought up the idea he was quick to commit. Around a year before the trip we reached out to our friends David and Aaron whom we had met deep in the mountains years earlier. Between the four of us we were able to solidify a plan that gave us a chance at chasing giant arctic char while being immersed in one of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen.
Russel what were some of the biggest challenges you faced while fishing for Arctic Char in those remote Alaskan waters?
One of the greatest challenges has to be keeping your gear dry. Living in a remote rainforest for days presents unique challenges very different from alpine where I usually spend my time. Wearing a rain jacket and waders at all times is a must, and keeping gear in dry bags. We had a separate tent to just go to take cover, separate from our sleeping tents. This proved to be very effective in keeping our most important gear dry. The second thing for me that was a surprise was the number of Grizzly bears that are migrating through our campsite each night. One morning a brown bear wandered through our campsite each right as we were waking up for the day. I would advise being as loud as possible when using the bathroom in the bush and make it quick!
Mark what was one piece of gear you couldn’t have lived without on that Alaskan trip, and why?
The raft. While this wasn’t a life or death piece of gear it ended up having a significant impact on our trip. Initially, the ruggedness of the terrain in this part of Alaska confined us to the vicinity of our drop off site. We knew this well before we arrived and determined that if we were to pack in a raft traveling to new areas would become practical. Despite the obvious advantage, we still heavily debated bringing one. At around 230lbs it took up almost 1/4 of our aircraft’s weight restriction and would force us to pack with an ultralight mindset. Fortunately we all had enough experience getting skunked in the backcountry to realized the importance of a backup plan and took the extra weight.
The beach we landed on was inundated with Sockeye Salmon, schooling by the thousands. Over the next two days we explored the area catching char, sockeye and massive grayling. It was some of the most incredible fishing I’ve ever experienced yet we were still struggling to find the larger char. Unanimously we decided to make use of the raft and go looking for a new camp. On the morning of day 3 we dusted the frost off our gear, packed the raft to the brim and pushed off the beach. After hours of paddling we finally turned into a favorable looking bay. As we paddled along the shoreline I peered into the lens of water now flattened behind the drifting boat. The visibility was unbelievable and I could clearly see 40 feet down as the gravel bench sloped into the abyss. Suspended along the slope were char, big char in the 10-18lb class. It was an immediate feeling of relief and from that point on I knew we had made the right decision in taking the raft.
Russel how did your fly fishing techniques change when you transitioned from your usual spots to the Alaskan environment?
I honestly had a lot to learn in preparation for this very different style of fishing. I invested in a 7 weight rod,, practiced using it for weeks at the local lakes, spent many nights perfecting the uni snell knot for cleaner sets on bead rigs, and practiced paddling and rowing for our location changes via our raft. I was used to using a 5 weight and fishing in lakes and creeks. Arctic Char are often tough to spot, and stack up behind pods of sockeye salmon. It takes a lot of weight to get down to the very bottom where they are picking off sockeye eggs. Some people would argue that this is fishing for Arctic Char on a fly rod more so than fly fishing for Arctic Char, but we did manage some fish on flesh flies too. Matching egg colors rather than hatches is something very different from the norm in Colorado.
Mark how did you approach the unique conditions in Alaska compared to your typical fishing spots? Any specific strategies for Arctic Char?
For “fly” selection we took a very Alaskan approach and came with an arsenal of beads in more shades of pink and orange than I knew existed. We knew the fish would be keyed in on egg patters because of the salmon but we wanted to be ready if they were picky. As it turns out none of that really mattered. Any color and size seemed to do the trick when presented in the right manner. After a bit of trial and error we learned that the bigger char (typically) held deeper where the lake dropped off into a blue abyss. In order to reach the deeper char I often stripped line out into the current and threw a few mends to the side allowing the egg to sink. On a couple of occasions I took my packraft out to fish directly over the drop. This worked great until I had to fight a 10-15lb char and paddle to shore simultaneously, needless to say I never landed a fish that way.
Russell, after experiencing that Alaska adventure, what would you say is the most underrated aspect of fishing for Arctic Char on the fly?
Hands down the most underrated aspect of fishing for Arctic Char is their fight! I went into the trip anticipating a fight similar to a brook trout. No offense to brook trout but they always seem to give up rather quickly. Arctic Char are an entirely different animal, and perhaps the hardest fighting fish I have experienced on a fly rod. I spent hours of time in my backing on this trip, sometimes 20 minutes from the initial take on the giants over 30”. The fight of Arctic Char is only surpassed by their beauty.
Mark, having fished in such a wild and pristine place, what part of the experience surprised you the most during the trip?
The scenery and wildlife of coastal Alaska definitely surpassed our expectations. There was somewhat of a running joke amongst us about this place being “AI” because it was almost unrealistically beautiful in every direction. The wildlife did not disappoint either. Moose, bald eagles, brown bears and thousands of salmon surrounded us for the whole week. The bears in particular were much more present than we had expected. When we hopped off the plane I immediately noticed bears tracks everywhere and it became clear that this was not a place they just passed through occasionally. After 5 days we only had 2 encounters but it was clear more had been in the area as we often found bear prints covering our footprints in the morning. With a four person group the daytime visits were not too alarming but it sure did make midnight bathroom breaks a little more nerve racking.
