Farther and farther, always more north, always more fish we don’t have back home. The Dolly Varden, that peculiar char found only in the northern reaches of North America — but far from easy to catch. But the real joy is taking this road trip alongside Aimee and Chase from Tight Loops and using the adventure to discover what we don’t already know!
After heading north toward Denali, Aimee and Chase Bartee begin their long journey back across Alaska, with the end of summer fast approaching. A rare, clear view of North America’s tallest peak gives way to one last crossing of the interior before they return to the Kenai Peninsula. From there, they push deep into the backcountry in search of an isolated population of Arctic char, trading crowded roadside fishing spots for remote lakes, wild terrain, and a few unexpected encounters along the way.
Back on the Kenai Peninsula, one of the fish they’d been hoping to find all summer finally comes within reach: the Dolly Varden. Fly fishing behind spawning salmon, Aimee and Chase encounter powerful anadromous char and uncover the singular story of one of Alaska’s most beautiful — and most overlooked — native fish. From the western tip of the Kenai Peninsula through the final stretch of their Alaskan summer, the trip starts to feel less like an endless journey and more like a race against time to make the most of what’s left.
Part long-form travel story, part wildlife documentary, Tight Loops – Two in the North follows Aimee and Chase as they chase native fish, add new bird species to their life list, explore unfamiliar waters, and document the landscapes and wildlife that keep pulling them farther north. Their route stays deliberately loose, leaving room for setbacks, wrong turns, unexpected discoveries, and the kind of chance encounters that can’t be planned from behind a screen.