Salmon Fishing with Copper River Guides – an Alaska Bucket List Experience

There are quite a few Alaska bucket list experiences people look for when they’re planning their trip, and salmon fishing on the Copper River is one of them. Copper River salmon are famous in the Lower 48 so getting to actually fish for them and bring them home is pretty cool, especially when it’s done thoughtfully. We’ve had quite a few fishing experiences in Alaska, and I used to live on the Kenai River (fishing nearly every day), so going out with Copper River Guides definitely passed the test for a fun, memorable Copper River salmon fishing trip.

If you’re trying to figure out just what sort of experiences you want to have when you come to Alaska, having a full or half day with Copper River Guides is a great idea. It’s a very different sort of fishing experience you might have on other salmon runs and the setting in the Copper River Valley is absolutely beautiful. We’ve got the full scoop on what to expect and how you can plan a wonderful time fishing for salmon with Copper River Guides on the Klutina River (a tributary of the Copper). If you have any questions about the salmon fishing process or how to plan your time in the Copper Valley, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great visit to Alaska!

Salmon Fishing with Copper River Guides

I feel like most people that are traveling to Alaska with the intent of fishing likely have done a fair amount of fishing at home (I could be wrong, but working in tourism in AK, that’s not been my observation), even if they haven’t done any salmon fishing before. Whether you’re a big fisherman or not, catching salmon on the Copper River and its tributaries is a bit different. You’re not fly fishing for them, hoping they’ll go for your dry fly, and you’re not using bait… Because of the life cycle of salmon and what happens to them as they head up river for spawning, they stop eating, so when you’re fishing for salmon in the rivers of Alaska, you have to be clever to catch them. Enter: Copper River Guides.

Being on the river with guides that fish the Copper River Valley all summer and have for years, they have all the techniques and gear to help you be successful landing your own Copper River salmon. So what sort of fishing do you do with Copper River Guides? Depending on the time of year and the species of salmon you’re fishing for, it’ll vary. Fishing for sockeye salmon, we were using fly rods and a technique called flossing. Because the fish aren’t actively eating as they swim upriver to spawn AND because you still must hook them in the mouth to keep them, the goal is to pull your line across the swimming plane of the sockeye and land the hook in their open mouths. It’s tricky, but absolutely works and the salmon still put up a fight like regular baited fishing.

This is the sort of guided fishing experience where you really do need to listen to your guide to understand the technique and the “why” behind it. Catching sockeye salmon on the Copper River and its tributaries is a great fishing adventure, and you want to be successful with it!

Tips for the Best Copper River Salmon Fishing Experience

Getting to fish for salmon on the Copper River is such a privilege, so you want to be sure that you’re able to fully enjoy the experience from start to finish. When we planned out 1/2 day of salmon fishing on the Klutina River, we left it all up to them how the trip would go since we hadn’t actually fished in the Copper River Valley for this. We were advised to get our fishing licenses in advance (and you must print them) and to NOT get king tags in case chinook salmon weren’t open when we arrived for our fishing trip. We didn’t have a preference on the waterway we’d fish or the type of fishing we’d do, because we aren’t the experts. So that’s tip #1: trust your fishing guide to lead the best and most productive salmon fishing experience. They want you to be successful because then they’ll be successful too.

Another thing to think about when you’re booking a fishing trip with Copper River Guides is the timing of your trip. Morning trips can begin as early as 4:00 am and afternoon trips may not be done until 9:30 pm. When you’re planning your salmon fishing, whether it’s a full day or half day expedition, be sure that you understand the timeline for your Copper River fishing experience. If you need to be somewhere after your salmon fishing day, be sure that you’ve planned things appropriately in the event the timing shifts a bit. You’re dealing with wild salmon and a natural river, so how quickly the full experience unfolds can vary.

If you’re bringing kids along for fishing with Copper River Guides, they’re going to love it. We went out with our 11 and 14 year olds and they both had success on the river… and then were satisfied with just throwing rocks for the rest of the day. Yes, they had a blast and loved both getting to reel in salmon and the whitewater rafting elements, but sustained fishing isn’t their thing. Know your crew and discuss what everybody wants to get out of a day of Copper River salmon fishing so that everyone has realistic expectations, and then plan appropriately.

Being Prepared for Salmon Fishing in the Copper River Valley

The weather in the Copper River Valley is a mixed bag, as there are several mountain ranges and wind-tunnel-type areas which can make for changing sun and precipitation throughout the day. Dress warmly, but in layers that you can take off if it’s a nice day with increasing temperatures. You’ll be wearing hip waders from the time you depart your Copper River Guides basecamp, so those will keep you quite warm, but then when you’re standing in the river and if it’s raining, you may get a little cold. Dress for the worst case weather scenario and hope for the best. If you want to tote along a rain jacket, nobody would think you’re too well prepared, because you just never know.

There is NO NEED to bring your own fishing gear when your going salmon fishing with Copper River Guides. As I mentioned, depending on the type of fish you’re going for, they will provide the correct type of gear and it will likely not be what you’re used to fishing with in the Lower 48. If you really do have your heart set on using your own gear, be sure to talk to the shop in advance to understand what the plan may be and what type of gear you’ll likely be using. It’s easiest just to let your guides do what you’re paying them for: GUIDING THE FISHING TRIP. Trust them and use their gear.

I always like to have a camera with me for any activity, and especially when I’m going to be out in the wilderness. For our salmon fishing with Copper River Guides, we spent the day on the Klutina River, traveling 14 miles downstream. This is a great opportunity to photograph the fishing process as well as the landscape and wildlife along the way. Countless bald eagles, some Dall sheep, beavers and potential for moose and bear make this fishing trip just as much a wildlife safari as it is a trip for catching salmon. While most of the trip was through Class I and II rapids, there were a few Class IIIs that I made sure my camera gear was well protected from splashing. I did bring along my big 600mm lens for wildlife purposes, but also used my smaller lenses for the amazing canyon landscape and my camera phone for wider shots and taking video. You do you though and bring the camera gear you’ll actually use.

Required Fishing Licenses for Salmon Fishing on the Copper River

When you book your trip with Copper River Guides they’ll let you know what sort of fishing license to get. For most visitors, a one day sport fishing license will suffice and be exactly what’s needed for catching your limit. It’s good for a 24 hour period so you’ll input your salmon fishing tour start time and then you have 24 hours to catch. If you plan on fishing on your own while in Alaska, you can also get a week-long fishing license or even an annual one. As non-Alaska residents the licenses do cost more and there are some guidelines you’ll have to follow, including submitting a harvest record. Kids under 16 DO NOT need a fishing license. When it comes to fishing for king salmon, aka chinook, you’ll be notified before your tour if you need to get an additional king salmon tag. If king season isn’t open, then you don’t need one. Alaska fishing licenses MUST BE PRINTED and kept on your person when you are fishing. A digital version may not be accepted if you’re stopped by Fish and Game.

“Is this a rafting or a fishing trip?”

Great question, and it’s both. While the primary goal and function of going out with Copper River Guides is salmon fishing for the famous Copper River salmon, given the nature of the Klutina River, which is the primary tributary that’s fished, you get to enjoy rafting as a part of this. While a drift boat might be your preferred river fishing experience, due to the terrain of the river and process of getting to the put-in, as well as the gear and type of fishing, a raft is a great boat for this sort of trip. Don’t worry, this isn’t a Class V river where you’ll wish you were in a dry suit, but it is a fun one. There’s just enough splashing that it’s exciting but not so much that you feel like you’re barreling through Lion’s Head on the Matanuska River. It’s a great, adventurous mix of fishing and rafting.

Getting to Copper River Guides in Copper Center

Copper River Guides is located in Copper Center, Alaska. This is two hours north of Valdez, 20 minutes south of Glennallen, and nearly four hours from Anchorage. If you’re coming from Fairbanks, it’s about four hours and forty-five minutes of driving to Copper Center. When you arrive, you’ll be fitted with hip waders and then pile into the van to get to your put-in for wherever you’re fishing. As most of the salmon in the Copper River are heading for Klutina Lake to spawn, you’ll likely be fishing on the Klutina River. The road to the put-in can be a long drive (up to an hour) so be sure you go pee first and that you’re ready for a beautiful drive through the forest. At the end of your salmon fishing trip, Copper River Guides will clean your fish and bag it for you and then bring you back to your car. You can arrange with your guide for freezing and packaging your fish to bring home or back to your cabin to cook it up.