
General Manager Kraig Holdren

Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Kraig didn’t grow up in a hardcore fishing family. Summers were more about motocross, jet skis, and causing trouble than chasing steelhead. But every year, he got to spend time at his uncle’s lodge on the Deshka River — and that’s where it all started. Somewhere in those foggy mornings and quiet casts, Kraig found the spark that led me here.
Kraig came to Yakutat in 2011 after spending some years in San Diego, where he trained as a professional chef after serving five years in the U.S. Marine Corps working in aviation maintenance. Two deployments to Iraq taught him a lot — mostly how to stay calm when things don’t go to plan, which turns out to be great practice for both kitchens and drift boats.
Kraig started at The Yakutat Lodge as the chef, then picked up a rod and became a freshwater guide, and eventually took over as General Manager in 2019. These days, he spends most of my time making sure our team runs smooth and our guests leave with the kind of stories they’ll be telling for years.
For him, the best part of this job is helping people experience the Alaska he grew up in — the real deal. People save and plan and dream about this place for years. He gets to help make those dreams happen, and that never gets old.
When Kraig is not working, he is probably out fishing, hunting, trapping, or spending time with his wife and two wild little boys. He still loves cooking — and yeah, he’ll throw down a camp meal that’ll make you forget you’re off the grid. Kraig calls himself a jack of all trades, master of none — but he has built a life out of that mix, and wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Pro tip for anyone coming to Alaska?
Talk to your outfitter. Be honest about what you’re hoping for. The more we know, the better we can deliver the kind of trip you’ll never forget.


