It's a lovely drive north of Anchorage to Talkeetna for locals as well as visitors.  For starters there is usually less traffic than the opposite choice of our southern route towards Homer.  And to take in the scenery along the Glenn with the flats to your left and the Chugach Range at your right makes you appreciate the time you took to make the drive.  Through Wasilla and on towards Willow will eventually lead you there.  At the end of your journey you are rewarded with the opportunity to catch vibrant leopard rainbows and a variety of salmon species that promise to meet your expectations.  Talkeetna and the intertwining rivers that are at the heart of the Susitna river drainage offer a variety of styles and species to fish.  Located 113 miles north of Anchorage, Talkeetna sits at the confluence of the Chulitna, Susitna, and Talkeetna rivers.

Wayne, Marcus and I arrived in Talkeetna just three minutes too late for the 8 a.m. Mahay’s Riverboat Service shuttle that would have taken us to Garry’s Riverside Adventures’ riverside tent camp. We make the 9 a.m. taxi and head upriver a short way to Garry’s. The camp itself consists of a riverside dining table, cook tent, sleeping tents, and a couple outbuildings. After breakfast, we learn Axel Bergheim and his friend Martin Yi will be showing us around as they fish the river and area streams regularly. After some discussion we vote to hike up Fish Creek a few miles to fish for some rainbows that are said to be nice. Guests of the camp will be fishing for kings with owners and business partners Garry Gibson and Bob Ptaszkowski.

We hiked for twenty minutes or so and came upon the swimming hole, one of the deeper spots on the creek. Marcus took the first cast there, but we didn’t have any strikes, so we pushed upstream. Axel pointed out where the rainbows like to hold in certain areas of the creek, and we would take turns flipping out our fly lines to see if we had any takers. On the way up we start catching 14 to 16-inch beautifully colored rainbows. Hoots and hollars come from the fishermen. We hike  up farther. “They get bigger as we get farther upriver,” says Axel. True to form we got into some bigger ’bows as we moved towards the uppermost part of the river. It was a great day, boasting lots of fish with multiple double hookups and a scenic hike. The winning attractors of the day were a black leech with green flash and a single bead.

We get back to the camp and dine on an early supper of steak, potatoes, baked beans, salad, and veggies. I get a chance to sit and talk with Garry Gibson, guide since 1973 and owner of Garry’s Riverside Adventures. He tells me about the packages they offer that can is show guests a variety of Alaska’s fishing. It starts with an evening in Anchorage and the drive to Talkeetna. You stay at the camp for four nights, five days and fish kings, chum, or silvers. Obviously you can do some hiking up the different streams like Fish Creek and search out rainbows and Dolly Varden. While you are at the camp, your package includes either a scenic boat ride up the Talkeetna River Canyon or a flight-seeing trip to Mount McKinley. On the fifth day of your vacation, you’ll fly to the Kenai Peninsula and drive to Homer for two days of halibut fishing. The last evening is spent in Anchorage again. Guides, fishing gear, meals and fish processing are included. (Call 1- 877-506-8065 for more information.)

The Talkeetna River is home to all five species of Pacific salmon, offering the opportunity to catch an Alaska “Grand Slam.” It is a great trip to get a less crowded perspective of Alaska fishing on the road system. Both locals and visitors can have a good day on the river. Of course, any day out of the office and on the river . . . is a good day.

—Melissa Norris Publisher