The Crystal Creek Lodge Blog is a place of possibilities, where you can learn deeper insights into how to explore the tens of millions of acres of wild Alaska surrounding us. Whether you’re after fishing, wildlife, the perspective of history or simply feeling the awe of being in wide-open spaces, it’s all here. Enjoy the journey.
Shown are Charles and Mindy of Wasilla, Alaska holding two fat Naknek River Rainbow Trout caught on August 4. We had a slight weather delay, waiting for the morning fog to burn off before we could fly out. Charles and Mindy chose to opt out of their fly-out day to spend the day on the…
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The streams of Bristol Bay are turning red as the bright-red Sockeye Salmon swims into the gin-clear water. It’s an amazing sight to see from the window of an airplane flying 500 ft. overhead. The Rainbow Trout are coming out of the lakes to follow the salmon and gorge on their eggs. The first spawning…
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A guest favorite at our dinner table is always Wednesday’s surf and turf night. Last night Chefs Joe and Brian served up the surf course as claw of King Crab aside a bowl of gazpacho soup garnished with mellon. The turf course was Prime Angus Beef fillet set atop a mole sauce and topped with…
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The sea-run Dolly Varden are flooding into the Bristol Bay area rivers, following the salmon from the ocean to the spawning creeks. The Dollies are stacking the catch numbers substantially as our guests fish small streams. Shown is pilot/guide Alex holding a Dolly caught by guest Joe W. of Long Beach, CA. Joe just completed…
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As the millions of Bristol Bay Salmon begin entering the small streams on their way to spawn, they draw from the lakes and rivers Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden, hungry fish that follow eagerly to await the deluge of eggs about to be dropped by the salmon as they spawn. All of our guests fished…
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We woke today expecting to fly out all the guests. Duane went to the dock at 5:30 to report the “Black Mamba”, a procession of nose-to-tail Sockeye Salmon several thick, was snaking past the dock. We quickly re-geared all the guests to the Naknek fleet of boats and in short order, all 14 guests had…
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The Kings are in both the Naknek and Nushagak Rivers. Alex and Josh state it’s the best they’ve seen in years. One angler reported bringing 21 Kings to the net yesterday. Incredible! Sockeyes are running the Naknek, Kvichak, Egegik and Ugashik systems and we have had great days at each thus far. Great weather has…
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Most bears tend to avoid people. In most cases, if you allow a bear to do the right thing, it will. Many bears live in Alaska and many people enjoy the outdoors, but surprisingly few people even see bears. Only a tiny percentage of those few are ever threatened by a bear. A study by…
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