After three
miles of paddling down Paxson Lake, watching the
bank for moose and throwing your fly for
the
 hopeful lake trout, you arrive at
the Gulkana River outlet. At the outlet
you will see a gathering of waterfowl,
many of Alaska's ducks eat fish in the
shallows of the river outlet. From the outlet
you will experience a shallow, rocky
stream with Class II and III rapids and
a gradient of 38
feet/mile.
And the
Fishing...
This section of the trip lends its self to some of the best
Grayling fishing Alaska
has to offer. Just throw any fly from,
a
golden ribbed hairs ear to
the favorite fly in your box, these fish
are extremely aggressive! |
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This trip taken in July has the
potential of showing you 5 different
species of Alaska's great fish.
Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Grayling,
Sockeye Salmon, and the famous King
Salmon!
Another option is to fish in August, Kings are closed to
fishing however the
KFP Guides don't
care. They will simply switch to
fishing egg patterns, or beads right off
the tails of the Giants. As you may
find out, you can have some of the best
Rainbow fishing action
in Alaska.
At the confluence of the Middle Fork and the Main
Fork, the river becomes slow and meandering.
There are occasional rocks and small waves in
the Class I water until reaching Canyon Rapids.
Yes this river has some surprises,
besides great fishing and beauty we get
to shoot the rapids!
The
Canyon Rapids are at Mile 20. Take-out signs mark
the portage on the left side of the river. The
rapids are Class III or IV, depending on flow,
and are navigable by experienced whitewater
boaters only. This means you in the Pontoon
Boats get to fish while your guide packs
your boats the 1/4 mile around the
turning water. Many boaters have wrapped and destroyed
rafts and canoes here.
You are glad to be with your KFP Guide!
There are several pleasant camping areas along
the Gulkana River. We have them
all figured out. Our camps are
deluxe and provide you with quality
food, great tents, and good cooks!
Remember that we are camped at
Canyon Rapids, and we don't want to skip the
rainbows!
A one-mile hiking trail takes you
to Canyon Lake and is a good opportunity to
stretch your legs.
Below Canyon Rapids there are 8 1/2 miles of Class II
and III rapids which are generally shallow and
rocky. Eagles are seen
along the river waiting and watching.
It is no wonder why these
magnificent birds are the choice of
America.
After these rapids, there is a 17-mile stretch
of Class I water to Sourdough. Don't
forget that the Graying will bite at
anytime. Giving you something to
do while floating down one of the
prettiest rivers in all of Creation! |
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