South Fork of the Arolik River is located outside of
Quinhagak in Kuskokwim Bay region of Western Alaska. Map
of Arolik River. The Arolik is not widely known. It is one of Alaska's
truly wild Salmon, Char, & Trout fisheries. There are obviously no dams,
or roads. The inaccessible South Fork of the Arolik, which I prefer to fish,
has been fished less than one dozen times ever. The South Fork is not a
river that could sustain the pressure of large groups. It is quite clear
and relatively shallow and the spawning salmon are quite vulnerable. It
is where Lee Bowers, an accomplished wilderness trip leader for Outward
Bound said "this is the wildest place I've ever been!" It is probable
that I have floated it and the main Arolik more than anyone alive.
The main branch of the Arolik gets some use from fly fishing groups of
rafters in July and August. The groups fly in to Arolik Lake, row and drag
a raft 9 miles down the creek to the confluence with the South Fork then
floating to the estuary some 30 miles downstream. In 2001, Richard Voss
and I undertook what we believe to be the second raft descent of the South
Fork. Since then I have taken about 2 groups per year down it and we have
ironed out some of the logistic challenges. But make no mistake it is a
truly wild trip and physically demanding for the first 2-3 days when we
are in the South Fork mountains. The fishing ranges from Alaskan-good to
Alaskan-extraordinary depending upon the run timing and weather. Quoting
from the log of July 31, 2002, Richard Voss and I both agreed we'd had the
best day of fishing of our lives.
I take only small, very lightly loaded rafts down this river and we wade
a great deal. We see other fly fishers once or twice per trip in the lower
river and not at all in the South Fork. I only take anglers on the South
Fork who have proven themselves on a prior Alaska trip with me. Not because
the fishing or camping is uniquely tough, it isn't, but rather because it
is quite a remote spot where there are no float plane or wheel plane airstrips
for at least 5 days. It is not a place for someone to realize he or she
would rather be somewhere else. In spite of its difficulty most everyone
I've ever taken there dreams about the place for years after because it
is profoundly wild to the point of defining wilderness.
What makes the Arolik an Extreme Fly Fishing trip? From the floatplane
pond, the portage to the South Fork where we make our first camp consumes
an afternoon of demanding walking, dragging rafts across tundra, carrying
river duffels, and lining the rafts down a small creek. The second day
will involve some more lining the rafts down shallow river channels. Still
the rewards of exquisite fly fishing on untouched Alaskan waters from
the moment we arrive at our first camp until the confluence compensate
for the extreme efforts.
Ready for an unforgettable fishing adventure? Call me at (877)
628-6796 or email me at mark@wildriverfish.com.
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