Our history begins with a fish story and, rest assured, this one’s true. Bristol Bay’s outstanding sport fishing tradition began with the illustrious rainbow trout.
The National Geographic Society first dubbed the area an “angler’s paradise” after scientists exploring the aftermath of Mount Novarupta’s 1912 volcanic eruption raved about the abundance and size of trout in the region’s rivers and creeks.
Decades later pilot and fisherman Ray Petersen scouted locations on those very waters, strategically placing camps and lodges—the first dedicated exclusively to Alaska fishing—in choice locations where spawning salmon, trout streams and bountiful lakes deliver world-class sport fishing today.
Ray welcomed his first guests to the lodges in 1950, establishing a lasting legacy of family-style hospitality and fishing expertise. Eventually “Sonny” (Ray Jr.) took over the business, leading Alaska’s premier fishing lodges into the 21st Century where guests still revel in the out-of-this-world natural habitats of game fish, brown bears and an endless spectacle of flora and fauna. While ownership is now in the hands of Bristol Bay Native Corporation, our dedication to preserving the legacy of the lodges, lands and waters is steadfast.