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Fly-in Fishing Alaska: Remote Cook Inlet Trips
Our Alaska fly-in fishing trips depart from a location just minutes from our lodge in Soldotna, for a short float plane ride across Cook Inlet to remote rivers, creeks, and lakes. Once there we fish for sockeye, silvers, and trout, often while enjoying some bear viewing, watching them fish for salmon too in their natural habitat. These fly in trips are the easiest way to convert a Kenai road system trip into a true wilderness adventure.
The main part of our fly-in season is from June to September, and the majority of those are half-day (5-6 hour) excursions to the west side of Cook Inlet as well as longer trips the main Alaska Peninsula. From the launch in North Kenai you’ll enjoy an epic 20-minute across Cook Inlet where you meet your guide. These short flights puts us within range of a good number of remote lakes and rivers with good salmon and trout as well as bear viewing opportunities.
Our Top 5 Remote Alaska Fly-In Destinations Near Anchorage
Big River Lake – Wolverine Creek:
This lake is located on the west side of Cook Inlet along the main Alaska Peninsula. This glacial lake sits at the base of the towering Alaska Range and is fed by several tributaries, including Wolverine Creek and the South Fork of the Big River.
It hosts strong annual runs of both sockeye and silver salmon, making it not only a productive fishing destination but also one of the most reliable bear viewing locations in the region.
It’s one of the most popular fly out fishing trips in Alaska.
See More Info About Fly-In Fishing Trips To Big River Lake & Wolverine Creek
Kustatan River:
Fly-in Fishing To The Kustatan River This river is located on the West Forelands, just north of Big River Lake on the main Alaska Peninsula.
It is considered one of the most prolific silver producing systems on the west side of Cook Inlet. The river is primarily fed by glacial runoff, along with seasonal snowmelt and rainfall.
Relatively shallow and braided, the Kustatan is accessed by floatplane, which typically lands in a large freshwater slough just above the tidal zone. Wildlife is abundant in this remote area, with frequent sightings of both brown and black bears, as well as moose in the surrounding wetlands and willow thickets. This one of our favorite remote fishing trips.
Crescent Lake:
Fly-in Fishing to Crescent Lake transport you to one of the most surreal places on earth located within the Lake Clark National Wildlife Preserve, nestled in the Alaska Range at the base of Mt. Redoubt Volcano.
Crescent River hosts strong runs of sockeye and silver salmon, along with a smaller return of kings. In addition to salmon fishing, both Crescent Lake and its outflow, Crescent River, provide excellent opportunities for lake trout as well as a large population of dolly varden/char.
Crescent Lake is not only a premier fishing destination—it is also one of Alaska’s most renowned bear-viewing locations. The dramatic mountain backdrop paired with the lake’s striking turquoise waters makes Crescent Lake and Crescent River among the most scenic and memorable fishing trip choices.
Bachatna Creek:
Fly-in Fishing Trips to Bachatna Creek take you to a small coastal drainage on the west side of Cook Inlet, located between Big River Lake and the Kustatan River.
Unlike many glacial systems, this clear-water stream is fed by tannin upwellings and boreal swamps, giving it a shallow, sandy-bottom character. In the fall, Bachatna Creek fills with silver salmon and offers excellent conditions for fly fishing.
Access, however, can be unpredictable. Floatplane landings often depend on fluctuating beaver dams and the ponds they create, making travel to this otherwise productive stream somewhat inconsistent.
Chuit River:
Fly-in Fishing to Chuit River lead to small a snow-fed coastal river on the west side of Cook Inlet, located near the town of Beluga and the Native village of Tyonek.
Access is limited and typically arranged through local Native transport from nearby floatplane-accessible lakes. This is a true walk-and-wade river, offering excellent opportunities for both sight fishing and fly fishing for silvers in a pristine, remote setting.
Experience The Best Fly-In Locations in Alaska
No matter what time of the summer you visit, we have an exciting remote trip available to meet your budget and angling interests. Below we have listed options for our best locations with air service, along with run timing, available methods, and costs. All of our float plane trips include round-trip floatplane transportation, an experienced, professional Alaska guide, boat (when needed), and all necessary tackle and gear. Prepare for takeoff!
Adventures to remote places in Alaska are much more than just a day of fishing. The float plane experience alone is something most will never forget. Once you step inside a turbine powered De Havilland Otter destined for a remote Alaska river, you will begin to sense what true Alaska Adventure involves.
These trips offer incredible views of the Alaska Range and active volcanoes such as Mt Redoubt, Mt Spurr and Mt. Iliamna. The short flight takes you across Cook Inlet and gives you a glimpse of Alaska’s true remote wilderness. Once you arrive at your destination, our fishing guides will escort you from the plane where the scenery, the wildlife and of course the fish will transport you into another realm. It’s definitely one of our most popular fishing trips in Alaska.
Things to Know About Remote Fishing Adventures
Remote fishing trips by float plane are a truly amazing experience, but they are also much more expensive than taking a land-based guided charter because of the added airfare. The farther the flight, the more costly the trip, therefore most Kenai Peninsula based flight services frequent the closest locations that offer the best fishing so that the trips are as affordable as possible. Many of our fly-in trips with great salmon fishing also have very good bear viewing opportunities as the bears love to feast on fish and are often after fish at the same time you are.
We feel at least one day of fly-in angling in Alaska to a remote location will help to round out the perfect Alaska adventure. While one could fill weeks exploring all our Kenai Peninsula options, we always recommend our guests take the opportunity to experience at least one remote location and spend some time where there are no roads and bears outnumber humans. With our own boats waiting for us when we arrive and the finest floatplanes and pilots available on the Kenai Peninsula, we guarantee a safe, comfortable high-quality Alaska fishing experience you will not soon forget. Explore our Alaska fly-in packages today and consider booking one of our Alaska Fishing and Lodging Packages!
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Are You Looking For A Complete Fishing & Lodging Package?
Our team are experts in helping our guests plan the complete Alaska fishing packages to take care of all your lodging, fishing, fly out, and sightseeing details with a single phone call.
Don’t hesitate to call and let us assist you to map out your dream Alaska fishing vacation today!
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUT FLY IN FISHING TRIPS ALASKA
Explore our top spots for guided fishing trips on the Kenai River, Kasilof River and West Cook Inlet as well as our options for fly in fishing adventures
More Information About Remote Fly Out Fishing Adventures With Professional Guide Mark Glassmaker
After flying clients into remote corners of Cook Inlet for over three decades, I’ve learned that the best fishing isn’t always found where the crowds go. Bachatna Creek proves this point better than almost any other fly-in destination I know. Bachatna Creek is a hidden gem for fly-out fishing in Alaska. This small creek on …
The west side of Cook Inlet hosts some of Alaska’s most productive silver salmon habitat, and the West Foreland region stands out as the heart of this fishery. After flying guests here for over three decades, I’ve learned that understanding this landscape—how it functions, why the rivers behave as they do—makes the difference between good …
The Chuitna River begins its 25-mile journey in a landscape most Alaska visitors never see—the remote Tordrillo Mountains at the western edge of the Alaska Range. I’ve been flying to the Chuit for nearly three decades, and understanding this watershed’s unique characteristics helps explain why it fishes so differently from our glacial-fed systems. The Chuit …
When you fly into Crescent Lake for a day of fishing, you’re landing in one of Alaska’s most spectacular protected wilderness areas. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve encompasses over 4 million acres of pristine backcountry, and the Crescent Lake drainage sits in one of its most dramatic corners—beneath the towering presence of Mount Redoubt. …
Fly-out fantastic!… Up close and personal with the Brown Bears of: Big River Lake, West Side Cook Inlet “When the pilot said we’d see bears, I did not think they’d be five feet from the boat.” This is a typical reaction after visiting Big River Lake and the rocky mouth of Wolverine Creek. Want to …
Fly-Out Silver Salmon Fishing: Big River Lake It was a typical August morning as we arrived at the float plane lake and shuttled our gear to the tarmac, (a large wooden float with a turbine Dehavellin Beaver tied off to it). By typical, I mean either raining or pea-soup fog. Today it was the latter. …