How to Plan a DIY Alaska Fly Fishing Trip:  Finding Remote Rivers with Oliver Ancans

DIY Alaska fly fishing trips are becoming more popular as anglers look for ways to experience the state’s legendary salmon, trout, and wilderness without the cost of luxury lodges. In this episode of the Destination Angler Podcast, Steve Haigh talks with Alaska-based fly angler and writer Oliver Ancans about how he plans bush-plane fly fishing adventures into remote rivers across Alaska, including the Brooks Range and Bristol Bay.

🎧Listen to the full episode:

When most anglers dream about an Alaska fly fishing trip, the picture usually includes floatplanes, luxury lodges, and a price tag that can easily climb into five figures. Guides in matching jackets, chef-prepared meals, and famous rivers that show up in every magazine story.

But what if there’s another way to do Alaska?

Not the lodge version, but the real one — where the rivers don’t have names anyone recognizes, the only way in is by bush plane, and you might float for days without seeing another angler. That’s the world my guest Oliver Ancans has been exploring for the past ten years.

Oliver is an author, photographer, and obsessive fly angler who has built a reputation for doing Alaska the hard way: DIY. No guides. No packaged trips. Just careful research, solid gear, and a willingness to chase rumors about remote rivers. As he puts it,  “We just figure out ways to do things cheaper. Definitely not easier… but cheaper.”

Along the way he’s discovered something pretty interesting: some of the best adventures in Alaska happen far away from the well-known rivers.  

When the Wilderness Gets Close

Fishing in Alaska means accepting one simple reality — you’re not alone out there. Oliver learned that lesson the hard way on Kodiak Island while fishing a small creek surrounded by dense vegetation. Bears had been in the area all day, so he and his wife were already on edge.

Then the brush exploded.

An 800-pound grizzly bear burst out of the trees and stopped just a few feet away. Oliver said, “I mean I could have poked in the eye with my Fly rod.”   There wasn’t much time to think. Oliver swept his wife behind him and fired off a quick blast of bear spray. Thankfully the bear decided the message had been delivered and backed off.

Wildlife encounters are part of the deal in Alaska. Sometimes they’re terrifying, and sometimes they’re simply unforgettable.  On another trip, Oliver noticed a massive wolf walking slowly along the riverbank while he fished. The animal eventually climbed up onto a bluff above the river and simply watched him.   For nearly an hour.  Every time Oliver turned to look, the wolf would turn its head away.  But the moment he looked back toward the river, the wolf would be staring at him again.  Reminds me of a dog watch me eat a sandwich. 

It was a quiet reminder of just how wild the place really is.

How DIY Alaska Trips Actually Start

Most anglers assume Alaska trips start with a phone call to a lodge.  Oliver’s usually start with something much simpler — a rumor. Maybe someone mentions a river with strong salmon runs. Maybe a drainage connected to a lake known for sockeye. Sometimes it’s just a name scribbled in a notebook during a conversation with another angler.  

From there, the detective work begins.  Oliver spends hours digging through Google Maps, river systems, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports looking for clues. Water clarity, tributaries, and lakes connected to salmon runs can all point to productive fishing.

“You start by looking at a map… or hearing a rumor.”

Eventually a river starts to stand out. When that happens, the next step is figuring out how to get there.  

The Bush Plane Equation

Bush planes are the gateway to remote Alaska, and they’re often the biggest expense of a DIY trip. Most flights are charged by the hour — often around $750 per hour — and a drop-off and pickup can easily reach several thousand dollars depending on distance.

Still, when that cost is split among a few anglers, the numbers start to look surprisingly reasonable. A well-planned DIY trip can sometimes come in around $2,000 per person, including flights, food, and gear. Compared to many lodge trips, that’s a bargain.

What you get in return is something many anglers rarely experience anymore: solitude.  Oliver described one trip where his group floated a remote river for nearly a week before seeing another person.  “We didn’t see anybody for seven days.”

In today’s fly fishing world, that kind of quiet is hard to find.  It’s special.  

The Fishing That Makes It Worth It

Of course, the fishing has to deliver. Fortunately, Alaska rarely disappoints.  Oliver has landed 30-pound king salmon, giant Dolly Varden in the Brooks Range, and rainbow trout that will smash mouse flies on the surface. Watching a big trout explode on a fly the size of a small rodent is about as exciting as fly fishing gets.  

But the fish aren’t the only reason he keeps going back.   It’s the scale of the place. The Brooks Range — one of his favorite destinations — is about as remote as it gets.  “That’s Alaska in every sense of the word. It’s raw. You go there and there’s nothing.”

No roads. No crowds. Just mountains, rivers, and wildlife.

Could You Do This Trip Yourself?

That’s the real question behind this episode. Could a regular angler actually pull off a DIY Alaska trip?  Oliver believes the answer is yes — with preparation. You need solid outdoor skills, good gear, and the willingness to put in the research. Alaska is not a place to show up unprepared.

But if you’re willing to do the homework, the reward can be incredible: wild rivers, huge fish, and stories you’ll be telling for the rest of your life.       

Listen to the Full Episode

In this episode, Oliver walks through exactly how he plans his DIY Alaska trips — from researching rivers and booking bush planes to the gear and survival skills you need in the Alaskan backcountry.

🎧Listen to the full episode