[Aleutiansteel]

Alaska Peninsula Steelhead trip success again

Too all my buddies ,Just got back from our 9th exploratory trip out on the Alaska Peninsula. The trip went off without any hiccups, as we decided to do a straight float trip for Steelhead on one of the rivers 600 miles sw of anchorage. I guess you would call this a guides fishing vacation trip at the end of the season, as Me, Chad and Russell had a great time caught some nice fish and have memories that will last forever. The weather was real nice no rain and only minimal wind, temps ran from around 30 degrees at night to 45-50 during the day lots of sun. We exclusively speyfished this past week and got lots of casting in. Just wanted to share a few pics and a highlight video is coming we did from the trip. I will be telling a little story each day for the next week and include some pictures from this past week. A big shout out to Ard for coming out this summer and helping us out in Bristolbay. Hope all is going well up in the valley.

 

[Aleutiansteel]

a few more memories

Although the travel can be a bit of a drag and expensive , the scenery is always outstanding and is well worth the wait each fall.

 

[Aleutiansteel]

Airplanes

All in all we logged around 16 hours of flying in total for 2 planes my cessna 182 and my friends 185, as it took us 2 rd trips each to pull it off getting us down there and back to King Salmon

 

[Bee]

beautifully done

 

[Deep Swing]

Cracking good. !!


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[fredaevans]

+1

Cracking good. !!


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Serious 'Right On's' going here.:smokin:

 

[muknuk]

Thanks for sharing i usually chase Kings in the summer on the peninsula and would welcome the chance to find a few steelhead. The last frontier for sure. I am glad the weather cooperated.

 

[JDJones]

Thanks for sharing

So, where do we sign up for next year? If there is a sign up list, I want want to be right at the top.

 

[fyshhead]

Very cool and what a trip! Thanks for sharing and looks like one for the books!

 

[Aleutiansteel]

lasting memories

Thanks guys for the feedback, it was a great trip despite having to deal with some off color water a few days that slowed the fishing down greatly, on a couple days but like i say I'm not greedy, anyway i land a wild steelhead is a great day and we have had many great days down on the peninsula.

We went as light and basic as possible on this trip to keep the weight down which in turn keeps the cost of flying down as all these areas can only be reached by private small planes and with the average cost to operate a cessna 182 or 185 in Alaska runs around $500 per hour with fuel,pilot, repairs and time on the engine.

We figure we had the 3 of us and 500 lbs of gear with raft,rowing frame, tents, cooking gear,food and personal dry bags. And no freeze dried food real hearty food. The only thing we didn't bring was go cots only thermarests, and that was a bit of a bad choice , we will have small cots with us on every other trip from here on out as the volcanic rock and cinder ground can be a challenge to an old fat guy like myself. The 14 ft Aire raft was a great choice not to heavy but big enough to row comfortably on the windy days. although we were at maximum capacity with 3 and all the gear for a week.

 

[opflyguy]

I hope you guys aren't selling this as a "Easy Trip"..... The conditions out there are nasty! Wind, high blown out water for days at times, cold ass weather and bears. Spring trips?? Beating up on spawning fish with a bunch of starving bears right out of hibernation..... You have had trouble your last 2 attempts to set up an operation on that system, there is still garbage you left from your first attempt. I also have the memory card you left on the bar where you guys camped out for days...... moose hunting photos and photos from Kodiak high school. If you want your card back message me and I'll send it to you. Thanks

 

[Steelhans]

Great stuff guys. An incredible journey to say the least. I can't imagine doing it in torrential rain though. The weather gods were on your side, further proof that the almighty is a steelheader!

 

[Jabrowning24]

I also feel like you made it seem like "if you have the money you can do this too" that is some of the most difficult terrain and weather a guy can endure and it looks like you guys got crazy lucky this time and had a blast. Thanks for sharing it all! Hopefully we don't start hearing about a lot of people going up there, weren't exactly hinting about where you were. I lived most of my life in AK and never made it that far down, I'm quite jealous.

 

[Aleutiansteel]

weather

No where in my post have i ever said these were easy trips as after living and guiding in Alaska on the Peninsula and Kodiak Island full-time since 1985, I guess I'm qualified to do a float trip on the river and don't have to ask anyones permission.

And as for the weather true steelheaders are not sugar and we don't melt in a rainstorm and when you have great gear it all works out. Anyway i wish everyone the best that go to the lodge and get pampered and pay $7,000 a week to catch the same fish we caught on a Do it yourself friend trip. Best wishes

 

[sazan]

Next time please keep the fish in water when taking photos !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Aleutiansteel]

Sins

sorry we were a little excited on the first 3-4 fish, and should of been a little more careful.

 

[Rustybee]

sorry we were a little excited on the first 3-4 fish, and should of been a little more careful, but i guess that if i want to get a couple good pics of me and a fish I will, and the other 25 fish that we released without even taking a picture of or a video or even handling them will make up for it, Hopefully i will still be let into Steelhead heaven for my Sins.

I personally was giving you the benefit of doubt, but now this is getting disturbing.
Good luck on your business decision. I'm sure that you will attract the demographics you seek…

 

[sinktip]

AleutianSteel,

A question for you that hopefully you will answer. Is this trip just some guys who happen to be guides on an adventure trip or is this trying to drum up business bookings?

Sinktip

 

[Aleutiansteel]

Responce

Dear Sink tip and accusers, The post Is pretty self explanatory, I was simply putting up some video and pics of our DYI trip that we did, that a bunch of my buddies wanted to see, If the video seems too commercial or offensive sorry for that as It wasn't meant to be, just very proud of our accomplishments and that we pulled it off.

Not sure why I'm being singled out as a guide as Many of the videos posted in your forum on the videos page are very commercial in nature with well known professional guides and or paid filming crews posting them for self promotion in some way advertising with logos, and there soft sponsors from many of the top companies in the industry, what about them.

For example Todd Moen and Brian Okeefe have a commercial business that is not a sponsor here but there videos are left on without any discussion, or some of the oversees video's from other guides and outfitters that are not sponsors, Along with many of the rod and Reel companies that have there pro production teams pumping out and post here regularly. No where in my public post did i advertise anything.

If you feel I publicly crossed the sponsorship line in any way I'm sorry and will make sure that it does not happen again, its just a shame to get verbally attacked by numerous members of the forum when they don't have all the facts, and I can't defend myself. There are many other members on the forum that are full time guides, magazine contributors, commercial video production co's, commercial fly tiers, all doing the same thing posting pics and videos and not paid sponsors and can post or have there friends or guests post for them, the real question is where is the line. And is it selective enforcement.

According to your rules and my post i did not publicly advertise or solicit anything from anyone on your forum only posted some great pics and videos that many people enjoyed and will never have the chance to experience this wonderful place except through my eyes or someone else's video.

It is clear that there are some very uptight members that can't stand the fact that we pulled this off and camped on a couple good runs that they wanted to fish and will do it again next year. Sorry we interrupted there $6,700 a week stay at the Sandy river lodge, the river isn't exclusive like many think, in reality its a public state owned river accessible to anyone with a raft and airplane charter.

if anyone on the forum wants any info on how they can do the same trip DIY I would be more than glad to assist them free of charge to float the Sandy River 312 miles Sw of King Salmon during late Sept through mid Oct on the Alaska Peninsula.

In closing if this is against the commercial advertising rules please show me where the rules state giving free advice and explaining a trip in detail and making a video and posting it is against the rules.

Helping Steelhead have a bad day since 1985.


Thats all Sincerely Charlie

 

[sinktip]

Ok, I think I have all I need on this one.

This was forwarded to me a bit ago. It is from you Charlie in response to someone who inquired about your "guides on vacation" trip.

We will be going down there for 3 weeks next fall starting around Sept 27 the trips will run 7days for around $4000pp with meals lodging and guides.

Sounds like you are running a business and since you are not a sponsor, you don't get to do that on the Speypages dime. I will be deleting the links to your videos but will leave the thread up so that potential customers can see just what they are paying for.