Southeast Alaska Wild Steelhead Fishing — Wrangell, Alaska

Five Weeks. Four Anglers. Twenty Rivers You've Never Heard Of.

The Chrome Chasers spring steelhead program runs April through early May out of Wrangell, Alaska — five weeks, four guests per week, no exceptions. Every day, two anglers per guide fish a different remote stream inside the Tongass National Forest, accessed by boat through the inland passages of Southeast Alaska. Most of these rivers don't have names on any public map.

Wild steelhead in Southeast Alaska are a diminishing resource. Rick Matney has spent decades on these watersheds — more time observing Tongass rainforest steelhead than virtually anyone — contributing to research with the Wild Salmon Center, Trout Unlimited Alaska, and the U.S. Forest Service on documenting and protecting these populations. That depth of knowledge shapes everything about how the program runs: which rivers get fished, how often, and how. The program is built around protecting what's here as much as fishing it.

This is not a trip for everyone. The terrain is old-growth rainforest. The wading is technical. The fish are wild, native, and genetically distinct in each watershed. Weeks fill by referral. If you're looking for a fully guided Southeast Alaska steelhead experience where the fishing and the stewardship are taken equally seriously, this is it.

Wild Native Steelhead

Chrome Chasers offers access to wild, native steelhead in remote Southeast Alaska. These fish are genetically unique to each watershed and thrive in some of the least-pressured rivers in the state.

What you can expect:

  • Wild native fish only

  • Average size 8 to 12 pounds

  • Fish from under 5 pounds to over 20 pounds is possible

  • Fresh from the salt — speed and power unlike anything in the lower 48

Rivers and Variety

More than 20 different rivers and streams are rotated daily to protect each watershed and keep the fishing honest.

Fishing environments include:

  • Mid-sized glacial rivers with long runs

  • Clear rain-fed coastal streams

  • Small, steep creeks with technical sight fishing

  • Unique water every day of your trip

Our Steelhead Ethics

Protecting wild steelhead is central to how this program operates — not as a marketing position, but as the reason it exists.

Our commitment:

  • 100% catch and release

  • Single barbless hooks only

  • Daily river rotation to minimize pressure

  • Fish cradles for safe handling

  • Tackle selected to land fish quickly and return them healthy

Remote, Boat-Only Access

Every fishing location is reached by boat through the inland passages of Southeast Alaska. There are no roads in. There are rarely other boats.

Why this matters:

  • Minimal fishing pressure on wild populations

  • Rivers that see few — sometimes zero — other anglers

  • Healthier, less conditioned fish

  • A true wilderness experience that can't be replicated by foot or road access

What Your Trip Includes

  • Five full days of guided fly fishing

  • Two anglers per guide, fishing separate rivers daily

  • Lodging and all meals at the Chrome Chasers lodge in Wrangell

  • Transportation to and from Wrangell Airport

  • All vessel transport to remote fishing locations

  • Fresh crab and spot prawns pulled from pots throughout the week

  • Backup waders and wading boots available

  • Vacuum sealing and freezing of any legal harvest

Not included: Airfare to Wrangell, Alaska sport fishing license (~$45), alcohol, gratuities.

Testimonials

  • Doug R.

    “I’ve been lucky to fish for steelhead from Alaska to California, but there may not be a cooler venue to do so than in the Tongass National Forest with Chrome Chasers. Sight fishing for steelhead is the best way I know to up your game, as most of the time you’ll see the fish before casting and watch how they respond to the fly. I’ve learned a great deal about Steelhead on my trips there through this observation, as well as about the guides’ approaches to presentation. Best of all, you probably won’t see anyone else fishing, and Chrome Chasers has the tides and rivers dialed to put you on the best runs each day. You’ll see “neon blue” tide fish, chromers, and colored-up fish later in the season. Rick and Dori crush the accommodations, and the meals- nightly fresh crab and spot prawns are an anticipated treat. If you’re looking for a top-notch steelhead trip, you’ll be blown away by the fishing and the incredible hospitality provided by Rick and Dori.”

    Doug R.

  • Tony P.

    "This trip is mostly for those of us who think we know what we're doing and are set in our ways. This program is unlike anything I've ever experienced. If you approach it with an open mind and are willing to let go of your preconceptions for just a week, your understanding of steelhead will improve exponentially — you see with your own eyes the habitual, quirky things these fish do in an intimate, clear-water environment. You basically see behind the curtain.

    Rick is trying to protect a very delicate living laboratory. Everything they do comes from a place of sustainability. Rick, Dori, and Chris are an amazing trio — brilliant, tough, genuine, and passionate. Everyone who pursues steelhead should be as lucky as I was."

    Tony P.

  • Rob D.

    “What Chrome Chasers is doing with their spring steelhead program is truly special, which is why most of their anglers are repeat visitors, myself included.  

    The lodge, the food, the boat, the fishing... everything is completely dialed in, and of course, the setting is nothing short of incredible.  Wrangell is already an isolated place, yet once you leave the harbor, you still have anywhere from a 30-minute to an hour run to get to that day's creek, and you probably won’t see another boat the entire time.  You’ll anchor, get in the jet-powered zodiac, and rip across mud flats to land on an uninhabited island, then hike up watersheds lined with old growth and soon find yourself sight-casting to steelhead that have never seen a human.  

    There is a reason why very few outfits are doing anything even remotely like this - because it’s hard.  But, as with most things in life, difficulty ends up being a highly effective filter.  If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.  

    About the fish: they are strong, aggressive, and beautiful, sometimes colored up and sometimes two-tone, chrome-bright, with sea lice still on them.  You’ll notice their traits and behavior can vary significantly from creek to creek, which speaks to the power of evolution and the flexibility and resilience that make us love them.  It’s also worth appreciating the expertise that Rick brings to the table with his decades of experience in the region.  It’s not an exaggeration to say that he has probably spent more time observing these Tongass rainforest steelhead than anyone else on Earth, and his knowledge of them ranges from the practical to the historical to the scientific.  Ask him about trying to convince ADFG that these populations actually existed, or his recent experience working with the Wild Salmon Center on genetic sampling.  Rick is the real deal, and his stellar reputation as a guide and also as a steward of these special fish is well deserved.  I can’t wait to come back.”

    Rob D.

  • Nick E.

    “The fellas at Chrome Chasers provide such a unique experience in Alaska! Having grown up fishing for steelhead in Northern California, this was unlike anything I had ever done. Not only was the fishing superb, but if one river was blown out or didn’t have fish in it, we were also quickly able to make a change and check out another stream. Rick’s knowledge of the islands, rivers, and ocean was top-notch. From dropping shrimp and crab pots in the morning to running up rivers in jet boats and hiking the most gorgeous rainforest you will ever see, the memories stick out vibrantly. The fish are not always easy; the wading and hiking can be strenuous, but it is well worth the effort for the rewards.

    For anyone looking for adventure with more wildlife than people, I would highly recommend Chrome Chasers for your next trip!”

    Nick E.

  • CHRIS F.

    “I have had the good fortune to fish for steelhead in this area for over 15 years, and I didn't start out using Chrome Chasers, but I no longer use anybody else.  The time and effort they have put in, truly understanding these unique fish and their returns from the salt, is impressive.  It is the only place I know of where you can watch steelhead arrive in the first freshwater pool of a river, with the high tide.  In fact, they are so fresh that they really have yet to even start to look like steelhead, as they are still "purple!"

    If you truly want to experience the speed and power of truly fresh steelhead, then this is simply where and with whom you need to fish.”

    Chris F.

  • Matt K.

    “Rick, thanks for a great trip! I can’t begin to get all of my impressions down, even nearly a year after coming home. I think that any angler with an open mind that truly loves wild steelhead for not only what they are, but also where they live, and is interested in seeing those unique places that steelhead thrive, as well as learning new techniques to fish for them effectively, owes it to themselves to fish southeast Alaska with Chrome Chasers. My mind wandered to the summer run fish of my home waters in the Columbia Basin and the winter run fish of the bigger Oregon coastal rivers as I sat on shore and watched you and Nick dissect the technical drifts of the first pool above tidewater on Mystery River X. It was, and still is, incredible to think that steelhead can adapt to and thrive in so many unique places and that we as anglers can adapt our tackle and techniques to suit each environment. Fishing with Chrome Chasers was truly an eye-opening experience for me. The fresh crab and shrimp at dinner each night weren’t bad either!”

    Matt K.