Camille Egdorf reports on a visit to Chrome Chasers: Southeast Alaska is a little like taking a step into Narnia. A vast, thick rainforest blankets the hills and mountains in a way only Mother Nature would be capable of achieving. Streams shrouded by large spruce trees carve their way through the moss covered bed rock depicting a scene that almost seems primal.
Large ferns and yellow skunk cabbages decorate the rainforest floor making it seem like you could see fairies at any second. It’s so beautiful there truly are no words to describe the Tongass National Forest. Southeast Alaska is completely unique from any other areas of the state, and something we would highly recommend to even the most seasoned interior Alaskan travelers!
This past April, Yellow Dog’s Tom Melvin, Bryan Gregson and Camille Egdorf traveled to the sleepy town of Wrangell, Alaska to visit a lodge that sits at the heart of Alaska’s finest wild steelhead fishery. Family owned and operated, Chrome Chasers has been exploring, discovering and accessing steelhead streams that very few — if any — other fishermen have seen.
Utilizing a 33-foot outboard boat, anglers travel anywhere from 10 to 50 miles to access prime steelhead waters. From there, small inflatable rafts equipped with motors take anglers to shore to hike upstream to different sections of water. The hiking is intense and not for the faint hearted.
Steep inclines, muddy trails, downed trees and devil’s club are routine obstacles while hiking through the Tongass and should be expected each time you enter the forest — but the reward is well worth the effort. Anglers can expect to see some of the wildest, freshest and hottest steelhead to be found anywhere on the planet, and Chrome Chasers has really dialed in their fishing techniques to ensure angler success.
Another very unique part of this trip is anglers also have the opportunity to harvest saltwater species, throw crab and shrimp pots, and contribute to the catch each day that will end up on the dinner table that evening – or back home in your freezer!
Thanks to Captain Rick Matney and the Chrome Chasers staff for showing us all that the Tongass National Forest has to offer, and we are very excited to be working with this outfit moving forward in our Alaskan program. For more information and details, please contact the Yellow Dog office!
Ready to see southeast Alaska for yourself? Call us at 800-777-5060 to help with your next adventure.
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