A guide’s summer return to Alaska’s Bristol Bay parallels the annual salmon run to the region’s mighty rivers. The homecoming is welcomed by familiarities of seasons past, rushing through our senses, inspiring nostalgia and alertness. Our past experiences freshly evoked, we grow keener to the changing environment, the waters, the wildlife, the fish, the weather, the light – everything.
After some seasons, a guide will see beyond the theatrics of the rainbow trout and the novelty of flying in bush planes. The small things become more evident, the enormity of wilderness is realized, and the magic of Bristol Bay surfaces in our hearts and pumps through our veins.
A passion stirs, and we say, “Bristol Bay is worth the fight.”











Contributed By
Steve Larsen
Steve Larsen grew up in Seattle and departed for Alaska in the early 80’s to pursue a seaplane flying career on Kodiak Island. After flying for 12 years on Kodiak he started looking at the lodge flying business. A perfect fit for Steve awaited at Tikchik Narrows Lodge – a new adventure and more time for photography.
Steve has accumulated over 19,000 hours and 30 years of flying in SW Alaska, The Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay. This will be his 20th season at Tikchik Narrows Lodge. 95% of his flying is in a Dehaviland Beaver – a great platform for aerial photography.