The phenomenal fishing continues to roll here at Mission Lodge, in this, our 25th anniversary season. Some of our longest running guests were with us this past week to share, once again, in this amazing experience that is Southwestern Alaska. Marion Becker, Charlie Carroll, and Mark Winkelman have been with us for a long time bringing their friends and family with them so that they too can enjoy the quality of fishing that Mission Lodge and the surrounding wilderness provides. This past week was no exception as the fishing was incredible. Silver salmon continued to pour into the Togiak in good numbers keeping fly rods bent and the action moving at a furious pace. If after a few silvers you were ready to try you hand at some of the other fish in the Togiak there were plenty of dolly varden and rainbow trout to keep you busy, rounding out an already fulfilling day. Farther up the Togiak in our exclusive water the Chum salmon spawning grounds continued to be the site for sheer volume of fish. There you really have to try to not hook fish. If sight fishing has your interest this is an excellent time of the season to be exploring the many options that we offer. Whether you are wading the intimate tributaries of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge spotting massive char, or slowly moving up the Grant River casting to rainbow trout there are plenty of opportunities to test your skills and watch the fishes mouth flash white as they eat your presentation. Continuing to be a highly sought-after destination, Moraine Creek was again thrilled our guests, when they were able to get there, with an onslaught of rainbow trout that knew no end, continuing until it was time to head back to the lodge. The Agulowak and Agulukpak turned the corner in the last couple of days this week. On the Agulukpak most of the trout that were caught were between 20 and 23 inches and as soon as one was landed our guests did not have to wait long to hook into another. It was a great week that we enjoyed sharing with our guests and look forward to sharing many more. Thank you to our guests this past week for a great time.

[Show as slideshow]

Where are the words that can sometimes so easily fall into place when you are all set to describe extraordinary fishing and fish? Quite possibly they are lost in the myriad glitter and gleam; in the flat, galvanized light reflected from scale; in that steady gaze that goes right past you to the infinite. These lost words are cheap when put against the real thing. Photos rarely proper service to their captives. So where do we turn when the words wont reveal themselves. We look to the real thing, to that wonder so carefully grasped and cradled in our hands. That’s where we find the words, in bent rods and reels ready for the water bucket, in fish antics screaming for ritalin. So it is with that in mind we recount this past week. Most of our guest were very focused on catching silver salmon, which worked out well because the Nushagak has been on fire. The Nushagak silvers are not the largest, but what they lack in size they make up in nastiness. All of our guests went on multiple salmon hops to the Nushagak and were never disappointed. On one of the rainiest days of the season father and son team Fred and Jimmy Oss hooked over one hundred silvers before they decided to call it quits. Closer to home, the Wood River has been a consistent producer of silvers as well. On Saturday one boat landed all five species of salmon before lunch, including a 25 pound king. First-time anglers Don and Connie Pyatt tested the waters of the Upper Nushagak looking to try fly fishing and reported being surprised that beginners could hook so many fish in one day, catching dolly varden, rainbow trout, and grayling until it was time to head home. Jim and Mary Lande spent the last day of the week on the Upper Togiak chasing after acrobatic rainbows and catching some weighty char as well, remarking a when they returned to the lodge that they had never caught so many fish on the fly. What ever your flavor is, be it salmon or our resident species they are all available and in good numbers. Thank you to all of our guest this past week and make it sooner than six years before you come back to see us again.

[Show as slideshow]

It was a week where the rain fell heavy at times, where the wind sometimes drove it harder, frustrating anglers looking for any way to push a cast into the challenging conditions. When the casts fell the fish were there. Silvers are pouring into the Nushagak, crashing into flies and lures, chasing them into the shallows, waking behind surface flies before pulling them under in a gulping swirl. We are catching most of our fish within the reaches of tidewater where the fish are still blistering hot, accompanying their acrobatics with head-strong runs that leave you praying that your backing knot will hold. With silver fishing being so good, most of our guests made multiple trips to catch those insanely aggressive fish. One day this week weather prevented us from flying, but no matter, the Wood River that runs right next to the lodge supplied those anglers that were brave enough to test their fortitude with rods bowed to silvers until the weather drove them inside. The Upper Nushagak continued to produce weary arms and shoulders. With countless dolly varden, rainbow trout and grayling to keep our guests busy it was again a very popular destination. With difficult weather in can often be a challenge to stay positive, but our guests made it easy dealing with it beautifully, rolling with nature’s punches. Thanks to all of our guests this past week. We look forward to fishing with you next summer.

[Show as slideshow]