The Crystal Creek Lodge Blog is a place of possibilities, where to learn deeper insight 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.
Perhaps you have heard of the “Grand Slam” in fly fishing. A grand slam is an achievement of catching a collection of game fish in a single day. The most notable is the inshore grand slam where a saltwater angler catches a tarpon, permit, and bonefish in a single day. It’s a common target in…
Read more »
For better or worse, social media has penetrated many aspects of life. This insightful podcast from The Drake Cast explores the pros and cons of social media in fly fishing. At Crystal Creek Lodge, we do our best to use social media to inspire others without compromising our conservation ethics and the unique Alaska experience…
Read more »
One Minute Alaska Vacation Brooks Falls is a waterfall located in Katmai National Park and Preserve near King Salmon, Alaska. It is the famous and iconic place to watch brown bears catching & feasting on salmon. Brooks Falls is about 20 miles, a short aircraft flight, from Crystal Creek Lodge. A trip to Brooks for…
Read more »
In a stunning spectacle of nature, this video shows a very large herd of walruses in Alaska. Arctic ice is receding at an alarming rate and the waters of the North Pacific Ocean are the warmest on record. Tens of thousands of walruses have been affected and are “hauling out” on Alaskan beaches in numbers never…
Read more »
Workhorse in the sky The De Havilland Beaver has a rich history around the world. Of course, now it is a great part of Alaska’s aviation heritage. The Beaver has been a cornerstone of the sport fishing community in Bristol Bay since the first lodges and fishing outfits began in the 1950s. We at Crystal Creek…
Read more »
The Naknek River produces some of the largest and hardest fighting rainbow trout on planet Earth. From mid-August until mid-October, we have the opportunity to catch steelhead-like rainbows that move into the river from Naknek Lake. During this time, you start to see the trout transition from eggs to eating salmon flesh. So, you can…
Read more »
Aniakchak National Monument sees under 300 tourists every year. Each year, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve consistently ranks as the least visited of all National Park Service lands. Located halfway down the remote and rugged Alaska Peninsula, it is a truly primitive area. The volcanic geology and natural history of Aniakchak tell a tale of…
Read more »
Naknek River, Alaska If you were wondering what fishing would be like in late September and October at Crystal Creek Lodge, check out this photo gallery of the big Naknek River rainbows that we see each fall (click on the image to enlarge). This late fall time is ideal for landing one of these giant…
Read more »
The Valley of 10,000 Smokes In the year 1912 on June 6th, the Katmai Eruption (also known as the Novarupta Volcano eruption) occurred. It sent nearly 30 cubic kilometers of ash and debris into the atmosphere. The Katmai eruption was the largest of the 20th century. This cataclysmic event created a barren and Martian-like landscape in…
Read more »
We need your help! At Crystal Creek Lodge, we are in the middle of a fantastic fishing season. We are seeing a terrific run of sockeye salmon throughout the region, which is the life blood of the Bristol Bay ecosystem and economy. For the past 30 years, our guests have enjoyed the world-class salmon resource in Bristol…
Read more »