The Grosvenor Experience: Gateway to the American

Story and photos by Daniel Hoffman

An Early Morning Journey to American Creek

Author with fishing buddy Glen Nielsen (right) and guide Carter Simcoe (center).

Head-guide Todd Emerson was definitely on our wavelength. Glen Nielsen (my longtime fishing partner) and I had arrived at Grosvenor the previous afternoon, and our first line of questioning had immediately addressed the water levels on the upper braids of American Creek, followed by an inquiry into the “standard breakfast and departure schedule” followed each day. It was now just past 6:00 a.m. the following morning, and Todd had arranged with camp chef Alecia Koach to skip her amazing sit-down breakfast, instead providing Glen and me with a couple of equally generous breakfast burritos, wrapped in foil to go.

Barely able to see in the predawn mists of the shortening September morning, we now found ourselves skimming eastward across the mirror-like waters of Lake Coville. Bundled against the cool morning drizzle as he piloted from the boat’s center console, eyes constantly darting between the horizon and his Garmin navigation screen, it was hard to discern whether Todd might be slightly jealous of Glen and me—backs comfortably turned to the wind—as we periodically paused to warm our hands on the giant, foil-wrapped burritos before inhaling further bites.

Fortunately, in a mere twenty minutes we had already finished breakfast as we entered the American’s sweeping delta. Shortly thereafter, we’d moored our craft on the river’s eastern bank, transferring our gear to Grosvenor’s smaller jetboat. In the calm stillness of the ever-growing dawn, absent the sound of any approaching floatplanes, it was exhilarating to know that we would be the first boat headed upriver that day, enroute to the promised land of the Upper American.

Grosvenor Lodge: Not your typical Bristol Bay operation

When one looks at the plethora of fly-out lodges now operating in the Bristol Bay region, especially in today’s age of Google searches, Yelp reviews, and advertising/promotion over multiple platforms, it would seem the myriad options available would overwhelm the first-time visitor. However, I believe that it can be quite informative, and perhaps even determinative, to spend a little time learning the evolution and history of the remote lodges in Katmai and Bristol Bay. (Author’s Note: I HIGHLY recommend Bo Bennett’s Rods & Wings: A History of the Fishing Lodge Business in Bristol Bay, Alaska. This hardbound, illustrated volume provides an authoritative and highly engaging review of the topic, chronicling the industry’s early development in great detail.)

There are a few points that immediately spring to the fore when undertaking such a review. First and foremost, one quickly realizes that the original family of “Angler’s Paradise” lodges, established in the early 1950s by Ray Petersen and John Walatka, were built at a time when no such operations existed in the region, thus offering a wide-open map from which these savvy aviators and businessmen could choose the most prime locations.

In such a landscape, dominated by pristine, salmon-rich watersheds, the convergence of three particular factors seemed to satisfy the founder’s special formula: 1.) Lodge locations needed to be on the shore of a lake, suitable for landing and takeoff of float planes; 2.) The lake on which a lodge would reside should be connected to another lake by a relatively short stream, providing a prime “home-river” fishery for the lodge; 3.) The lakes and intermittent streams comprising the lodge’s watershed should ultimately connect to Bristol Bay, providing for sizeable runs of sockeye salmon that would also draw large numbers of large trout and char from the lakes as the salmon moved upstream to spawn.

Premier Fly-Out Lodges

Grosvenor Lodge in the September evening sunshine. © Todd Emerson

With the above criteria in mind, the Angler’s Paradise Lodges of Brooks, Kulik, and Grosvenor were established as the premier fly-out operations in the region. A short flight south from Grosvenor, Brooks Lodge lies on the shore of Naknek Lake at the outlet of the Brooks River, flowing for only a little over a mile from its source at Brooks Lake. Massive runs of sockeyes make their run from Bristol Bay up the Naknek River to Naknek Lake, then head up the Brooks River (and over its famous, bear-laden falls) to reach Brooks Lake. To the north, Kulik Lodge lies on the shore of Nonvianuk Lake, which receives an equally generous run of sockeyes via the Alagnak River. Their run then proceeds up the world-famous Kulik River, less than two miles in total length, before reaching Kulik Lake.

The Journey of Grosvenor’s Salmon

Located roughly equidistant between its two larger, “sister lodges,” Grosvenor lies on the northwestern shore of Grosvenor Lake, at the end of the narrows that connect Grosvenor with its upstream neighbor, Lake Coville. While it could be argued whether the meandering, narrow channel that connects these two lakes can be considered a true “river,” there is enough of an elevation drop—particularly in the last 50 yards of the narrows—to produce a consistently driftable current. Like Brooks to the south, Grosvenor receives its run of sockeyes via the Naknek River and Naknek Lake.

However, Grosvenor’s salmon must make a substantially longer journey, bypassing Brooks as they continue eastward along Naknek’s Iliuk Arm, entering the silt- and volcanic-ash-laden Savanoski River as they arc to the north, then entering the clear waters of the Grosvenor River before making the long transit back westward, traversing lakes Grosvenor and Coville as they make their way to American Creek. There, the sockeyes will continue to swim upstream, some all the way to the American’s source of Lake Hammersly.

A Truly Unique—And Quite Unprecedented—Economy of Scale

Camp Chef Alecia Koach prepared truly AMAZING meals during the entirety of our visit!

By all rights, Grosvenor Lodge should simply not exist. And, if it were to try and operate as a truly stand-alone entity, I don’t believe that it could. What makes the operation truly special and quite unique is its intimate, small size, allowing for an average of only four- to six anglers at any given time. Think about it: Where else in the world could you arrange to bring a couple of friends or family members to enjoy a small, private lodge that you had ALL TO YOURSELVES, in one of the most pristine and fish-rich environments to be found, where a dedicated guide team and world-class camp chef addressed your every need?

The reason that Grosvenor can pull off this amazing feat is precisely due to its relationship within the larger family of lodges that were founded as the “Angler’s Paradise” family, and which are now skillfully operated by Bristol Adventures, a subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation, comprised of Kulik, Brooks, Grosvenor, and Mission Lodges, as well as their umbrella air-carrier, Katmai Air Service. Through their integration and support of booking and administrative services out of Anchorage, and by utilizing their passenger transport and air-freight service from Anchorage, King Salmon, and neighboring Kulik and Brooks lodges, Bristol Adventures can afford to maintain the placement of an amazing three-person staff to oversee Grosvenor’s boutique operations, catering to those small groups that are looking to escape the environments of larger lodge operations.

Grosvenor is A Truly Special Experience

The brown bears on the American seemed, for the most part, to be enjoying their best lives! It was quite common to have a bear poke its head out in curiosity, before quickly retreating back into the brush.

While I’m exceptionally fond of both Kulik and Brooks, having worked and spent considerable time at both locations, the peace, privacy, and “laid back” atmosphere that I recently experienced at Grosvenor set it apart as a truly special experience. I love watching the bears that fish the region’s drainages, but I fear the number of people now flying into the National Park Service’s Brooks Camp to enjoy a “wilderness journey” at Brooks Falls have effectively rendered the experience as anything but.

And, while I will always return to fish the waters of the Kulik and enjoy the incredible staff that run their operations, there is always the “background variable” of wondering what mixture of guests will be there during any given week, how many other lodges and raft-outfitters will be flying in to fish on a daily basis, and whether or not desired fly-out options (e.g., to the American) will even be available on any given day, given other guest’s previously submitted schedules and requests.

Grosvenor Lodge: Gateway to the American

Over the past several years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to fish American Creek on several occasions, all with exceptional Katmailand and Bristol Adventures guides flying out from Kulik. After our last trip in 2022, in discussions with my fishing partner, Glen, we realized that the upper stretches of the American had truly become our principal target for such trips. (Note: When I say “upper,” I’m referring to the hike-in sections one can reach from the furthest upstream jetboat mooring. While it is possible to fly into Hammersly Lake and float the 30 miles of upper river, this would amount to a separate float-expedition requiring several days.) As such, we started to explore the potential advantages of booking a trip to Grosvenor, where their boat-based operations would put the creek within our daily reach.

Why Choose Grosvenor Lodge: Peaceful and Uncrowded

There are three guest cabins at Grosvenor Lodge, totaling beds for a maximum of only six- to seven guests. All are served by a central bath house.

If one is truly targeting the American, there are several advantages offered by Grosvenor Lodge that simply cannot be ignored. First and foremost, there are simply no “itinerary worries” when one arrives at the lodge. Given the small number of guests (most often comprising a single party) hosted at Grosvenor, one needn’t worry about “competing” with other anglers for an available slot to journey to the American. The creek represents the lodge’s primary fishery, and you will be fishing there!

Secondly, also on the “competition” front, one never has to worry about running into a large number of anglers on the American. Unlike all the other drainages in and around Katmai National Park (to include popular favorites such as the Kulik, Moraine, and Brooks rivers, Margot and Idavain creeks, etc.) the Park Service only grants permits for seven total boats to be moored on the lower river, one of which is Grosvenor’s. That means you will never see more than a few planes flying in to boat guests upriver. (And, on those occasions when another party is heading up on the same day as you, there are miles of stream and numerous side-branches to effectively spread anglers out.)

Avoid Weather Delays with Grosvenor

The third major advantage enjoyed by Grosvenor relates to weather. All other lodges that are fishing the American must fly in and land on the lower river before their parties transfer to their permitted boats. During periods of very low cloud ceilings and/or heavy fog, (often more common in the cooling days of September, when fishing is at its very best) approaching and landing in an aircraft may simply not be possible. Grosvenor guests never have to worry about deteriorating flight conditions, as the American is but a short boat ride from the lodge.

Unmatched Expertise: Grosvenor Guides Know the Drainage Inside Out

The fourth and final advantage, personally experienced by Glen and me this September, is the superior familiarity that Grosvenor’s guides gain in the drainage through their daily visits. It is important to remember that American Creek is an extremely dynamic fishery, with conditions and fish placement changing rapidly with water conditions, salmon-spawn progression, and egg washdown.

Most other lodges that fly into the American are doing so on a rotational basis, in between excursions to other drainages and dependent upon the physical limitations of any particular guest group. As such, a guide flying in from another lodge has likely not fished a particular stretch of the creek for the past few days and may not be privy to the latest movement of larger fish. In contrast, Grosvenor’s guides are plying the waters of the American on a nearly daily basis and will have the best and most recent knowledge of conditions to consider.

On the American, where it all comes together…

More like a couple of giddy children on Christmas Eve, rather than the mature adults that we often pretend to be, it was hard for Glen and me to contain our excitement as we jumped off the boat to follow Todd as we hiked the final mile or two into the upper braids of the American. We purposely trekked past good holding water with our side-blinders on, as Todd knew right where several big ‘bows would be holding in the upper reaches, based upon the conditions and movement trends he’d consistently observed over the previous several days’ fishing.

To say that our first day on the American proved to be extraordinary would be an understatement. Both Glen and I lost track of the number of large ‘bows and healthy dollies that were carefully caught and released. Moreover, we experienced a two-hour window around our “lunch-break gravel bar” where nearly every fish spotted would move two feet or more out of their respective feeding lanes to swipe at our rapidly moving beads.

Exploring the Narrows

We spent our second day recovering from that frenetic day of nearly “stupid fishing,” choosing to explore and fish the narrows and troll the lakeshore immediately in front of the lodge, where it appeared a new batch of larger fish had recently moved in. In addition to catching several very nice ‘bows, we received a lot of additional insight and knowledge from guide Carter Simcoe. It was highly enjoyable to experience the difference in styles and techniques between Grosvenor’s two excellent guides.

However, like kids near their favorite candy store, we planned to repeat our “Flying Burrito Brother’s” strategy (with apologies to the original band) with Todd the following morning, and returned to the American for our final full day of fishing. The water had risen a few inches from the previous night’s rains, and things were moving faster, with a bit more amber tinge to the water. As the sockeye spawn continued to dissipate and wind down, it appeared the bigger ‘bows were slowly backing downstream. While we still connected with a few very nice fish in the uppermost portions of our trek, we eventually found greater concentrations as we moved a little downstream. It was still clear enough to spot and sight-fish to individual targets, which I always find to be the most enjoyable form of angling. As a bonus, after the first two days of consistently drizzly, gray weather, we were treated to a relatively dry day, with several periods of glorious, glowing sunshine.

Returning to perfection

It is hard to overstate just how enjoyable it is to return to Grosvenor after a day of spectacular fishing. A blissfully hot shower is followed by a stroll over to the main lodge, where a self-serve, fully stocked open bar and fridge allow for relaxed conversation over cocktails as the day’s events are remembered and retold. Camp Chef Alecia Koach pops in around 5:30 p.m. with an outrageous tray of hot appetizers, prepping you for the 7:00 p.m. gourmet dinner in the dining hall. (Note: If you are planning on starting any type of diet, do yourself and favor and wait until AFTER you’ve left the lodge.)

Author with an exceptional American Creek rainbow. © Todd Emerson

The after-dinner evenings are equally special at Grosvenor. We were fortunate enough to watch lynx traverse the lodge grounds in search of snowshoe hares, and the ever-present flock of mergansers and other assorted waterfowl provided an ever-shifting backdrop to one of the most scenic and tranquil settings one could imagine. Glen and I spent our final evening enjoying a campfire on the beach with new friends Scott and Matt Erickson, a father-and-son duo from Minnesota with whom we’d shared our very special lodge experience. The last time I’d come to visit Grosvenor (on a day-visit from Kulik) was with my own father, and it was really striking to observe the commonality of father-and-son bonding that so often seems to be strengthened through fishing.

I hate to admit it, but I think that I may finally be getting older myself. It probably won’t be long before my patience continues to deteriorate when placed amongst larger groups, and I find myself sitting on the front porch of my lodge cabin yelling at people to stay off the lawn. However, I am sure of one thing: As long my legs will continue to allow for upstream hiking and wading, I’ll be headed back to the welcoming (and blissfully private) environs of Grosvenor Lodge, and to the magical waters of the Upper American.

About the Author

A lifelong flyfisherman and past contributor to Fish Alaska magazine, author Daniel Hoffman worked at Brooks and Kulik Lodges in the 1980s before becoming a police officer, ultimately retiring as Chief of Police for the City of Fairbanks. He is the author of An Alaska Flyfisher’s Odyssey, donating 50% of all book proceeds to Trout Unlimited-Alaska in furtherance of Bristol Bay habitat preservation.