species

Angler holding a king salmon at Lava Creek Lodge, Alaska

fishing at lava creek LODGE

Our rivers are wide, shallow, and low gradient - the perfect recipe for a swing angler’s paradise.

Our home river has a firm, sandy bottom created by ancient volcanic eruptions that scattered cinder across the landscape, so rather than slipping on mossy boulders and fighting their way through churning whitewater, anglers at Lava Creek Lodge enjoy comfortable wading in the river’s gentle current. Lava Creek Lodge guides know the ever-changing river intimately and use a specialized fleet of boats to access every piece of holding water on the river, leaving no stone unturned to locate fresh pods of kings.

find your perfect week on the water

Two men holding a large fish, boat fishing gear visible, outdoors with water and cloudy sky on the Alaska Peninsula at Lava Creek Lodge.

king salmon

Massive chrome kings averaging 15–25 pounds in one of Alaska's most exclusive salmon fisheries.

EARLY JUNE - LATE JULY

explore kings
A person in a yellow jacket catching a large fish with a net in water at Lava Creek Lodge.

silver salmon

Aggressive coho salmon, nonstop action, and some of the most exciting fishing of the season.

MID-AUGUST - LATE SEPTEMBER

explore silvers
A person holding a rainbow trout fish near a body of water, with a background of green trees and purple flowers under a partly cloudy sky at Lava Creek Lodge.

TROUT, char, chum

The most diverse weeks of the year, featuring rainbow trout, Dolly Varden char, and powerful chum salmon.

LATE JULY - EARLY AUGUST

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king salmon

EARLY JUNE - LATE JULY

Big chrome kings averaging 15 to 25 pounds stack into the runs nearest the lodge, and you'll have them to yourself – no competing for water with other outfitters. This is classic swing fishing on two-handed rods, with guides who love coaching the spey game whether you're brand new or a seasoned veteran. Wide, gentle water and casts of fifty feet or less make for civilized days; the only thing that wears you out is pulling on fish.

  • A man smiling while holding a large fish over water, wearing a blue cap, orange jacket, and tan waders, with a green landscape and cloudy sky in the background.
  • Two men in fishing gear wade in water, holding a large fish, with a fishing rod visible, overcast sky in background.
  • Man wearing sunglasses, a hat, and outdoor gear holding a large fish in shallow water with a cloudy sky and green vegetation in the background.
  • Two men in outdoor fishing gear holding a large fish in a river, with grassy banks and cloudy sky in the background.
  • A man wearing a baseball cap, glasses, a blue quilted jacket, and a fishing vest is smiling and holding a large fish near the water, with a cloudy sky and green shoreline in the background.

silver salmon

MID-AUGUST - LATE SEPTEMBER

Bright, acrobatic silvers averaging 8 to 10 pounds pour into the lower river in fresh pods daily, and the action comes in bursts that some days hardly stop. They're perfectly suited to an 8-weight and a floating line, with easy wading and short casts. A five-minute flight can put you and a guide on a smaller river all your own – and September opens waterfowl season for anyone who wants to pair fishing with a morning of wingshooting.

“I caught more Silver Salmon than I could have imagined!”
— Carol Burris, September
  • A man with a beard wearing sunglasses, an orange hat with 'Lava Creek Lodge' written on it, and outdoor gear, holding a large fish in a river.
  • Two people, a man and a woman, standing in shallow water holding a large fish, smiling at the camera on a cloudy day with a grassy shoreline in the background.
  • Two men standing in a river, holding a large fish, with a grassy hill in the background. They are dressed in outdoor gear, wearing sunglasses and orange caps, and appear to be fishing.
  • A man wearing outdoor fishing gear stands in shallow water, holding a large fish with both hands. He appears to be examining the fish after catching it.
  • Two men in waterproof clothing and sunglasses are kneeling in a river, holding a large fish they caught together during a fishing trip.

trout, char, chum

LATE JULY - EARLY AUGUST

The weeks between the kings and the silvers are the most diverse fishing of the season – and the most exclusive, with just four anglers per week. Resident rainbows running 20 to 24 inches chase mice and flesh flies up top, sea-run dollies to two feet pile in behind spawning salmon for 20-fish days, and the home river's hard-fighting chum peak near the salt. It's the best window for an angler who wants variety in a single week.

  • A man wearing a baseball cap and a blue waterproof jacket holding a large trout fish near a river with green trees in the background.
  • Two men in waders and sunglasses fishing in a river. One man is holding a large fish, and the other is holding a fishing rod.
  • A man with a gray beard and mustache wearing a blue jacket, dark beanie, and tan cap, holding a large fish with silver, green, and black scales, near a river with trees and cloudy sky in the background.
  • Man holding a large fish outdoors near water with green trees and cloudy sky in the background.
  • A man in sunglasses and a red cap holding a large fish in front of a body of water with an airplane in the background.

need help planning your trip?

Whether you're here for the fishing, the flightseeing, or a little of both, we'll help you build the week that fits.

contact us