Intricate Bay Lodge & The Outpost – Alaska
LODGING
Single & Double Occupancy Rooms, Double Occupancy Cabins, Private Guest Tents
SPECIES
Rainbow Trout, Sockeye Salmon, Silver Salmon, Grayling, Dolly Varden, Char
SEASON
June – September
RECOMMENDED FOR…
Families, Company Retreats, Couples, Adventure-Seekers
EQUIPMENT
Quality Gear Is Included
The Intricate Bay Lodge is a place that will stay with you forever!
It is THE iconic fly fishing adventure. From the moment you arrive at this 5-star, world-class, Orvis-endorsed lodge, you will feel at home and ready to come back year after year. Nestled in a prime location of Bristol Bay lies Lake Iliamna, a fly fishermen’s dream. Where most lodges in the area require daily flyouts to access local water, which limits fishing time and can get expensive, this lodge has immediate access to isolated waters with plentiful numbers of fish. The lodge is nothing short of amazing, with dozens of 5-star reviews, welcoming, respectable, & hard-working staff that operate as a team, amazing food, and knowledgeable, personable, patient, and fun guides; Intricate Bay Lodge is simply the best! Celebrities and political figures alike, such as President Jimmy Carter, come to Intricate Bay to enjoy everything Alaska has to offer.
With 6 packages to choose from, there are unique adventures that fit each person’s needs (as well as a number of non-angling activities such as hiking, sea kayaking, SUP, bear viewing, wildlife photography, and more).
Generally, each trip runs from Saturday to Friday and consists of fishing from sunrise to sunset, day after day.
You’ll arrive at Iliamna Airport early Saturday evening, where you’ll be picked up by an Intricate Bay staff member. They’ll load your gear into the van and you’ll drive a short distance to the seaplane. After loading, you’ll skim across the lake and ascend into the mesmerizing Alaska air and fly a short distance to the lodge. Upon landing, you’ll pull up to the dock and be greeted by friendly guides who will put your gear in your room, offer you a tour, and go over some of the most basic rules (the number 1 rule is to not feed the bears). On the first evening, you’ll relax, get to know the guides, staff, and other guests, enjoy dinner and drinks, have lots of laughs, and take in some of the most beautiful views of the world.
Each morning, breakfast is served at 7 am, you’ll be in a boat or plane by 8 am, you’ll fish all day and have lunch around noon on the water, you’ll return to the lodge around 5 pm and enjoy happy hour, and dinner will be served by 6 pm daily. After dinner, you can enjoy the rest of the night however you’d like to spend it: in your room, over drinks, in the hot tub, watching the sunset, telling your best fish stories around the campfire, etc.
On your last day, you’ll have time to fish through mid-day and then fly back to Iliamna Friday afternoon, just in time for your flights back to Anchorage and then back home, where you can relive your memories of fishing this adventure for a lifetime.
There are two options of lodging at the Intricate Bay Lodge: You can stay in the 5-star, Orvis-endorsed luxurious lodge, which has 5 rooms and 2 double occupancy cabins, or you can opt to stay in one of the 4 rooms at the more rustic Outpost, an authentic Alaskan experience.
Both lodges feature excellent chefs that can cater to serious allergies and dietary restrictions, along with large dining tables that can accommodate groups and meeting spaces. The chefs add a lot to the entire experience, no matter which lodge you stay at, and will provide you with well balanced meals all day long.
You’ll wake up to the smell of breakfast and start your day with eggs made to order, fresh fruit, homemade breads, and more. On the water, you’ll have hot shore lunches, which are integral to replenishing your body after all the calories spent landing fish. You’ll also enjoy beverages, hors d’oeuvres, and a mouth watering dinner based off their rotating weekly menu of Alaskan King Crab, Filet Mignon, Prime Rib, Alaskan Shrimp, Alaskan Halibut, Chicken, Baby Back Ribs, and more! The chef’s philosophy is “ingredients of superior quality carry the meal better than heavy sauces”. There are true chefs at this lodge, that put every ounce of love into every meal, adding to the high standards of this quality experience.
The Main Lodge
If you’re not one that likes to rough it, the main lodge is for you! After a fire destroyed the original structure, the main lodge was completely rebuilt from the ground up in 2014. Picture a modern day, first class fly fishing lodge, sitting on the shore of Lake Iliamna, with carpeted guest rooms, private baths, Wi-fi, an in deck hot tub, and so much more luxurious finishing touches. The lodge was carefully redesigned with vision and a deep desire to provide clients with the best experience possible, and features numerous amenities you can look forward to after epic days of fishing.
You don’t have to rough it to experience Alaska!
The Outpost
If you’re looking for a more rustic, true Alaskan experience, that has more privacy, consider staying at the Outpost. It’s aesthetically “cool” and a bonus: Got Fishing’s signature photographer, Abe Blair (also one of our ambassadors), is the Outpost’s lodge manager and guide. The Outpost is a separate experience at Intricate Bay and allows you to live out an epic week of fly fishing, give you adventures you’ve only seen in National Geographic, and was designed for you and 5-7 of your closest friends. It’s a 2 story rustic lodge tucked deep in the Alaskan wilderness and you get exclusive use of this incredible property. Featuring 5 star food cooked by your own private chef, a state of the art sauna, a wood-burning fireplace, your own rooms, personal guides, boats, and your own private pilot and plane.
The Outpost is not just any fishing trip!
The fishing here is nothing short of epic! Intricate Bay is a major destination for the largest Sockeye Salmon run in the world! The Sockeye run goes through Bristol Bay into Lake Iliamna and the world-renowned Copper & Gibraltar Rivers (which you will access by boat). You’ll fish truly amazing diverse waters in some of North America’s most pristine trophy Rainbow Trout regions.
With your own pilot and plane, you’ll have access to various other rivers and streams in Katmai National Park, including: the Moraine, Funnel, Battle, and American Rivers. The Kvichak, Newhalen, and Talarik rivers are also close by and accessible to fish.
Please keep in mind that Bristol Bay has been featuring challenges for years, with large-scale mining projects that have brought imminent threats to the area. Land and water are thriving today, but that may not be the case in the future. If Alaska is on your bucket list, book a trip soon, while it’s still a trophy location.
The Seasons
June
June is considered the early part of the fishing season and start times can vary depending on the previous winter and how heavy the snowpack was that can produce high waters. It’s also considered the dry fly fishing season and is a great time to target Rainbow Trout, as the fish come out of winter dormancy and begin their spawning season. Rainbows are anxious to fill their empty bellies and a favorite style of fishing around this time is sight fishing using dry flies and mouse patterns.
July
Early July is known for epic days of dry fly fishing and is an excellent time to fish for Sockeye Salmon and Trout in Katmai National Park. Historically, by the 2nd week in July, the largest Sockeye Salmon run found anywhere in the world enters this region; This timeframe will book fast, so lock in your spot early for a chance to fish for the strongest fighting salmon pound for pound! July is an excellent time to make countless fish-fighting memories in Alaska. Nymphs and streamers are productive during this time, but many of the larger fish go for bugger and sculpin patterns.
August
August is the premier Trout month and also sells out quickly. This is when the Sockeye Salmon begin spawning and also is the beginning of the Rainbow Trout feeding frenzy. The spawning of Sockeye accelerates throughout August and leaves a scent in the water that ignites the Rainbow Trout, bringing more and more brutish, big-shouldered Rainbows from Lake Iliamna, stacking up in nearby rivers. August is the BEST chance of the year to land a trophy trout.
Silver salmon season also starts during this time, with runs all the way into September.
September
September is the time for trophy trout and Silver Salmon fishing. This time of year can bring challenging weather, but it also brings the largest number of Rainbows into the river areas, with the last chance for these trophy fish to pack on weight for the long winter ahead. The Rainbow trout get extremely aggressive towards the newly spawned salmon eggs and will chase your flesh fly recklessly and are also willing to gorge themselves on just about anything you put in front of them.
Your trip will begin with a flight into Anchorage, Alaska (1), where you can pick up any last-minute items before you fly to Iliamna. Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Northwest Airlines all have direct flights to Anchorage. You’ll then book a flight with Lake & Peninsula Airlines, into Iliamna. Once you land in Iliamna (2), you’ll be greeted by the Intricate Bay Lodge staff, who will take you the rest of the way to the lodge (3). After your trip ends, the lodge will take you back to Iliamna, where you’ll fly back to Anchorage, and then to your end destination.
LEGEND
(1) Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
(2) Iliamna, Alaska
(3) Intricate Bay Lodge
All quality gear is provided by the Intricate Bay Lodge, who works with dedicated companies such as: Patagonia, Costa, Simms, & Orvis. Like most of the Pacific Northwest, weather conditions can be unpredictable and we recommend a layering system, along with normal clothing, personal items, various shoes, books, accessories, etc. Liquor is not provided by the lodge, so feel free to bring your own (or pick some up in Anchorage, before your flight to Iliamna).
You will be provided with a gear list upon booking, but if you have any questions about a layering system, please contact us! Our Adventure Consultants are well versed in the Pacific Northwest fishing conditions and can assist you with getting geared up, so you’ll be comfortable all day long.
If you would like to bring your own equipment, aside from clothing, consider:
- Rainbow fishing: 6-8 weight (after several 50+ fish days in a row, you’ll want to be able to get them in quickly – 8 weight is ideal)
- Grayling/Dolly/Char fishing: 4-5 weight
- Sockeye Salmon fishing: 8 weight
- Line – Weight forward floating line
- A long rod, 8.5-9.5 is ideal
- Ten-foot leaders are the best choice with 8 to 10-lb. tippets
- Bubble strike indicators work best in order to pick up on light biting Trout and Char
TRIP INCLUDES
- Rods & reels
- Flies & tackle
- Choice of lodging at the main lodge or the Outpost
- Chef-prepared meals
- Nonalcoholic beverages
- Non-angling adventures
- Transfer to/from Iliamna
- 6 days of guided fishing
- Choice of boats, rafts, or private plane/pilot (depending on the lodging location and package selected)
DOES NOT INCLUDE
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuity for staff/guides
- Flights to Anchorage & Iliamna
Rates are dependent upon the package selected. Choose from one of the following:
The Land Package | Starts At $7,000
- 6 nights, 6 days
- Lodging
- Guided fishing
- World renowned Copper & Gibraltar rivers and streams
- Jet boats & 23 ft. cabin cruise
- Available June, July, and the last 2 weeks of September
- Minimum group size: 2
Combo Package | Starts At $9,250
- 6 nights, 6 days
- Guided fishing
- 3 days fly out fishing
- 3 days local fishing
- Perfect combo of fly outs and local water fishing
- Available June, July, and the last 2 weeks of September
- Minimum group size: 2
Full Fly Out | $10,750
- The ultimate Alaskan experience
- 6 nights lodging, 6 days guided fly out fishing
- Fly to a new location each day
- Fish the most remote waterways, only accessible by plane
- The views, the fishing, and the memories are unforgettable
- Minimum group size: 2
DIY Float Trips | $3,750
- Week long float trip
- Access hard to reach, world class fisheries
- Camping gear, rafting gear, food supplies, and transportation are included
- Show up with your favorite rod, warm sleeping bag, and be ready to rough it
- Minimum group size: 2
Guided Float Trips | $5,000
- Dive into the bush
- Access hard to reach world class fisheries with a guide by your side
- Guides will scare off the bears, set up camp, cook meals, and help you catch the fish of a lifetime
- All gear and equipment is included
- Be ready to rough it
- Minimum group: 2
- Maximum group: 6
Lodge & Stars | $8,750
Most Popular Package
- 6 nights lodging, 6 days guided fishing
- Combo trip – Includes the best of both worlds
- 3 days at first class lodge
- Half week float trip under the stars
- Customizable start days and overall length
- First 3 nights under the stars, floating through amazing wilderness
- Guides take care of everything, including gourmet meals on the river
- Last 3 nights are spent at the lodge
- Minimum guest: 2
- Maximum guests: 10
ADVENTURE AWAITS
If you’re interested in talking to a consultant or booking this adventure, please complete this form.
