Your Tell-All Guide…(Part Two)

Your Tell-All Guide to Denali Fly Fishing!

(Part Two:  Where to Fish and Access Tips)

In my last post I encouraged folks to hire a good guide--and as I wrote, you’ll be so much further ahead if you can find someone to show you around this huge area.  There really is so much water--ponds and lakes and clearwater streams and spring creeks and huge glacial rivers--it’s hard to know where to start.  

So let’s start here:  most of the water you’ll want to focus on will be south of Denali Park, in the Cantwell area and also along the Denali Highway.  Most of this massive area is drained by the Nenana River, a big glacial river that’s part of the Yukon River drainage.  You’ll want to concentrate on the clearwater tributaries of the Nenana.  All of these non-glacial rivers, streams and creeks hold grayling.  And the further off the road you can get, the better the fishing is likely to be.  

But much of this area is owned by the local native corporation Ahtna--so be sure that you aren’t trespassing.  I strongly suggest that if you’re fishing in this area around Cantwell, that you download the Ahnta Regional Map App.  It’s free and it will show you exactly where you are, so you know whether you’re on Ahtna, BLM, State, National Park, or private land.  You’ll feel better knowing that you aren’t where you’re not supposed to be.  Download the app here:  https://www.ahtna.com/lands/maps/

Incidentally, there’s a lot of decent grayling fishing on Ahtna land.  To access it easily and legally, you’ll need to buy an Ahtna day-use permit for $20.  It’s money well spent if it helps you get onto a beautiful little creek or river.  Many folks avoid fishing Ahnta lands because they don’t want to drop twenty bucks and opt to drive further east down the Denali Highway until they hit BLM land and the promise of free access.  But paying the access fee is--in my opinion--often a good deal because there’s a lot of good water there.  Note that there’s no access during moose season.  Buy your day permit here:  https://www.ahtna.com/lands/permits/

Remember, too that Alaskans enjoy the constitutional right to access any navigable waters regardless of who owns the underlying land.  This is the gold standard for anglers looking to access MILES of water.  The Alaska State Constitution states that:

"Free access to the navigable or public waters of the state, as defined by the legislature, shall not be denied any citizen of the United States or resident of the state …." 

The state defines a navigable water body as any water of the state that is navigable in fact for any useful purpose, including boating, hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities.  Use of the water and land below the ordinary high water mark is not considered trespassing.  This includes the right to walk or stand on the lake or streambed below the ordinary high water mark.

Understand that this does not mean you can hike across posted property to get to a river, but it does mean that if you can gain legal access to a body of water, you can fish, walk, hunt or hike anywhere along it, as long as you’re below the natural high water mark.  Knowing this will give you access to MILES of water that--at first glance--might appear to look private.

To Be Continued!

In my next post, I’ll share with you the best times of year to fish and talk a little about grayling movements throughout the year to give you the inside scoop on where to find Thymallus arcticus!  If you think you’d like plan a fly fishning trip in the Denali area, why not reach out to us?  We’d be happy to talk! Email me at denaliangler@gmail.com.

Take care,

George Rogers

Denali Angler

Owner and Guide