Getting there

On the day prior to your arrival in camp (Sunday) you should plan on traveling to Anchorage and overnighting. The next morning, Monday, you will arrive in Iliamna on the morning (Iliamna Air Taxi, 907-571-1245) flight from Anchorage. When booking this flight, be sure and tell the carrier that you're clients of Copper River Lodge, as they'll have a seat reserved for you already…you just need to pay for it. It will take some time for luggage to be unloaded from the plane in Iliamna, so relax; you're on bush time now! Once you get off the plane, walk over to the Iliamna Air Taxi building. Iliamna Air Taxi is owned by Tim and Nancy La Porte, who have been providing safe air travel in the Bush for well over two decades. The La Portes may be a little busy turning around various flights, so please be patient. Give the folks at Iliamna Air Taxi your name and indicate that you are guests at Copper River Lodge. The lodge will have furnished them with a list of guests, so they'll be expecting you. The La Portes will then put you on one of their floatplanes for the short 20-minute flight to the mouth of the Copper, arriving about 11:30am.

You will be met at the mouth of the river with jet boats that will transfer you to the lodge. After arriving at the lodge there will be ample time to settle into your room, set up your fishing equipment, have fishing licenses issued (if needed) and receive a brief orientation. As soon as everyone is organized, they'll meet at the dock and head out for your first day of fishing. A lunch will be packed and ready to eat on the river.

The schedule for 2009 will be for a Sunday afternoon departure from the Lodge back to Iliamna, allowing you to fish that morning. Depart Iliamna via Iliamna Air Taxi. You'll want to schedule a late evening flight out of Anchorage for home, or overnight and go out the next morning, as you’ll arrive back to Anchorage after 5:00pm.