Experience Alaska's Premier Float Fishing Trips!
Goodnews River Float Trips
Explore Our Goodnews River Float Trip ScheduleMulti-Media Video Presentation
Goodnews River Float Trip
The Goodnews River is famous for salmon fishing. All five species of Pacific salmon, Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling, and rainbow trout are found in the river. Fishing season is from June to September.
Why Our
Goodnews River Float Fishing Trips
As you bask in the peace and quiet, the sound of the float plane gradually fades away. You look around and appreciate the stunning scenery, the crystal clear waters, and the clean, refreshing air. You quickly realize you're miles away from the hustle and bustle of cities, roads, crowds, and phones. A grin spreads across your face as you think to yourself that this place is incredible and just what you have needed!
Going on a self-contained float trip down one of Alaska's wilderness rivers is an unparalleled experience. But if you're looking for the ultimate Alaska float fishing trip, the Goodnews River should be on your bucket list. It's widely regarded as one of the world's finest fishing destinations. With the expert guidance of our staff here at Alaska Rainbow Adventures, you'll have the adventure of a lifetime.
The Goodnews River flows through the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and the Togiak Refuge Wilderness area in southwestern Alaska. Commercial float trips on the river are regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Alaska Rainbow Adventures has been chosen as the top operator on the Goodnews River, which gives us the advantage of offering you the best available start dates for a float fishing trip on Alaska's Goodnews River!
A Goodnews River Float Trip is an ideal destination for fishing enthusiasts, offering consistent angling opportunities. Whether you're targeting Chinook, Chum, or Sockeye Salmon during early to midsummer, Silver or Coho Salmon in the fall, or the abundant leopard rainbows and dolly varden throughout the season, a Goodnews River Float Trip with Alaska Rainbow Adventures guarantees you an exciting experience! Our float trips are known for providing the most diverse and best fishing opportunities on the Goodnews River.
Our "Alaska Float Fishing Programs"
are designed to provide anglers a superior and comfortable Alaskan adventure. With over three decades of experience, we guarantee the best amenities that ensure safety, comfort, and an excellent fishing experience.
We offer two fishing programs on the Goodnews River, our Standard style trip for
groups of up to eight persons (*see exclusions and details) and returning for 2025
season, the ultimate fishing adventure with our exclusive Fisherman's Deluxe-style trip option.
On our "fisherman's Deluxe" trips, relax and fish; you have limited to no need for involvement with unloading the rafts, moving camp gear, and setting up taking down sleep tents; just fish and enjoy yourself.
This style of trip upgrades your experience and comfort level. It includes a gear boat and extra camp hand/guide. For those of you whose days of tent camping in little tents and sleeping on the ground are behind you, the "accommodations" manufactured here in Alaska for its extreme conditions are like no other you will find anywhere on an Alaska float trip! There is also a custom-built dining tent and screened area that can hold the entire group for dining or as a gathering area. Each tent houses two anglers and is spacious enough to provide ample space for your gear and a comfortable retreat should the weather become inclement. We equip these tents with chairs and comfortable cots, a welcome luxury after a day of fishing. Just toss on "your bag" and enjoy a good night's sleep.
On the water, two anglers and their guide float the river in custom rafts.Each is equipped with front and rear seating, allowing for an exceptional angling experience. The rafts are less heavily loaded, thanks to the additional gear being in a different boat, and are more maneuverable, allowing access to runs you might not otherwise be able to reach. Anglers can rotate guides daily, enabling everyone to fish with each staff member if desired.
To ensure an intimate and personalized experience, we have decided to limit the number of guests to only six persons for the Fisherman's Deluxe Style trips on the Goodnews River. When making your reservation, it is mandatory to reserve all six spaces. This allows us to provide you with an unparalleled level of service and attention. Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to indulge in world-class fishing amidst the majestic landscapes of Alaska!
We are now booking trips for the current season through 2027 On the Kanektok and **Goodnews Rivers
**North and Middle Fork Trips Available
*Standard style trips require group participation with some of the activities a float trip entails and has no gear boat or extra guide camp hand.
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What was said about us
Testimonials
Joshua Holtom
"We spent last week on the Goodnews River float with head guide Mike, Ohio Mike, John and Cole. This may have been the best week of my life, we had such a good time with these guys, they were helpful, hardworking and provided us with guidance to ultimately catch more fish! If you're looking for the adventure of a lifetime, call these guys up, and do it. What an experience we had."
Via Google ReviewsJeffrey Morrow
"I fished the Goodnews River with Alaska Rainbow Adventures and head guide Mike Bianchi last week and had a GREAT time. It was my first time in Alaska, and an adventure it was. Mike and his crew worked hard all day, everyday to ensure that the guests were well taken care of, and of course, to get us into fish. Some in our group caught all five salmon species, plus Lake Trout, Rainbow, Dollies, and Grayling. But this was so much more than a fishing trip. The beauty of Southwest Alaska is something to behold, complete with wildlife and majestic landscapes. Flying in a float plane and camping on the river brings home the wilderness that still remains in this beautiful country. Mind you, this is not a trip for those that want to be constantly pampered... it's a camping and fishing expedition guided by experts. If you're ready for an adventure, give Alaska Rainbow Adventures a call, you'll be glad you did!"
Via Google ReviewsPete B.
I floated the Goodnews in early August. The experience was everything I expected. Alaskan Rainbow Adventures is a very professional and a top notch guide service. The guides were very knowledgeable, friendly, and hardworking. The food and camp experience was incredible as well. The fishing on the Goodnews river was excellent. Although the Silver run was delayed, we were still able to catch eight different species of fish, including the Salmon slam.
The Goodnews River offers many photographic opportunities. Between the continuously changing landscape and the encountered wildlife, anyone with a camera will end up with hundreds of photographs at the end of this trip. I would definitely recommend Alaska Rainbow Adventures, and I plan on using this guide service in the future.
Via EMailJeff C.
Alaska Rainbow Adventures not only crossed off an item on my list, but it also exceeded all of my expectations! From the moment I arrived in Bethel until I left 10 days later, the trip was truly remarkable.
I came for the fishing, which was phenomenal, but I was treated to so much more thanks to our guides. They were supremely courteous and professional, and very good at what they do. However, what they did was so much more than just putting us on the fish. Working 14-hour days every day is tough enough. But when you consider ALL that they do during those 14 hours, that's when you begin to appreciate the magnitude of their efforts.
Their duties included making breakfast, breaking down camp, loading the rafts, guiding and rowing the rafts safely down the river, always positioning the boat correctly to maximize the fishing, netting the fish (we caught hundreds of fish), finding suitable campsites, unloading the rafts, setting up camp, cooking dinner, cleaning dishes, building fires, making lunch for the next day, and being responsible for our safety and security for the entire trip. They did all of this with not only a positive attitude but also with a smile on their faces and a genuine concern for their clients.
I am not sure how much they get paid, but it's not enough. They definitely deserve a raise! The incredible fishing, to steal a phrase from one of my trip-mates, 'size and volume,' was expected (and it was awesome), but Mike and Dac's incredible work ethic, positive attitude, knowledge/experience, and genuine likeability made this trip extraordinary. This was the trip of a lifetime and hope to return to Alaska for another adventure, and if I do, it will undoubtedly be with the crew from Alaska Rainbow Adventures!
Via EmailMichael Grant
I had done this type of float fishing and camping trip up in Alaska in the past with another outfit that is no longer in operation, since then I have been talking with Paul Hansen about his trips with Alaska Rainbow Adventures, after having been recommended to him by a guide friend of mine. When things on my end finally allowed me to pull the trigger on heading to Alaska again, I chose their Goodnews river trip, in this case the last one of the season and a ten day trip to boot!
Thinking back on all the lodge and camping trips I have done in the past, let me tell all who read this, that this is the kind of trip for you, especially if you are a fishing junkie like myself! While lots of lodge trips are more luxurious, on those trips we all find ourselves back at the lodge by 4 o`clock swapping stories, comparing the days fishing, showered and drinking. On this trip at 4pm you are still out fishing as hard as you like and can continue to do so all night if you have not gotten enough. Imagine after dinner wandering back to the river and fishing for a couple of hours and adding five to twenty additional fish to the days already ludicrous tally and only then throwing in the towel for the night!
If you are reading this you are most likely considering going to Alaska, if you do, be sure to give seriously consideration to this professionally run tour in which every comfort is taken into consideration. On this trip there was a shower, bathroom, comfortable sleeping accommodations, and most importantly 'Great Guides' who never stopped working for you!!!
The guides were completely professional, hard working and put us on so many fish that we were actually whipped by day's end, and what day's they were! We would wake up to an excellent breakfast, fish until lunchtime when we would have shore lunch if we were traveling that day or perhaps something more hearty if not. Fishing and moving down river would resume after and last until we stopped at that nights camp / fishing hole, where we would have dinner, and as I said earlier, fish after if you wish!
Everybody owes it to themselves to try one of these trips, and when you do, it surely will be fondly burned into your memory until your end of days. So figure out what fish you want to target, sign up for one of their killer trip's and have a great time! I will be returning again and again to make more of those memories with Alaska Rainbow Adventures, they run an awesome program.
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