The Lodge / Accommodations
The Copper River Lodge is a small Alaska fly fishing lodge that caters to only six people per week. The small group size ensures personal service, relaxing atmosphere, less people and more time on the river. You'll find our staff to be very experienced, polite, and professional.
The Copper River Lodge is the only lodge located directly on the Copper River. This means you’ll never miss a minute of fishing due to weather that can ground many of the fly out operations in the area. Being so remote, our 110 electricity is provided by diesel generator.
The Cuisine
Copper River Lodge prides itself on the quality and freshness of its cuisine. Freshly baked bread, rolls, or pastries are served with each meal. Fresh fruit and vegetables are always available. Dinner menus vary and include entrees such as pork tenderloin, New York steak, roast duck, and fresh caught salmon. We are happy to accommodate any dietary preferences and needs.
The Copper River Lodge only takes 6 guests a week! I do not know of any lodge in Alaska that has this capacity. You will know the crew more as friends than crew by the end of the week. This ensures that we will know your fishing goals, and abilities.
The Copper River Lodge is the only lodge on the world famous Copper River itself. You can walk right down to the river from the lodge and be fishing. While there are other lodges in the area, other lodges have to boat 5-15 minutes to get to the river, and it is impossible to fish in front of the lodge.
The Copper River is one of the best trout rivers in Alaska. It is a fly fishing only river. It is easily waded and crossed. Guests can spread out and fish every inch of the river.
Dry fly fishing! The Copper River has some of the best dry fly fishing in Alaska in June and July. It is lower 48 style trout fishing for Alaska sized trout.
The Fishing Schedule
The Copper River Lodge has the distinct advantage of being a small operation located right on the river. This allows us to cater to both the serious and the more laid back fisherman.
Our daily fishing schedule runs from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you get tired or cold, we can take you in early. With this many hours to fish every day, even the most energetic fishermen will find time to relax. Most lodges run a 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. day. By setting our schedule back, we have the entire river to ourselves in the early evening. In Alaska, this can be the best fishing of the day and a spectacular time for viewing wildlife.
Each day begins at 8:00 a.m. with a hearty breakfast (if you are an early riser coffee is set out beforehand). At 9:00 the fishing day begins. The guides will pack a picnic lunch, which usually is eaten on the river. We use 16’ tunnel boats with 40 hpjet units to run the river. We rarely, if ever, fish from the boat. The Copper River is perfect for wade fishing. We use the boat only as a means to get to the next fishing hole. You can stay out and fish until 7:00 p.m., at which point the boats have to be back at the lodge. At 8:00 p.m. we have a generous dinner served family style, followed by a gourmet dessert.
The lodge also has a sauna that guests enjoy after a hard day of fishing. On the transfer days, Sunday and Saturday you still get plenty of fishing. On Sunday you will arrive at the lodge by late morning. After unpacking and a light lunch, you can be fishing by 1:00 p.m. This gives you a full six hour day. On Sunday, your last day, you can fish till about 1:00 p.m. Of course this is just a general schedule, with just six guests we can be very flexible.
Alaska Fly Fishing Trip Itinerary
SATURDAY: Arrival day in Anchorage
Most guests arrive on Saturday and spend the night in Anchorage. It is good to get a hotel with an airport shuttle. Some guests can make it to Anchorage on time to meet the Iliamna Air Taxi flight on Sunday morning. Please give yourself a couple hours to transfer from a commercial flight to your Iliamna Air Taxi flight.
SUNDAY: Depart
Depart from Anchorage with Iliamna Air Taxi at 9:30am. Located in the Air Caro section. Your hotel shuttle will most likely know the location. There is a combined 70lb baggage limit.
Upon arrival in Iliamna you will be transferred to the airport. Iliamna Air Taxi also does the floatplane shuttle to the lodge, so please just follow their lead. If you have questions just ask anyone at the desk and tell them you are with the Copper River Lodge. After roughly 45 minutes in Iliamna you will be transferred to the float plane. You will then be flown to the Copper River Lodge in DehavillandBeaver.
Arrival to the Lodge
The guides will meet you at the plane with our boats and transfer you to the lodge. This is a 5 minute boat ride so keep your jacket out if it is a rainy day. Upon arrival at the lodge you will unpack, eat some lunch, and get your fishing gear ready. As soon as you are ready our guides will go fishing with you. This is still a big day of fishing as you will fish till 7:00pm.
MONDAY – FRIDAY: Fishing
Fish, fish and fish some more. Usually breakfast is at 8 am and departure is at 9 am. You will fish until 7pm. Please note that this schedule can change depending on fishing conditions.
SATURDAY: Departure Day
On Saturday you can get some fishing in if you still need to catch a few fish. You can usually fish for 3 hours on Saturday. You will have lunch and then depart on the floatplane at roughly 1:30pm. This gets you to Iliamna in time for the 3 pm flight to Anchorage. You will arrive in Anchorage at 4 pm. Please give yourself 2 hours between your arrival and departure from Anchorage.
