08/05/2024
Merrill boys on the Kanektok River 2023.
I went to Alaska in July of 2023 along with my two sons, Aaron and Spencer, for a week’s fly fishing with Brad Duncan and his great crew at the Lower Kanektok River Camp. I have fished the Kanektok many times back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s when I owned the “Upper River Camp”, now also owned by the Duncans. I hadn’t been back since 2003 and I was looking forward to this trip with my boys with great anticipation and I must admit quite a healthy dose of excitement to be back on the Chosen River, especially with my sons. Aaron, my oldest, had fished the Kanektok before when he was a guide at our lodge, The Royal Coachman, but Spencer was only 7 years old at the time. He had heard stories of the Kanektok but really didn’t remember much about Alaska, but now in his early thirties he was excited to be going to the place he had heard so much about.
It's a long trip to the Kanektok from the east coast. Spencer and I started in Boston and Aaron started from Chicago, and we all met in Anchorage for the first night. The next day it was Alaska Airlines to Bethel and a Cessna Caravan ride from Bethel into the native village of Quinhagak on the Bearing Sea, pickup ride from the dirt airstrip in Quinhagak to the river, transfer gear to the boats, and about a 30 minute ride upriver to the camp.
Upon arrival at the camp we settled into our heated Weatherport tents, changed out of our “boating togs”, and made our way over to the dining tent for Brad’s and crew’s welcome and orientation talk, which included safety protocols, camp rules, instructions on facility use and gear drying tent. Then, and most importantly, the fishing reports and what we were to expect in the coming week for fish! This significantly amped up our anticipation of good things to come, after which we were served a hearty evening meal. Retiring to our beds with our heads full of images of big leopard rainbows, salmon, dollies, char and grayling, we none the less fell asleep quickly after our long trip into camp!
The conditions on the river were far from ideal. It had been raining steadily for several weeks. The river was high, not as clear as it usually is, and water temperature was a little on the cold side. It rained off and on every day apart from one, which was mostly overcast and cool. Even in these conditions the Chosen River did not disappoint! The fishing was very good. Not the red-hot ridiculous non-stop every cast fishing that can and does happen on the Kanektok, but nonetheless excellent by any standard. We caught kings, sockeye, dollies, rainbow, chum, and grayling in abundance. As an aside, after the first day on the river, Spencer turned to Aaron and I and said, “now I see why you guys love this place so much”. The guides were first class, which has become a trademark of the Duncans reputation, well-earned over the last 40 plus years on the Kanektok. Camp was great with hot showers, great food and plenty of it, excellent equipment, a well-run fishing program, and guides second to none when measured against my 30 plus years of Alaskan experience.
We can’t wait to return to the Kanektok River and the Duncans operation. As of now the summer of 2025 is in the reservation book!
