Alaska in June?

[jaybo]

Hi I'M going to be in Alaska in mid June, and I'm looking for a little help. I will be in Ankorage for 3 days and then up to mt. Mckinnley for a few days and then down to the Copper river area, closer to copper center. any idea as to what, if any, salmon will be running that time of year and what flies, specific to those areas and what lines will be needed. Also, any info on hatch/ pattern info for trout, dollys and grayling would be most appreciated. This is a trip of a lifetime, but I don't have the extra coin needed for a guide, so any info would be most appreciated.
Thanks a bunch in advance, Jaybo. :-%

[wyomingart]

Kings should be running.

[Quicksilver]

Alaska Fish and Game puts out a lot of great info regarding the timing of salmon runs at www.adfg.state.ak.us/. I have a friend who has an online book for sale for anglers wanting to fish AK on a buget. I am going to pm you the address.

[fleshfly]

When in June? Lucky you, there will be plenty of Sun light for sure. Kings will be running, in the Kenai Penisula. Sockeye open June 15th? Beware, they don't bite. You'll be testing your skills to snag in the mouth. Trout & Dollies should be pretty good/ok. For the most part things will be just getting going. However, compared to what we got back east you'll be pretty pysched!!!!! What do you want to target? Grayling & Cuttthrouts could be good in some of the MTN PONDS......Hatches will vary, for the most part everything is based on the Salmon. use salmon fry patterns(baitfish), eggs if the salmon are around, and if they are dead try a FLESHFLY.. :brow . I lived on the Kenai Penisula, upper Kenai, working for a fishing guide for one season/fall. let me know if you have anymore questions.


Wish I was going to AK this summer --124-3

[akfish]

North of Anchorage on the way to Denali you can find several salmon streams along the park highway, if you drive. At mid-June, you are looking for King salmon; but I believe that these streams only open at weekends. They are crowded at weekends. If you takes charter boats to Deshka river (I am not sure whether I spell it right) in Willow, you have the highest density of king slamons in the world; again, it is crowded, but you can count on those fish. Check regulations. Rainbow and dolly are overlooked at this time; you may want to give them a try. Get information at Three River fly shop in Wasilla. No one fish in Denali; few grayings.

There are two salmon streams around Copper Center. CC is right by Klutina river. This is my favor king salmon river because fewer anglers. You can either walk or take charter boat to the month of the river. The water is about 11 mph; the second fastest water in AK. So you need 350-600 grain line to get to the bottom. Bring your 12 wt (10 wt might work) rod for King.
Mid-June is slightly early for King in the Interior; late June and early July is better. Red is also running around mid-June (8 wt will work). The tricky thing is that salmon is sensitive to heat and the Interior can be hot in mid-June. So fish will be there, but it depends on your luck as to the water level and temperature.

25 miles north CC, you can find Gulkana river. This is a more fishing friendly river; the water is slower and clearer. Sight fishing is possible. The river in mid-june also supports Kings and Reds. You may need both floating line and type III line.

Presentation is more important than flies. People use whatever they can find in their fly boxes: weighted hugh eggs, egg-sucking leech, bunnys, etc. Check akflyfishers.com for popular fly patterns. These fish are not leader shy. Use 20-30 Maxima as tippet is fine.

Fly tackles and supplies are "very" limited in CC, so be prepared before you come.

Hope the temperature is mild before you come to CC where you are likely to run into to me. The river bank of Klutina is my summer office.

[akfish]

Red salmon do not bite? I think it is debatable. if you fish them in a clear river and observe them. Some of them in fact chase your fly; they only move sideway (slightly backward). I have not seen them move forward, seriously backward, or upward to get the fly. So the morale of the story is that you must put your fly into their water column and hope (1) the fly goes directly into their mouth, or (2) some of them are energetic enough to move to the right or left to get the fly.

Do not underestimate red salmon. Although they are smaller than silvers, I think you need the same fly rod to handle them. For the past several seasons, I used 6 wt for both reds and silvers when the water is still or slow. 8 wt is the choice when the water is fast.

[Tord]

Yes Sockeye Salmon do bite...

...although it can be a frustrating experience. Several hours with virtually no action will be followed by intensive periods with many strikes.

My experience is that afternoons are the best time of day. Bringing the fly deep enough and close enough to the fish, right in front of them is also a key success factor. Fish won't move vertically to take a fly presented above them.

Flies should be small, size 10-8-6. Patterns that work are Comet, Boss and alike.

[fleshfly]

Good to know....Did you have any luck with catching any fresh fish? The only experience I had in hitting, was when they were on the their reeds and full color and close to spawn. They would strike out of instict/protection if you harassed them with a large enough baitfish pattern. at that point the fight isn't much a challenge. At that point I point would rather fish for the trout/dollies that are feeding close behind.

For fresh fish, it seems that best luck was "flossing" and certainly worth the fight

[Tord]

These were fresh fish.

[albacized]

Good to know....Did you have any luck with catching any fresh fish? The only experience I had in hitting, was when they were on the their reeds and full color and close to spawn. They would strike out of instict/protection if you harassed them with a large enough baitfish pattern. at that point the fight isn't much a challenge. At that point I point would rather fish for the trout/dollies that are feeding close behind.


LOL...sounds like my lone landlock experience up in the Stillwater last fall: Harrassed it until if finally took the fly, fight almost nonexistant other than a couple of impressive leaps. Didn't even take the stripped line from the ground and that was with a 5 wt. That fish was probably all of 2 lbs.

[fishfilmmaker]

I guide in northern British columbia and our season is close to alaska, injune, dpending on the snow pack, yo can expect spring runs of steelhead to be dropping back if you are lucky, and for sure the kings ( chinooks) will be drawing in... a friend of mine fished the same time a few years ago in similar area and was hitting cohos and big native rainbows.. while the chum and chinnies were in so one never knows any more with our climate change and all...

in northern B.c. right now, the spring steelhead are over, chinooks are in and the pinks and chum should follow in a short time...

most important thing for you to dois check out the water leverls,and temps.

good luck

eric

www.exploreflyfishing.com

[Quicksilver]

Fishfilmmaker, do you get much of a run with pinks in B.C. during odd numbered years?

[fleshfly]

Yo FishFilmMaker, Thanks for the info.

Where in BC do you guide? How far North Are you? I fished the Skeena River Sytem for the first time at the end August this past year. Looking to go back again. Do you have any experience in that area? Perhaps I could ask you a few questions, before I book my plane ticket. I am torn between what dates to pick... (#$119)