If I could give less than 1 star I would. After waiting 4 years to visit Alaska I can truly say that I will never come back to this lodge. I have so many complaints ranging from poor service to the quality of the lodge itself its hard to find a place to start. I suppose I could start at the beginning. I was charged 850 to fly up. The flight was fine airline was good but I found out it should have only cost me 150. David the owner inflated the prices to an outrageous amount. We were greeted by the staff, Mark our guide was the only saving grace. He was helpful and a great guide. The rest of the staff made our stay very awkward. The strangest thing was the owner was using his son to clean our rooms. I am not sure about Alaska but we in California children are not allowed to work in a place of business. He was a strange kid and kept getting into the adult conversation. we were solicitatated for tips to help pay the owners son. The food was okay but the cook was somewhat rude and complained about his job. I wasn't expecting to much but the quality was very poor and there no selection. We had appetizers but was made to feel like we were asking for to much and that we were the hungry group. So let me cover the lodge., it was a glorified shaq. There are so many safety violations I am surprised that it passes as structurally sound. This place had faulty electrical and I actually fell in a hole in the floor. I told the owner and he just said" oh ya we had a leak there" I couldn't believe it! The fishing was good and our guides were good guys. I caught some great fish but didn't get all my fish that I was supposed to take home. The cook did happen to have salmon patte wich i am pretty sure came from my catch. The guides had to struggle with poor equipment and vehicle and boat break downs. I felt sorry that they were not being taken care of. Overall I would never ever, ever recommend this place. Unless you want constant headaches and poor service! read more

Lake Marie Lodge - Our overpriced flight. - Fishing Near Me

Well we caught fish like we came for . But my experience with the lodge owner & staff was offensive. The owner texted me after the trip stating that tipping was mandatory & we could not come back because of it. Tipping a guide $800 for 5 days of fishing I thought was standard . He replied if you can't afford to tip you should stay home ?? We also caught & should have brought back 100 pounds of fish, but the owner of the lodge kept half stating I must not know math and my weights of the fish I caught . Sending only 45 pounds back with us . The food was like a hospital cafeteria & the cook likes to make side comments about the guests. Off color & disrespectful like " I do not control the portions of appetizers, so if you come back late from fishing I will not make 2nds ! " what do you say to that ? There are so many poor condition items going on with this lodge, guests can really get hurt there if not experienced in the outdoors . Example, broke vehicles, holes in floors of lodge rooms, mosquito s inside the lodge with no controls in place, doors held together with nails to lock them , no hot water for showers at least 2 out of our 7 days there , etc I would not ever recommend this lodge to anyone ! If you want this experience in these creeks go look for another lodge. There are over 20 of them . This is an unethical lodge & owner . If you can, stay away from this lodge read more

I went with a group of fathers and older kids last July 2014 and had the best time -- first time in Alaska, first time fly-fishing and a lifetime of memories. This lodge is remote, so don't expect Internet and cell to work. This is not a "hotel" experience, but in my book, exactly what I wanted. Great fishing, with knowledgeable guides in a beautiful outdoor, bush country setting. Mosquitoes everywhere, shooting skeet in the evening, eating good meals around a large, family-style table, bag lunches out in the bush and fishing 7-8 hours each day (in between hiking to various fishing spots. Dodging bear, having bald eagles sit in trees above where you're fishing (pay attention to your catch, as they will come down to get it), watching otter win by, taking boat trips up river to see the sights....all in a day's adventure at Lake Marie. The lodge is rustic, having been built by the owner with lumber milled from around the area. Floors warp and creak, bathrooms are not hotel-quality, but you're not here for that. The showers work to wash off all the bug repellent, and the beds sure feel good after a long day outdoors. The cook, Mike used to work at a resort, and he fills you up each morning, and when you come back at nite. All of the guides and staff were fun to hang out with. We caught fish every day, some more than others. They were always there (you can generally see them), but not always unnoticeable nor landable. I think that's my fault. We each took home alot of fish, stored and packed up by the staff for us, ready to load on the plane. We were eating salmon for weeks after we returned home. I plan to go back. read more

I just returned from a week at Lake Marie Lodge and I have to say that it is at the top of my list for one of the most fun vacations I have taken. Prior to this week, I have never gone fly fishing, never been to Alaska and the only type of fishing I have ever really done is deep sea fishing. I was there with a big group, 8 of us in total (3 women) so 5 of us were in the cabin (not attached to the main lodge) and the remaining three people were in a room in the lodge. The accommodations are rustic especially in the cabin and at first I was concerned about how it would be for an entire week but those thoughts were quickly forgotten after gazing out of the lodge windows at the majestic views of Denali. I also think the "rustic-ness" of the place adds to the charm when you consider there are no roads to get supplies to this place and everything was built by hand using the timber that was cut down, to make the runway, for landing the bush planes that you ride to get to the lodge. Some of the reviewers on other websites mentioned that the lodge was in disrepair and dirty and maybe that was a long time ago because I thought the main gathering areas of the lodge were clean and fully functional. There was also plenty of hot water even with 5 people showering in one shower in the cabin. We had our own, instant, hot water heater in the cabin and the owner mentioned that there were also the instant heaters in the main lodge so there shouldn't ever be a shortage of hot water. I think there was a total of 20 guests at the lodge for the week and there was plenty of different places for all of us to fish. They basically split us in half and one day half of us would go on the boats out in Otter creek and then the next day we would go hiking up to Johnson Creek or Red creek. Once we got to our fishing area we would divide up into even smaller groups, usually only 2 or 3 people per guide, and fish for the day in several different locations. The guides were very helpful and attentive and they taught all three women how to fly fish. The guides would also recommend which spots to fish, the type of equipment to use (fly or spin rod) and they also changed up the lures and flies to maximize the amount of fish we caught. The guides would come to talk to our group each night after dinner to make plans for the next day so we could decide if we wanted to target salmon or trout the following day. The guides were also great if we wanted to change something last minute and they also had no problems if we wanted to start fishing earlier or go back out after dinner to catch the last couple hours on the river. The typical fishing day was from 8 am to 6 pm but we had our guides take us out at 5 am on 2 mornings and stay out until 11 pm one night. One of the guides said "This is adventure fishing" and they will take you on as much of an adventure as you want to experience. The reviews all seem to be positive on the food and I would concur. Breakfast is cooked to order, unless you get up early to fish, and you can stuff yourself on eggs, bacon, sausage, reindeer sausage, pancakes, french toast, toast and hash-browns. Dinner was also fantastic and the servings were plentiful especially the brontosaurus sized steaks we had one night. The cook and guides also took great care of me because I have extra dietary restrictions, I am gluten free, and I had no problems during the week. They even had gluten free bread, crackers, granola bars and pasta for spaghetti night. We did joke about the "skinny" sandwiches for lunch but what do you really expect for a guide to carry in his pack while hiking up a river bank? Also, three of the days we ate hot lunches including burgers one day and salmon two days, YUM! After dinner we would usually gather in the back of the lodge where there are floor to ceiling windows that look out to Denali and two of the guides and one of the house staff would play live music every night. We also took advantage of the fly-tying area and had the guides teach us to tie a couple different types of flies. The guides said the water conditions were unusually high for during our week there and that made the salmon fishing tougher but we all still caught fish and released several for small size and female fish carrying eggs. In fact the Alaska dept. of fish and game shut down king salmon fishing the Monday after we left. So for the reviewers that were disappointed in the fishing, I just have to ask, Isn't that why it is called "fishing" and not "catching?" If you are looking for a fishing adventure in the Alaskan wilderness then Lake Marie Lodge is the place for you. P.S. Don't forget a mosquito face net for the days the mosquitos are feasting...it it a little nicer than rubbing DEET on your face. This isn't my video but it is a good look at the lodge and fishing there: http://vimeo.com/33046809 read more

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I just finished my second trip to Lake Marie Lodge. The first was in 2011. I'm glad I went back for a second visit. The Alaska experience is unforgettable. And yes, the Lake Marie Experience -- is an experience. Like much of "bush" Alaska...there are rusting vehicles outside, barrels of fuel, mosquitoes outside and sneaking inside at times, floors can sag and the environment can take a toll. Also, there are the most awesome Salmon runs and Trout that Hemingway could only dream about. You have to like being outdoors to enjoy this lodge. There is no Home Depot around the corner. Everything was built on site with lumber milled from where the landing strip was carved out. Plywood, fixtures, furniture, etc...came by plane or boat. The seat cushions in the Rangers that you ride out on is torn up and needs a fix and I wish they were cushy but they are torn up because there are bears who consider them snack food. Expect a few issues like this. In the end, so much of what others complain about are just part of the ambiance of the place. The folks from 6/30 visit seemed to have missed the concept that this is a remote fishing lodge. It is not the Hyatt. You can pay three times the price for that kind of Alaska experience. If you want an original experience at a good price then consider Lake Marie Lodge. And about the food; The food is great in great quantities. And the cook, Mike, is one of the most gracious guys you'd ever want to visit. Fresh yeast rolls every day!! The fishing is terrific most days, but expect a day or two where the fishing is not always great. Rain sends silt into the rivers and then you have to work a little harder to get to fish. We did that twice this week and ended up fishing clear creeks that were filled with Rainbow trout that ranged up to 16". And let's be real folks. 50-pounds of caught fish is not going to be 50-pounds of filets. There are guts, bones and heads ya know. The showers are challenging, but still felt good after a day out fishing. But frankly I never booked a fishing trip based on showers, beds, shams or game tables. I go for fishing. The guides this year were as great as they were 3 years ago and they were terrific. Same goes for Mark and Nick this year. If you'd like to see the lodge and experience for yourself...then view my Youtube video of the 2011 trip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V3HdpTLfVk Tight lines and good fishing to ya! read more

My father, brother and I just returned from Lake Marie. It was the first time the 3 of us have been on vacation in years. I want everyone to know it was one of the best experiences of my life! Amazing does not begin to describe our stay. Everyone on the staff was fantastic and went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and at home. The owner, Dave, treated us with the utmost respect as did the rest of his employees. Our guide, Andrew, went out of his way to help the 3 of us individually every single day we were there. If you are looking for a posh resort do not go here; but if you want a real Alaskan adventure call Dave. We caught an insane amount of fish and saw incredible wildlife and scenery. I would go back in a heartbeat! read more

Amazing absolutely AMAZING ! Great views, wonderful people, absolutely breath taking, want to catch some awesome fish ?!?! IN ALASKA ?!?!? This is the place to be !! I definitely recommend !!! read more

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One of the best deals you can find. I've taken four fishing trips in Alaska, and without a doubt Lake Marie provided the best experience out of all four while being the least expensive. We caught all 5 species of salmon, while catching rainbow trout, dolly varden, and grayling in between. Comfortable stay, fantastic service, great guides, all around good Alaskan experience. read more

Fantastic place, I left Alaska a few days ago and I still have lake Marie lodge on my mind. Great fishing, and very kind staff. Fantastic scenery. The food was great! and the cook was very kind to me. I enjoyed tying flies and hearing genuine Alaskan fishing and hunting stories. The guides were very nice and always new where the fish are. . As fun as the fishing was one of my favorite parts was hearing the stories of the Alaskan outdoors and feeling at home in the main lodge. Worth every penny. read more

I spent a week at Lake Marie Lodge in August 2015 and it was outstanding. This was my second trip to Alaska and was a much better experience than my first. The guides and staff were great! The food was fabulous and enjoyable. We had a large group of 14 so the lodge was packed but we never felt that we were crowded. It was comfortable and homey. If you are looking for a hotel experience then you might be disappointed but if you are looking for a fun and thoroughly enjoyable time then you won't be disappointed. Oh, the fishing was good too! Dave Wilson and his staff are real down to earth people and if I could afford it I would go every year. read more