Lava Creek Lodge guides are professionals who know the rivers and each daily fishing experience will be a memorable adventure, unique and full of action. Fishing days are full; expect long days on the water, only interrupted by a quick lunch break, then back at it. Lunches are normally taken in the field, prepared by the cook staff and carried by your guide, along with drinks of your choice.
At the end of each long, fish-filled day, guides will return their guests to the lodge, tired from hooking fish. A quick shower in your private bathroom is in order, and then you’ll head to the lodge for appetizers and cocktails and listen to your fishing buddies tell of the day’s events on the river.
The lodge serves up tasty lodge dinners, and after eating their fill, anglers will walk to their cabin and collapse, getting a good night’s sleep. The best part is that tomorrow you get to do it again!
Getting to Lava Creek Lodge
Saturday, (the day prior to flying to the lodge):
On Saturday – the day prior to your arrival at Lava Creek Lodge – you should plan on traveling to Anchorage and overnighting at one of the many fine hotels in the waterfront city.
This is a great day to relax, check out Anchorage, or purchase any personal liquor you want to take down to the lodge.
Sunday, Day 1: Lava Creek Lodge has arranged for a private charter from Anchorage, Alaska, to a landing strip eleven miles from the lodge. The charter service used is Anchorage Aero, located at Lake Hood, Anchorage, Alaska.
You’ll want to take a hotel shuttle or taxi to their hangar in order to catch your flight. Check in time is noon, with a scheduled departure at 1:00 PM.
Upon arrival to the airstrip, you will be met by Phil Byrd and flown in his float plane (usually two to three anglers at a time) the approximate 10-minute flight to the lodge.
Upon arrival to Lava Creek Lodge you will be shown to your cabin, where you’ll have a chance to get settled in, unpack, and ready your gear for the action-packed week of fly fishing ahead of you. A light lunch will be served in the main lodge.
Your arrival day is considered a non-fishing day. Phil and Beth Byrd will give a brief orientation of the lodge facilities and outline the daily fishing schedule. The rest of the day is at your leisure to relax and prepare for a full week of angling.
Weight is CRITICAL in the bush plane environment:
Maximum baggage allowance: 70 pounds total per person. This maximum weight allowance includes your soft duffel bag (50 pounds), carry-on bag (10 pounds) and any liquor you purchase in Anchorage that you are flying down on the charter flight for your week at Lava Creek Lodge (10 pounds). Absolutely no hard suitcases, avoid HUGE duffel bags, and rod tubes must not exceed five feet. Keep in mind that two medium-sized duffels are much easier to pack into a small plane than one large one.
If you exceed the 70 pound maximum baggage limit per person, you will be asked to leave some gear at Anchorage Aero to be reclaimed on your trip back home.
Wading Boots: Felt sole boots are not allowed (illegal) in Alaska. You must bring rubber-soled wading boots.
Fishing Licenses: The most convenient way to buy your Alaska Sport Fishing License is online. If you are fishing for king salmon, you will also need to purchase a king stamp.
The lodge does NOT sell fishing licenses; you must purchase your license in advance of your arrival to the lodge, online, at: http://www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us/license/purchasing.html
Day 2 – 7: Fishing Days at Lava Creek Lodge:
Each morning you will awaken to a hearty breakfast and hot coffee, followed by pulling on your waders and loading into the boats for a run to the pools and runs where you will begin the day. If you are flying out for the day, you will be loading up in Phil’s float plane. A nice advantage of such a small occupancy lodge is that there is some flexibility to the daily schedule. This is your fishing vacation so please relay your preferences to Phil and he and his staff will do their best to accommodate you.
River skiffs are used to navigate the rivers, but virtually all the fishing is done while wading. Lunches will be taken in the field, and your fishing days are full. At the end of each day, tired anglers will load back into the boats or float plane and ride back to an awaiting hot shower, hot meal, and comfortable bed.
Day 8 (Sunday): Return to Anchorage, and on home:
Phil will fly you back to the landing strip from the lodge in plenty of time to make your afternoon private charter connection to Anchorage – the late departure gives Phil plenty of time to do so, in case of weather delays. Anglers may arrive to Anchorage in time to make a red-eye connection home, or might choose to overnight in Anchorage and fly out the next morning.
The Lava Creek Lodge to Anchorage charter is scheduled to depart at 4:00 PM, arriving Anchorage at approximately 6:15 PM.
BUSH PLANE FLIGHT ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND SUBJECT TO WEATHER DELAYS
TYPICAL FISHING DAY AT LAVA CREEK LODGE
The angling package at Lava Creek Lodge includes a combination of guided fishing on the home waters and, weather permitting, some possible fly-out fishing on regional rivers. After a hearty breakfast, you’ll put on your waders on the porch of your cabin, grab your tackle, and take the short walk down to where the jet boats and/or plane will be awaiting to whisk you to a seemingly endless supply of picture-perfect runs and pools. The guides will have you moving all day, jumping from one piece of water to the next with their boats, then getting out and wading. It is not unusual to cover miles of river in a day.