Yesterday I introduced to you Camille Egdorf, fly fisher extraordinaire. Today, I would like to go into a little more detail about her experiences in the wilds of the Alaskan bush.
Like I had mentioned earlier, the Egdorf family owns and operates two fishing camps in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska. Dave and Kim Egdorf, Camille’s parents, have owned the camps almost continuously since 1982. The main camp is located on the Nushagak River, while a smaller camp, called the Wilderness Camp, is situated on the banks of the King Salmon River, a major tributary of the Nushagak.
The Egdorf camp is the farthest one up the Nushagak River, close to 200 miles upstream. This means that the camp has access to a jaw-dropping amount of water that sees an incredibly low number of fishermen every year. It is still possible to find stretches of river that no one has ever fished before, where the trout and salmon are still innocent and unspoiled.
When the camp first opens in June, the Egdorfs and their staff must follow the river upstream from the town of Dillingham in their jet boats to reach the camp. Camille told me a little bit about this trip, saying it takes two, maybe three days to complete. From what she said, it sounded amazing!
The camp is designed to hold a maximum number of 8 guests per week. Camille said that usually there are only about six guests in the camp at any given time. This allows for a much more personal experience. The guides are less pressured, the water is more open (although with that much area, it could never be called busy), and the whole atmosphere is much more relaxed. Up until this past summer, Camille would spend the days helping out around camp both as a cook and a camp jack.
This last summer was Camille’s first year guiding. She said that she enjoyed the experience, and plans to guide again this summer. Having spent so much time in the area, she knows the waters and the fish pretty dang well. It is a lucky guest that gets Camille as their guide for the day. One aspect of guiding that sounded like a lot of fun is driving the jet boats. These things can go anywhere there is water.
It was here on the Nushagak that Camille got her first real look at spey casting. A couple of guests from the UK, ancestral home of spey casting, brought their gear during their stay. I could tell the experience had an impact on Camille, as her face took on an awed expression when she spoke of it.
There are a variety of sport fish to catch on the Nushagak. Perhaps the most obvious choice is the monster rainbows, many of which have never seen a fly before. And these are not little fish either. The average size of the rainbows is pushing 16-18 inches. Remember, that is average size. Much bigger fish are caught every year. There is also an abundance of grayling in the river, as well as salmon during their run. Camille was telling me about how much fun it is to fish for these trout with mouse flies. Sometimes the fish will attack the fly five or six times before eating it. It would be pretty easy to get spoiled off of that kind of fishing!
The Egdorf camps and indeed the entire Bristol Bay watershed are under the threat of the Pebble Mine. The Pebble Mine project would be among the largest open pit mines in the world. If it goes through, it will most certainly have a negative impact on the fisheries, and at worst could shut it down.
When asked about bears in the area, Camille didn’t bat an eye. Even though the area must be crawling with them, she didn’t seem to think they were that big of a deal. She did say that all guides do have a sidearm with them, usually a 12-guage shotgun loaded with slugs. I found it somewhat amusing that a 19-year old girl is much more nonchalant about bears than most of the hard-core hunters and fishermen I know. But then again, Camille Egdorf is no ordinary 19-year old girl. Far from it.
As Camille talked about Alaska and her experiences there, I could tell that this is something that means a great deal to her. We are all shaped by our experiences and opportunities, and it is clear that Alaska has helped mold this young woman into who she is today. The Alaskan bush country has helped produce a wonderful person and an incredible fly fisher. For more information about the Egdorf fishing camps on the Nushagak, visit The Fly Shop.
Tags: Women in Fly Fishing
