Head Guide Ted Mendrek, photo by ToshBrown.com

Please congratulate him, 2012 marks Ted’s 10th season at Alaska Wilderness SAFARI. He first guided at this Alaska fishing camp in 1998 after the former owner walked into an Orvis store in Dallas, TX, sized Ted up, then gruffed, “Hey boy, you want to work in Alaska this summer?” After a quick discussion with his wife, Ted (and his wife) embarked on a summer of adventure, hard work and fishing on the remote Alaska Peninsula.

During that summer “I got infected with Alaska,” Ted claims. “Something about it gets in your blood in an undeniable way.”

Nearly 15 years after his first summer fishing in Alaska, Ted is still giddy as the sport fishing season approaches. Admittedly, there are definite challenges to making the lifestyle of an Alaska fishing guide work with relationships and non-summer season employment. But somehow over the years Ted has made it work. And we thank and acknowledge him for that. (Of course, those with traditional jobs and typical life structure offer little sympathy.)

Why Everyone Loves Fishing in Alaska with Ted

Photo by JohnnyQuiroz.com

It seems many of our guests look forward to fishing with Ted almost as much as they look forward to returning to camp. Why? Ted offers a rare and unique level of customer interaction. And he doesn’t take his clients for granted, which generates a mutual appreciation between guide and client. Add that to an uncanny fishing intuition and some of the best fish spotting eyes on the water, you’d want to fish with him again, too.

Behind the Scenes

And the great thing about working with Ted is he doesn’t hesitate to pick up a broom, wash dishes, or take care of any of the less glamorous operational stuff that some guides will turn the their nose to.

Thanks, Ted, for all your years of hard work and continued commitment to customer service.

• April 21, Sportsman’s Finest, 10:30 AM, Austin, TX
• Apirl 28, GRTU, 10:00 AM, Satler, TX
• May 12, Living Waters Fly Fishing, 10:00 AM, Round Rock, TX

Check out our EPIC logo gear page for more information…

THE 2012 AUSTIN FLY FISHING FILM TOUR

Thursday, April 12th at The Paramount Theatre
Reception @ 5:00pm
Film @ 7:00pm

Purchase Tickets Online or (512) 474-1221 to purchase tickets by phone.

Now entering its sixth year, The Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) has become the entertainment event of the year for America’s diverse fishing community. In 2011 the Film Tour screened in over 85 North American cities and provided a venue to showcase some of the country’s best independent outdoor film makers. The goal of F3T is to energize the industry and inspire film makers to create new cutting edge films that both entertain and educate outdoor enthusiasts.

EVENT PARKING

Secure covered parking will be available for event patrons at the One American Center parking garage, conveniently located one block from the Paramount at 600 Congress. Your $6.00 parking pass may be purchased at the garage entrance from the parking attendant (cash only). The garage will open two hours prior to performance and will close one hour after the performance. For additional parking information, please visit our directions & parking page.

Ocean-fresh chum salmon will put a smile on your face!

The freshness and fight of all Alaska salmon deteriorate the longer they have been in fresh water, but this process seems to be more pronounced with chum salmon. So over the years, they developed a reputation as second-class salmon because most anglers fishing in Alaska experience these fish far from the ocean.

Fortunately, this stigma has changed over the last decade or so as more people learn about the incredible fighting power of ocean-fresh chum. The trick is to catch them in or near the salt water, while they’re still in prime fighting condition.

And you’ve heard this before, but one of the most unique offerings of SAFARI camp is the option to chase multiple species of salmon up and down a sandy (or rocky) beach, casting directly into the salt water before they enter estuaries or streams. The reality is very few fishermen in Alaska have ever pursued salmon like this and the beach setting will intrigue even seasoned salmon fishermen.

Here’s why chum salmon are exceptionally cool at SAFARI camp:

Chum salmon get BIG!

• Size. Big numbers of 8 to 12 pound fish, with 15+ pounders possible. (Note: these are actual weights – not fishermen exageration weight; most people over estimate salmon weight by 2 to 4 pounds.)
• You can catch them off the beach. Not quite as consisent as catching pink salmon off the beach, but when it’s really “on” for chum salmon, it doesn’t get any better than this.
• You catch them in prime condition. SAFARI camp is set up literally 1/3 of a mile from the salt water and most salmon fishermen catch chum salmon well past their prime, after they’ve journeyed many miles upriver from the salt water. Catching them in or near the salt is a completely different expereience - fresher, brighter and more aggressive.
• OUCH! Watch your knuckles! Ocean-fresh chum salmon make long, freight train like runs. More bruised and battered knuckles compared to any other Alaskan salmon species.
• Bull dog fight. As they color up more (a.k.a. spend more time in fresh water), they put up more of a tenacious bulldog-like fight, which tends to test the patience and arm strength of most fishermen.


Chum Salmon develop large teeth and make great photos!

• Top water action. Most people don’t know that when chum salmon are fresh from the ocean they readily chase top water flies.
• Yes, they are edible! Their flesh is lighter in color and flavor not as inherently profound as other species, but they are definitely good to east… as long as you catch them in or near the salt water. (Their flesh deteriorates rapidly in fresh water.)
• Unique coloration makes great photos. Because of their tiger stripes and large canine teeth, more fishermen want to photograph these interesting and peculiar looking salmon compared to other species. Close up head/mouth shots seem to be very popular!

Be mentally prepared, lodging is generally overpriced for what you get compared to what you see in the lower 48 for the same money. Summer time economics do dictate – high demand and low supply. But also remember that it is VERY expensive to operate a business in rural Alaska ($10 for a gallon milk, for instance).

Prices are generally highest in July and August, but often drop at some point in September as demand drops off a bit.

KING SALMON – LODGING

Antlers Inn offers rustic, clean lodging

Antler’s Inn

• Rustic, but consistently clean cabin-type accommodations run by great people
• They also offer dorm style – cheaper private rooms with shared bath
• Within walking distance of the airport
• Very close to bars and restaurants
• Their website

Blue Fly B&B

• Small B&B operation located 2 minutes from airport
• Breakfast and lunch included
• Within walking distance of town
• Highest price option, but nice accommodations (two, two bedroom units), personalized service and hot tub
• Can provide guided day fishing trips on Naknek River
• Their website

Creekside Inn

• Small B&B operation that’s very clean and very friendly
• The best value in town for solo travelers and couples
• Often a guest favorite
• Private rooms, shared bath, breakfast included
• Located a couple of miles outside of town; they often provide shuttle service
• Located on King Salmon Creek, which is fishable on foot

The King Ko has lodging, beer and food

King Ko Inn

• Cabin-type accommodations
• Within walking distance of the airport
• Very mixed reviews by our guests
• Food and bar located on site
• Often noisy on weekends because of bar
• Their website

King Salmon Inn

• Motel-type accommodations with generally good reviews
• Located a couple of miles outside of town
• The Kodiak bar/restaurant located on site
• Their website

The King Salmon Aiport

To the visitor from a major metropolitan area, there’s really not a lot to do around King Salmon in terms of easy access tourist type activities… bring a book and some patience!

The core of King Salmon consists of the airport, 2 nearby bars/restaurants, a couple of motels, a small grocery store, a visitor’s center, and a gift shop – almost all within walking distance of each other. And depending on the time of year, you might add some swarming bugs (be mentally prepared for a possible onslaught from mid-June to early September.)

The following should give you a better idea of area options for before or after your Alaska fishing trip.

KING SALMON – DINING

Eddie’s Fireplace Inn

• Located across the street from the airport
• Locally know as “Eddie’s” you can find good to average food in generally large portions
• Open year round, but service generally slow, so allow extra time

King Ko Inn

• Located immediately next to the airport
• The last several seasons the food has been quite good
• Service generally slow, so allow extra time
• Their open/close schedule is sometimes erratic, especially later in September

The Kodiak

• Located a few miles outside of town next to The King Salmon Inn
• Built only a couple of years ago, the decor is refreshingly nice and new
• Requires taxi ride from town, but within a long walk from Creekside Inn
• Redline Taxi 907.246.8294; expect to pay a seemingly ridiculous premium

King Salmon's grocery store

AC Value Center

• Located across the street from the airport and the King Ko Inn, next to Eddie’s
• Grocery store, plus some prepared (mostly fried) food
• Prepare yourself for high, rural Alaska prices

KING SALMON – NIGHTLIFE

Eddie’s Fireplace Inn

• Smokey bar, sometimes quiet, sometimes rowdy
• Closes midnight or so

King Ko Inn

• Smokey, loud bar with generally younger crowd
• Open all night with loud music on weekends, pool table, shuffle board

The Kodiak

• A good place to have a relaxed beer with friends, but not within walking distance of town

KING SALMON – DAYTIME

King Ko Coffee Bar

• Located in the King Ko Inn restaurant
• Free internet access

It's worth stopping by the Visitor Center

The Visitor Center

• Located immediately next to the airport
• Offers an excellent selection of good books and reference material. Definitely worth stopping in.

The Airport Gift Shop

• Located immediately next to the airport
• T-shirts to nice Native crafts

Stretching your legs

• Talk a walk on the road through or around town
• Be aware, but not paranoid, that bears are regularly spotted around town – ask your motel about local bear sightings and problems
• Potential for swarming bugs is VERY high mid-June through early September

Fishing

• The Naknek River runs right through town and offers excellent fishing for salmon and rainbow trout, but you’ll definitely need to hire a local fishing guide
• It is not practical to fish this large river on foot near town, and you can expect to see a fair amount of people and boat traffic
• Contact us for some Naknek River fishing guide recommendations
• Creekside Inn is located on King Salmon Creek, which is fishable on foot

NAKNEK

About 12 miles down the “Alaska Peninsula Highway” you’ll find that this port town offers a few more amenities than King Salmon, but a taxi ride is the only practical way to get there (unless you rent or borrow a car).

• D&D’s is a local restaurant with excellent food and some of the best pizza we’ve ever had
• Use Redline Taxi 907.246.8294 to get there; expect to pay a seemingly ridiculous premium
• Naknek Trading is the grocery store with a larger and better selection than AC Value in King Salmon
• NAPA Auto Parts
• Naknek/Ace Hardware

KATMAI NATIONAL PARK

If you have the time before or after your Alaska fishing trip with us, you can fly into this incredible National Park for bear viewing, fishing or hiking.

• Brooks Camp offers world famous bear viewing but the reality is you’ll see plenty of bears while at our SAFARI camp
• Katmai Air offers daily float plane flights into the Park.
• Egli Air Haul can fly you into the Valley of 10,000 Smokes via wheel plane.

Pink Salmon by Chance Yarborough

We also fished with shop manager, Dave Hayward, on Friday and Ted caught a VERY nice speckled trout in tough fishing conditions.

And by the way, Swan Point Landing Outfitters is a really nice shop (my first time in it). They offer a great selection of gear and clothing for all your Texas coast fly fishing needs.

Photo by JohnnyQuiroz.com

Alaska fishing guide, Michael Curlee, loads up guests for a “magic carpet ride” to one of our nearby bay systems during a day of helicopter fly-out fishing at SAFARI camp!

(The guides enjoy the heli-fishing days as much as you do.)

Read more about Johnny Quiroz’s Alaska photos.