Chinook Salmon | Chum Salmon | Coho Salmon | Pink Salmon | Sockeye Salmon
Rainbow Trout | Artic Char | Dolly Varden | Artic Grayling | Lake Trout | Northern Pike | Sheefish

The chinook or king salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is the largest--and least abundant--of Pacific salmon. Alaska King salmon fishing is exciting because of the two to three years at sea and average about 24 pounds each. A chinook salmon has small black spots on the back, dorsal fin, and tail fin. The King is by far the hardest fighting fish that you will catch in freshwater, 45 minute battles are not uncommon.
Alaska King Salmon fishing start running up the Nushagak river around mid June, and up the Kulukak river around July 1st. The Alaska king salmon fishing remains good until the end of July. The Nushagak run is one of the most prolific in Alaska with an escapement averaging about 80,000 fish per year. It is a large river with many braided sections. Although fly fishing in Alaska is difficult in bigger parts of the river, the smaller braided areas can produce great fly fishing for these hard fighting beasts. The Kulukak river is a small coastal stream located in the Togiak National wildlife refuge. Royal Coachman Lodge has one of only two permits issued for commercial use of the river. Our angler numbers are limited to just 4 per day during the King Salmon season. This stream is ideal for fly fishing in Alaska and all our fishing is done within 3 miles of the ocean, assuring you will be catching the freshest, meanest kings that Bristol Bay has to offer.

The chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) salmon are also known as "dog" salmon because of the spawning males' large canine teeth. Chum weigh an average of 10 pounds. Spawning males develop reddish vertical bars on their flanks; females have a reddish lateral band. Although often overlooked by many anglers, Chum are aggressive, hard fighters, and great sport on a fly rod. Both the Nushagak and Kulukak have very good runs of Chums each year. Chum salmon fishing in Alaska will start to arrive in mid-June and continue to run into late July, and you will even still catch fresh chums occasionally in August! These great salmon insure that no matter what month of the summer you come to Alaska there will be fresh salmon in the river.

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) also known as silver salmon, are powerfully built and can jump falls that many other salmon can't negotiate. Coho average about 10 pounds, and are the most exciting salmon in Alaska. Because of their aggressive strikes and strong fight, Silvers are a favorite salmon of the fly fisherman. The Silver Salmon is the only salmon that you can consistently catch on dry flies. Alaska silver salmon fishing on the Nushagak and Nuyakuk from late July to late August, and on the Kulukak river from roughly August 7 to the end of September. The areas we fish silvers on the Nushagak are just a 15 minute flight from the fishing lodge in Alaska. The Kulukak river is a small coastal stream located in the Togiak National wildlife refuge. Royal Coachman Lodge has one of only two permits issued for commercial use of the river. Our angler numbers are limited to just 6 per day during the silver season. This stream is ideal for fly fishing and all our fishing is done within 3 miles of the ocean, assuring you will be catching the freshest most aggressive silvers available.

The pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is the smallest of Pacific salmon, averaging three to five pounds. They travel more than 150 miles in the ocean from their natal river, but they rarely travel far upriver to spawn. Pink salmon are also called "humpbacks" or "humpies" because spawning males develop a large hump on their backs. Pinks run up our rivers on the even numbered years. The Nushagak/Nuyakuk run which lasts from late July to mid August often exceeds one million fish! When the Pink salmon are in, these will literally wear out your arms with action. You can catch hundreds of Pink salmon fishing in Alaska right in front of the lodge.

Sockeye or red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) enter freshwater after a typical two years at sea, both males and females develop bright red bodies and green heads. Sockeye average about 10 pounds. The sockeyes come up our rivers the first three weeks of July. One of the best sockeye fishing areas in all of Bristol Bay is located just 3 miles downstream from our fishing lodge in Alaska at the Nuyakuk falls. This class V rapid slows down the sockeyes assent and literally thousands of sockeyes will be holding below the falls waiting their turn to run the rapids. It’s an awesome sight and some of the fastest fishing you’ll ever experience. Pound for pound the sockeye is the hardest fighting pacific salmon and it’s not unusual to see fly rods broken or whole fly lines lost to these fish while fishing below the falls.

The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), is one of the most respected and sought after of Alaska’s native game fishes. Serious anglers from the world over are drawn to Alaska to experience the thrill of challenging this hard fighting salmonid in the state’s wilderness waters. Rainbow trout are native to waters throughout Alaska. The clearwater lakes and streams draining into Bristol Bay provide outstanding habitat. Alaska manages rainbow trout fisheries for the health of the species and for a diversity of recreational angling experiences. Wild trout are abundant over most of their range, but daily bag and size limits are intentionally conservative. Artificial lure-only regulations are commonly used to reduce angling mortality. Because of the importance of this valuable resource, Royal Coachman Lodge has a strict policy of catch and release, barbless hook fishing only for rainbow trout. Rainbow trout are found in nearly all the waters we fish. Some terrific rainbow fishing is found right in front of our lodge each spring and fall. Royal Coachman fishes for rainbows in more than 15 rivers, ranging from small wading streams to larger rivers such as the upper Nushagak and Nuyakuk rivers. Depending on the fishery and time of year, we catch rainbows on everything from small dries and nymphs to large streamers and mouse patterns. We have great trout fishing all summer long, and is one species our guides love to focus on.

The Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus Linnaeus) is present in North America in both the anadromous (seagoing) and the nonanadromous (freshwater resident) forms. It is distributed throughout the polar regions and is the most northerly distributed of char and its closely related cousin, the Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma Walbaum). Like all chars, Arctic char have light colored spots on a dark background. The entire body may become golden or orange. Spawning colors are more exaggerated in males than in females. The largest Arctic char in Alaska probably occur in some of Bristol Bay's large lakes, where good fishing can be had from late May through early July when these fish congregate to feed on salmon smolts as they move toward the sea and again in the fall when they move into rivers such as the Agulapak and Agulawok to feed on sockeye eggs.

Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma Walbaum) are locally abundant in all coastal waters of Alaska. Both anadromous and freshwater resident varieties exist with lake, river, and dwarf populations being found among the freshwater residents. Dolly Varden are one of Alaska’s most important and sought-after sport fish. The fish is unique, as it is the only member of the family Salmonidae, excluding salmon, that has readily adapted to the numerous small- to medium-size nonlake streams that enter our saltwater areas. As the mature fish return to their home stream to spawn and feed in August and September, most coastal streams in Alaska provide good fishing for Dolly Varden. Lake fishing for sea-run Dolly Varden can be good from late August through November. The fish begin entering lakes in late August and are in prime condition after their spring and summer growing season. Dolly Varden will usually strike readily at almost anything the angler offers. Flies, both wet and dry, can be successfully used in both streams and lakes. A sea-run Dolly Varden caught on a fly rod will produce a fight not easily forgotten. Both freshwater and sea run Dolly Varden are abundant in many of the lakes and rivers we fish.

For most sport fishers in America, the Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus (Pallus)) is a rare freshwater game fish symbolic of the clear, cold streams of the northern wilderness of Alaska. Grayling occur throughout the arctic as far west as the Kara and Ob rivers in Russia and east to the western shores of Hudson Bay in Canada. Once as common as far south as Michigan and Montana, the Arctic grayling has almost disappeared from the northern United States because of overfishing, competition from introduced species, and habitat loss. The Arctic grayling is an elegantly formed cousin of the trout. With its sail-like dorsal fin dotted with large iridescent red or purple spots, the grayling is one of the most unusual and beautiful fish of Alaska. Grayling are generally dark on the back and have iridescent gray sides. They have varying numbers of black spots scattered along the anterior portion of both sides. The adipose, caudal (tail), pectoral, and anal fins are dusky brown and the pelvic fins are often marked with pink to orange stripes. Grayling are very abundant in most the rivers we fish and it’s not uncommon to catch 18 to 20 inch specimens in our home pool in front of the lodge. Grayling are almost always willing to come up for a dry fly, making them a delight to catch on a light fly rod.

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) are Alaska's largest freshwater fish. They are also the largest representatives of a group of fish known as char and are closely related to Dolly Varden, brook trout, and Arctic char. Lake trout have a body shape similar to that of trout and salmon. They generally have small, light, irregular shaped spots on a silvery-to-dark background; but color can vary considerably at different seasons and between populations. Males and females are similar, with males having a slightly longer, more pointed snout. Lake trout can be distinguished from other chars by the absence of pink spots and their deeply forked tail. The flesh of lake trout varies from creamy white to deep orange. The lakes near our lodge have good populations of lake trout and because the water stays so cold, the fish are often shallow, making them accessible to the fly fisherman. 5-10lb trophies are not uncommon in our area.

Northern pike (Esox lucius linnaeus) are at home in many of the lakes, rivers, and sloughs of Alaska. The Alaskan pike is the same species that is so popular with midwestern anglers. It has an elongated body and head. The snout is broad and flat, shaped somewhat like a duck bill. The jaws, roof of the mouth, tongue, and gillrakers are armed with numerous sharp teeth which are being constantly replaced. The pike is variable in color. A fish from a clear stream or lake will usually be light green, while a pike from a dark slough or river will be considerably darker. The marking on the sides form irregular rows of yellow or gold spots. Males and females are similar in appearance but females live longer and attain greater size. Pike up to 20 pounds are common in some Alaskan rivers, lakes, and sloughs, and fish weighing up to 30 pounds and measuring over 4 feet in length have been caught by anglers fishing at Royal Coachman Lodge. They love mouse patterns and have one of the most aggressive topwater strikes in freshwater.

The sheefish (Stendous leucichthys nelma (Pallas)) called inconnu (unknown fish) by early explorers, is found only in arctic and subarctic North America and Asia. In Alaska, it is most abundant in the Kuskokwim and Yukon river drainages and in the Selawik and Kobuk drainages of Kotzebue Sound. Its tremendous size, fighting ability, and fine eating qualities make the sheefish one of the most unique fish in North America. The sheefish is a member of the whitefish family but is distinguishable from the more common whitefish by the strong extended lower jaw. The body profile is streamlined and the color is silvery with a darker coloration on the dorsal surface. It often displays a phosphorescent purple sheen when taken from the water. Males and females are similar, but females live longer and attain greater size. Sheefish in some coastal areas may weigh up to 60 pounds, while in Interior Alaska they seldom exceed 25 pounds. In past years, the major use of the sheefish has been as a subsistence food for Alaska Natives and their dogs. However, its popularity as a sport fish is continually increasing. Sheefish taken on summer feeding grounds such as Minto Flats, the Holitna River, or the Selawik-Kobuk areas put up the best fight. Royal Coachman Lodge fishes the Holitna river and although sheefish have not yet been targeted, we are hoping to learn more about this rare fish. With the right guests, we’d love to try some exploratory fishing for sheefish.