To some, the joys of fishing don’t necessarily have everything to do with catching fish, but in fact are more related to the simple act of being outdoors. While it’s true that many of the happiest anglers don’t always catch the most fish, there are certainly others who are very interested in the size and number of fish to be caught. Those anglers generally aren’t pleased unless they meet or exceed expectations, the ancillary delights of nature dimming seriously upon being shutout.

Some anglers look forward to the luxury of a lodge and want to be catered to on the water, while others hope for nothing more than a clean bed and a boat to use. There are also those who prefer to float and see the whole of a watershed, and some who relish the thought of long hikes into remote alpine lakes and the challenge of working large, unknown water by foot. As you may be surmising, the options available for your Great Land fishing excursion are great. In planning your own trips then, the first task should be to assess the experience of your group, after which individual wishes can be catered to.

When it comes to guided versus unguided fishing, I can’t stress enough the fact that you will probably catch more fish with a guide. A person that spends much of their season on the same water will know that area better than the average angler. Combine that with years of experience and knowledge from other guides, and you usually have a winning combination. As a recreational angler I have floated the Kenai River at least 50 times. On a trip last summer with Kenai River Sportfishing Lodge, we landed more big rainbows and Dollies on a stretch of the upper river than I have ever seen. On a river that I thought I knew reasonably well, I learned again that I’ve only begun to scratch the surface.

Though employing a guide can pay significant dividends, having one certainly isn’t a necessity. For experienced anglers, it is sometimes more rewarding to unravel the enigmas of a new fishing spot while assisted only by experience, ingenuity, and a little luck. My sweetest fishing memory, in fact, resulted from just such a trip, when I hooked a huge rainbow on a float I’d undertaken many times before. Choosing the tackle, reading the lie, making the presentation—without any outside assistance or encouragement—and of course, the magnificent trout itself, combined to make this the finest fish of my life.

When it comes to determining where to fish, the road system in Alaska offers many inexpensive, productive opportunities. The stocked lakes in the state are vast in number and many offer good public facilities. And of course, the road system boasts a plethora of freshwater rivers and streams with excellent runs of anadromous and resident fish. Ample saltwater launch spots are also available, with some of the most popular looking more like Costco after the Permanent Fund Dividend checks are cut than they do a halibut fleet’s port of call. Because these destinations are quite often just a few hours’ car trip away, anglers can mix and match, maybe combining a Friday night on a Mat-Su salmon river with a Sunday spent filling the freezer with Cook Inlet flatfish. For the self-guided weekend warrior, the combination can be ideal—the possibilities endless.

For me, it is hard to put a price on the ability to get to a really prime fishing spot and then enjoy it with just a few other people. It seems easier to relax when on remote waters, once the guard and competitiveness of combat fishing have been dropped.Last summer in Kodiak we saw top-notch fishing on the road system, especially on the short Pasagshak system. But when we flew to the west side of the island and fished with the Pingrees at Quartz Creek Lodge, the fishing, similarly spectacular, was topped by the experience of venturing so far off the beaten path. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that in many instances, fly-out anglers find lodges waiting alongside their favorite stretch of remote water, where one still enjoys the luxuries of home but escapes the pressures of a road system fishery. As on Kodiak, sport-fishing lodges abound in Bristol Bay and southeast Alaska, and most offer both luxury and outstanding wilderness fishing.

For the angler who wants to get away from the crowds, but doesn’t require, can’t afford, or who simply prefers to tent camp, endless opportunities exist for floating Alaska’s wild rivers. It’s demonstrably tougher work than employing a guide or staying at a lodge, but personally, I think the rewards are great enough to make the option worthwhile. For example, the Kisaralik River float I joined this past year was not only special for the great fishing, but also for the chance to enter and even blend into an absolutely pristine piece of North American wilderness. The experience was so full, in fact, that I’ve come to believe all anglers who are ready, willing, and able should engage upon at least one wilderness float-fishing trip with their friends and family.

However, I do understand trip-planning choices are tough. It’s still hard to choose between making a larger number of local trips or taking one longer fly-out to a lodge. In the end, I guess the dream fishing trip for me would include aspects of everything—roadside and fly-out, lodge and tent-camp, guided and unguided. When making your own decisions for 2004, I advise you consider the following facts:

1. Road system fishing can be red-hot in Alaska, but you will see fishing pressure.

2. Fly-out trips, especially to lodges, are costly—partly due to the expense of operating a lodge in the Bush, partly because of the type of secluded, productive fishing that is usually found. However, if you can afford it, lodges will provide unparalleled luxury in a remote, fish-intensive environment.

3. Guides will usually put you on more fish than you could find yourself, almost certainly if you’re fishing new water.

4. Remote float-trips are challenging—with perils ranging from rowing a raft in unknown, difficult river conditions to setting up camps, staying protected from the weather and bugs, and sleeping in a tent that’s usually parked squarely on a large pile of gravel and bombarded with bucketfuls of rain. These are love/hate types of experiences, so make sure that all the members of your group are prepared for the adventure.