Our handpicked Guide Team shares the common notion that this is YOUR Vacation. They’ve been selected for their professionalism, guiding experience and for a clear willingness to work as a team to the benefit of our clients. We are pleased to announce the 2022 Nushagak River Adventures Lodge Guides.
Guide Marc Bush has been dreaming about The Nush since he left. After returning home from guiding at Nushagak River Adventures Lodge last season, Marc immediately jumped into the summer steelhead run for his business Twisted Waters Guide Service. Based in The Dalles, Oregon Twisted Waters fishes Pacific Northwest area rivers. Marc remembers being on the Cowlitz River in Washington state last fall wondering how the fishing was going on The Nush. He was staying in his travel trailer, eating beef stew out of a can. and missing Chefs Chris and Jenn.
While pining away for the lodge, Marc distracted himself guiding clients in September and October to some fantastic Columbia River fishing. November brought Marc back to Alaska to visit his daughter and her family in Ketchikan and he was happy to get in a little Sitka blacktail deer hunting while visiting.
Marc’s been in near constant communication with the team, to make sure we have more than enough gear for the season. He is pretty pumped up for what this next season holds. Marc says, “I can’t wait to see some old friends and also make some new.”
When guide Brent Seamans departed from the lodge at the end of the king season, his feelings were bittersweet. Leaving lodge friends who Brent considers family is always hard, but knowing that his two little girls were waiting to see their daddy and also waiting to get on the water themselves!
In the off season, Brent enjoyed summer panfish then transitioned to early fall walleye, crappie, and jumbo perch with good friends such as NRAL fellow guide, Kim Kottke. Late fall brought some beautiful days in the tree stand on his family’s farm bowhunting for whitetails. Many late fall/early winter days were spent with his lab, Buddy, with friends and family hunting local pheasants. He harvested a nice whitetail buck with his rifle, but even more exciting was taking a nice whitetail doe with one of his kids with him for the first time and his dad there for the experience. Brent says, “When your 5-year-old wants to wear camo make-up while rifle hunting because her sister got to while bowhunting, you comply!” Winter ice fishing season was highlighted by Mississippi River backwater bluegills, crappie, and perch. The Mississippi River has been open for a month or so now, so any free time is back pursuing large walleyes and those “eaters”.
Brent is eagerly counting down the days where he’ll trek back to Alaska, again bittersweet to leave his girls but with happy anticipation for seeing his Nush family and friends soon.
Guide Kim Kottke kept himself busy this winter fishing with family and friends. They enjoy walleye and panfishing on the Mississippi River as well as trout and salmon fishing on the tributaries of Lake Michigan. Kim loves fall in Wisconsin and says the fishing on the Mississippi can be epic while the hunting season also begins. It’s a special time of year. Kim reports that it was a cold winter in Wisconsin. He says he still enjoyed a little ice fishing but he likes the cold less each year. He is excited to come back to full time guiding and being on the river with guests and seeing his friends who work at the lodge.
Guide Jack Apperson owns and operates Northwest Rivers Fishing out of Rufus Oregon. His friends call him Captain Jack. Fishing is Jack’s passion and he fishes year round! He starts the year with walleye and sturgeon on the mid Columbia River, then Spring Chinook on the lower Columbia River. It’s on to Drano Lake in Washington and also back to the Rufus area for Spring Chinook. In the fall Chinook fishing is in full swing at home in September then he’s off to Idaho for a couple of months of salmon and steelhead fishing. In December Jack spends most of his time with his family and friends, both on and off the water. His is a family of fishermen. Jack’s wife, daughter, son-in-law, and especially his 9-year-old grandson all enjoy fishing together.
This summer, Jack is excited to fish the Nushagak again, this time as a team member of Nushagak River Adventures Lodge. He is looking forward to meeting new friends and providing clients the opportunity to catch some of Alaska’s finest salmon.
Guide John Kernaghan is busy this time of year fishing clients for kokanee on Lake Stevens among other things. His guiding business called Seeking Limits is based in the Pacific Northwest where they fish for salmon and steelhead. John is excited to jump right in at Nushagak River Adventures Lodge this season.
Guide Joe Terleski doesn’t have much downtime from his guiding career for his business Rather B Fishing Guide Service LLC based in Oregon. He goes fairly non stop with fall salmon, winter steelhead, spring salmon and sturgeon. And he is excited to add summers at Nushagak River Adventures Lodge to his guiding endeavors.
Guide Tim Schultz has been chasing trophy fish in the off-season, using both conventional and fly tackle particularly at Pyramid Lake, NV. Practicing catch and release is critical for our future fisheries as well as selective harvest. Tim is excited to come fishing on The Nush this summer and helping folks catch and release trophy fish to protect the genes of the Nushagak king. It is our lodge policy to release fish over 40 inches, but we still selectively harvest kings for guests to take home.
Guide Will Stolski went back home to Montana after the guiding season on The Nush. He spent the fall hunting as much as possible, and was lucky enough to be part of some incredible trips. His winter was spent working and fishing in Montana, with a great steelhead trip to the Oregon Coast also in the mix. Will says It’s hard to describe his excitement to be back at the lodge. “I’ve spent a good deal of time around Alaska and can honestly say Nushagak River Adventure Lodge is the best in its class. I’m extremely proud to be a guide here, and can’t wait to make more memories with our awesome clients!”
