Bucket list fishing trip suggestions

[jackelope]

Turning 50 next year and I'm thinking about a fishing trip with some buddies who are living in different parts of the country now. Looking at a week long trip, we're looking at DIY trips in Alaska and we're looking at road tripping somewhere in the west where we can hit different types of water for different fish. Not interested in saltwater down south like mexico or florida or south america.
Alaska trips that we've looked at briefly at this point are the Situk for steel in the spring and the Kvichak for huge rainbows.
I've started looking at a Boundary Waters trip and a spot or 2 in Canada for trout, pike, smallies and lakers.

Anyone have any great ideas or suggestions? Trying to keep it budget friendly so all the guys can partake. Don't need fancy, we're all good with camping, driving, making our own food, etc.

Thanks in advance.

[NRA4LIFE]

I've been to the Boundary Waters twice.  Had a blast both times.  One trip was 10 days, the other 12.  The great thing about it is by selecting different lakes you can fish for nearly anything.  We caught smallies, lake trout, northerns and on and on.  We ate fish nearly every day.  It's not for the timid, some of the portages were grueling.  I was much younger though, in my late teens/early, early twenties. 

[Karl Blanchard]

The experience of just fishing or are you wanting to load coolers? A fly in kodiak river trip would be awesome. Probably not the best option for keeping fillets though?

[Jonathan_S]

So jealous!!! About the trip...not turning 50 

Hope you have a blast whichever you do. I'd go for the experience vs. the meat haul and yeah a fly in trip within Alaska sounds like the coolest!

[jackelope]

The experience of just fishing or are you wanting to load coolers? A fly in kodiak river trip would be awesome. Probably not the best option for keeping fillets though?

Not concerned with filling coolers. In fact, more than likely we'd be mostly catching and releasing. If we get into some good dinner type fish, we'd keep enough to eat there. Unless we end up fishing salmon in the salt or halibut in AK. Then I'm bringing fish home.

[jackelope]

So jealous!!! About the trip...not turning 50 

Hope you have a blast whichever you do. I'd go for the experience vs. the meat haul and yeah a fly in trip within Alaska sounds like the coolest!

I'm looking forward to it 100% for the experience and the time relaxing and hanging with friends. We've been talking a bunch about doing a hunt somewhere, but logistically it's challenging figuring out where to go and when to go and for what and none of us are particularly versed in planning big hunts.

[blacktail master]

Jack-
as a suggestion you might consider driving to Nimpo Lake BC.  Taking a Super Beaver float plane out of Nimpo and fly into the Blackwater,  they will land you at Pan Phillips Fishing Resort on Airplane Lake.  Cabins and small boats w/motors are provided. No electricity or cell service.  They do have a shower room w/hot water that is heated with a wood stove. There is great history in that part of BC, the fishing for Rainbows is great and it would make an outstanding trip for you that is not to expensive.  I have made this trip many times and can vouch for the hospitatility you will get from Rob and Linda.  The best advise I can give would be to take lots of bug spray!!  That country has mosquito's the size of Dragon Fly's and lot's of them bugger's.  If you take the trip, a must is to read Grass Beyond the Mountains, A Rancher Takes a Wife, and Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy before going. All those books were wrote in regards to living and cattle ranching in the Blackwater. Sorry for the long winded post!!  Cheer's

[Skyvalhunter]

Boy you are OLD!! You would love a float trip in the Brooks range on one of the rivers like Kongukut, Charley, etc. Beautiful country, catch more fish than you can shake a stick at, lots of wildlife. Down fall might be mosquitos but you get used to the swams.

[tank21]

I have been to the boundary waters a bunch of times from growing up there and it is 100% primo.  Couldn't recommend it enough, absolutely gorgeous and great fishing.  Often times spooky good.  Nothing like casting a daredevil or spinner bait out, lodging it between your legs in the canoe and paddling to the next portage, hopefully with dinner when you land. 

Another is a Canada fly in trip.  Those are really fun too and a little easier on the body.

[metlhead]

Kamchatka

[Platensek-po]

Man I might regret this. Look at Darwin ranch in Wyoming. It’s just absolutely amazing with hands down some of the best fly fishing for trout anywhere. You didn’t hear about this from me tho.

[Mfowl]

As an alternative to Alaska, I've always wanted to try great lakes salmon fishing. You can catch chinook and coho plus lake trout, brown trout and steelhead. Depending on timing you could probably work in bass/walleye/pike/musky fishing too. Another trip I want to do is Lake Pend Oreille for girard's rainbows. Which also has lake trout/brown trout, walleye and pike. Let us know what you choose! Have fun!

[cavemann]

Kamchatka

Have you been???  That looks amazing!!

[jackelope]

Kamchatka

Have you been???  That looks amazing!!

Kamchatka would be amazing, but that's out of our budget and takes longer to do than we will have available. My stepdad has fished there a few times.

[Jonathan_S]

That Hakai Lodge looks like an amazing place to go.