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The Angling Report
Wildman Lake Lodge
on the remote Alaska Peninsula . . .

Where Alaska Sport Fishing is Still a
Wilderness Experience!

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Wildman Lake Lodge Review
By The Angling Report Newsletter

     Angling Report subscriber Gary Elgorriaga has filed a detailed report on a trip to Alaska this past September with Butch King’s Wildman Lake Lodge . He writes: “For a number of years I’ve wanted to schedule a trip to Alaska that coincides with the Coho salmon run. I’ve done two previous trips that failed to accomplish this. Searching the internet last July, I spotted what turned out to be an outstanding location, and this time my timing was great.

     “The Wildman Lake Lodge provides a truly remote Alaskan adventure in the uncrowded Bristol Bay area of the Alaska Peninsula. Getting there was fairly simple. I flew into Anchorage, spent a couple of days visiting with my brother and caught an early morning PenAir flight from Anchorage right to the lodge, with a change of planes in King Salmon. Butch King met the plane, gathered my luggage and had me set up in my room in a matter of minutes.

     “King informed me that we wouldn’t be fishing this first afternoon, but asked if I was interested in doing a little bird hunting. So, in less than an hour after arriving, I had shot my first willow ptarmigan. Another guest and I had 10 birds within the first hour.

     “The Ocean River flows right through the lodge’s back yard, and at this time of year fly-outs are unnecessary. After a great home-cooked breakfast the next morning, guide Frank O’Donnell had me in a jet boat traveling in some of the most spectacular wild Alaskan scenery I’ve ever experienced. A 20-minute ride later I was fishing. I don’t remember how many casts I made, but within a few minutes I was into my first fish. These are some of the brightest and biggest (14- to 19-plus-pound) silver salmon you’ll ever see. These fish are only a few hundred yards from the mouth of the river; needless to say, they are full of energy and ready to give you a fight. Wading was not an issue; I was able to get within casting distance and not have to float my hat.

     “I’m not a counter, so I cannot provide an exact number of the fish I caught, but for the week of fishing I’m sure I was into well over 100 fish. Both of the guides I had were knowledgeable and excellent guys to spend the day with fishing. I took a couple of 8-weight, nine-foot rods, plus a 9-weight 14-foot spey rod and caught fish on all of them using various egg pattern flies.

     “I was there at a very interesting time of the year. This was the non-hunting week between the moose and brown bear seasons; typically, very few fishermen are at the lodge then. Another guest and I were the only ones fishing the whole week.

     “I strongly recommend Wildman Lake Lodge. It’s a first-class operation that every salmon fisherman should experience at least once in his life.”

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Last modified: May 20, 2008

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