Kuskokwim Drainage Management Area
Fishing Opportunities

The Aniak River flows north from Aniak Lake in the Kuskokwim Mountains to the Kuskokwim River at the village of Aniak.  The upper river is small and clear, and has excellent fishing for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and Arctic grayling.  During early and mid-summer, there is also fishing for king salmon and sockeye salmon, and in late summer and fall, fishing for coho salmon.  The entire area is wilderness and contains no development.  Bears are abundant, and anglers should act appropriately.  Access is normally by floating from Aniak Lake to the Buckstock River (a fly out point), which is about 100 miles, and the float easily takes a week or more.  Floaters can also spend another two days floating the remaining 33 miles from the Buckstock to Aniak.

Fishing with egg patterns is often productive, particularly during salmon spawning.  Silver and flashy streamers work well, and sometimes dry flies are the tackle of choice.  Anglers using spinning gear will have good luck with a variety of spinners, spoons, and jigs, particularly flashy orange and pink ones. 

There are scheduled air services to both Aniak and Bethel from Anchorage and Fairbanks.  The Aniak River is typically accessed by float plane to Aniak Lake or by wheel plane to small airstrips in the upper drainage.  There are air taxi and outfitting services available in both Aniak and Bethel that can provide transportation and rental of rafts and other gear.  The river is all Class I, but there are a number of sweepers which require some boating skill, and there can be log jams that require a portage of some distance.  The river can be floated in small rafts and inflatable canoes or kayaks, and can also be boated by jet boat from the Kuskokwim, but it's a long boat ride.

Arctic Grayling
Coho Salmon
Dolly Varden
King Salmon
Rainbow Trout
Sockeye Salmon

Begin: June 152
Ends: September 258

Before you go fishing please check the regulations.