Inspiring the next generation of guides and conservationists in Bristol Bay
Early in the Alaskan summer, darkness flickers away and daylight explodes. It’s a season of anticipation and a time to hatch plans for long fishing days on the water. The excitement is palpable, especially for those headed out to fish in Bristol Bay; the crown jewel of North America’s salmon and trout country.
This June, a group of spirited students and seasoned instructors boarded bush planes from across Alaska. Our destination? Igiugig, on the shore of the mighty Kvichak River, for the 15th annual Bristol Bay Fly Fishing and Guide Academy.
The Academy is a week-long, intensive course that aims to inspire Bristol Bay youth to pursue careers in the vibrant sportfishing and tourism industries prevalent throughout the region. There are a whole lot of native fish to be caught in the Bay’s pristine waterways but not a lot of Native guides to help visitors catch them. Local youth have a deep knowledge of the region’s waters and lands and come from a lineage of people who stewarded them for millennia yet historically have been underrepresented in the sportfishing industry. The Academy looks to narrow that gap.
Since its inception, over two dozen graduates of the guide academy have become fishing guides, lodge managers, chefs, pilots, fly fishing instructors and many other roles within the lucrative fishing lodge industry in Bristol Bay.
So much to learn
This year’s Academy was hosted at Last Cast Lodge, perfectly situated at the mouth of the Kvichak River where it drains Lake Iliamna. Nestled within an ecosystem renowned for its record-breaking natural features, Lake Iliamna is the biggest lake in Alaska, and the Kvichak is home to the world’s largest sockeye salmon run and some of the state’s most impressive trout. Just across the river lies the village of Igiugig. Its name is derived from a Yup’ik word meaning “like a throat that swallows water,” one of the many amazing tidbits of cultural history we learned throughout the week.
Our students came ready to learn. And learn they did. Over 7 days, they delved into the many skills needed to be a guide in Bristol Bay. Lectures covered conservation, land management and fisheries biology. Interactive activities included knot tying practice, customer service role play and fly tying. The out-of-the-classroom activities were the students’ favorite and included exploring the village of Igiugig, fishing on the Kvichak and a very special trip to a historical site.
More than just fishing
The village of Igiugig is renowned across Alaska for its visionary leadership that balances sustainable progress with a deep respect for ancestral traditions. As a program, the Academy strives to imprint these principles on youth as well, making Igiugig an exemplary host village. Guide Academy students and instructors were fortunate to get a tour of Qinuyang, an old village site a few river miles downstream from present day Igiugig.
In 1931, an archaeologist from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History dug up the remains of 24 men, women and children buried at Qinuyang and took them to Washington D.C. for research. Igiugig village leaders worked with the Smithsonian to repatriate the remains of their ancestors and in 2017, and after more than eight decades in the museum’s collections, they returned home.
Guide Academy students got the unique opportunity to help in the repatriation process. Together, many hands helped bear the weight of a majestic, 10-foot-tall Russian Orthodox cross that now adorns the gravesite where the ancestors were reburied. The afternoon was both a history lesson and an act of community service. The students were glad to give back to the generous host village of Igiugig and honored to participate in such a sacred moment. This outing exemplified what the Guide Academy is all about: behind each guide who graduated from the Academy is a deep understanding of and respect for the fish, wildlife and people of Bristol Bay.
World’s best classroom
The Kvichak River, one of the fishiest rivers in the world, made an excellent classroom to learn the art of fly fishing. Despite an unfriendly weather forecast with nearly 5 days of wind, we made the best out of what we had, and many fish were caught. It was amazing to watch students who were novices on the first day step into the role of mock-guides 6 days later. This is a testament both to the students’ willingness to learn, but also to Nanci Morris-Lyons’ and Triston Chaney’s, our lead fly fishing instructors, ability to teach.
The final day of the course was client day, where students guided “clients;” Igiugig residents who so kindly volunteered their day to help our students put their newfound knowledge to the test. Students tied their own flies, picked out their fishing spots and made sure their clients were entertained and comfortable throughout the experience.
Client day culminated with a potluck style dinner and graduation ceremony. The delicious main dish of pork roast was chefed up by Guide Academy graduate Justin Zimmin. In the decade since his graduation, Justin has held many roles in the Bristol Bay lodge community and beyond. His journey demonstrates how skills honed at the Academy can be woven into a diverse array of roles.
A spectacle of traditional indigenous foods also adorned the table including salmonberry tart, muktuk (beluga meat), smoked salmon and Pilot Bread, and of course the crowd favorite, akutaq (native ice cream made with wild berries and Crisco).
After dinner, we went around the room and each client gave their guide a piece of praise and advice. With smiles, hugs and handshakes, students accepted their certificates for successfully completing the 2024 Fly Fishing and Guide Academy.
Thanks and praise
We’re grateful for our donors, volunteers, and hosts who made the 2024 Guide Academy a success. A special thanks to the Sovereign Village of Igiugig and Last Cast Lodge for graciously hosting the academy and to the many organizations who support this program: Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Orvis, the Alaska Community Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, University of Alaska Bristol Bay Campus, United States Fish and Wildlife Service through the Southwest Alaska Salmon Habitat Partnership, Alaska Fly Fisher’s Association and Mossy’s Fly Shop.
We also want to thank our students, whose willingness to learn has been instrumental in preserving and sharing the unique beauty of their home with the world.
