Testimonials
Tony P. - Steelhead Angler April 2024
It is no secret that most steelheaders tend to be passionate and intense about their pursuit. Rick brings this intensity to a whole new level. His elevator has a few extra floors than most.
I don’t know what it is, but steelheaders easily get locked into preconceptions and easily fall into ruts about what they seem to know about this stunning animal. We are all guilty of it, with our certain types of flies, particular colors or materials and methods. Pretty soon we become robots on the river. This trip may not be for everyone, but it is not about how physically difficult it can be, or how technically challenging or unorthodox this method may be, but instead, I would challenge that this trip is mostly for those of us who think we know what we are 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 mind will be completely blown away. Your understanding of steelhead will improve exponentially, as you see with your own eyes the habitual and quirky things that steelhead do with your “fly” in this intimate “cage” within the “pain forest”. You basically see behind the curtain. Rick is trying to protect this very delicate living laboratory. People need to understand that everything they do is from a sustainability platform, He has a very difficult job, of enlightening a select few while guarding this from the masses who would inevitably destroy it.
Rick, Dori and Chris are an amazing trio, brilliant, tough, genuine, passionate and most of all, just wonderful people. Everyone who pursues steelhead, should be as lucky as I am for picking the golden ticket on this trip.
Rob D. - Steelhead angler april 2024
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 has 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 was easy, everyone would be doing it.
About the fish, they are strong and 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.