alaska

[superfish2]

I am heading to alaska for the summer, Was wonder what rods to bring for all five salmon,steelhead and rainbows. I thinking 8 weight for silvers and chum, 5 and 6 weight for grayling, rainbows, pink and red. The kings i am
not sure about how heavy I need go. any advice would be welcome. Thanks

[tie flyer]

You might want to check out the Alaska forum. I looked around at posts there last winter and you should get some good feedback. Use your search function, too.

Wish I could help ya more, but I have yet to make that trip of a lifetime. Sounds like you're on track so far.

[Stiff]

I think the Alaska Forum is a non-entity at this point. You are on the right track though, a 5wt and an 8wt will cover most situations. As far as Kings, I think It will probably depend a lot on how big and heavy the water is that you are fishing. In many situations an 8 will be enough. In others…., well, it won’t.

[superfish2]

thanks guys, It should be the time of my life. I am leaving the end of this week and can't wait.

[Stiff]

Superfish,
Will you have computer access? If so, an occasional update that makes us all jealous as can be wouldn't be unwarranted.

Have a great time.. (like not having a great time is any risk)

Stiff

[superfish2]

I am not sure yet. i will be living in anchorage with friends from here. so we may end up with one. diffenatly try to keep you guys posted.

[tie flyer]

Oh, sorry about the bad lead.

Alaska for the summer...wow. You're gonna have a blast.

[superfish2]

it's a pretty open ended trip with no plan of either staying or going. See how it goes i guess.

[JP Z]

I am lucky enough to hit Alaska this sumnmer for 1 week and I think I'm in Heaven..... But a whole Summer!!! I don't think you'll be coming back after you've been there for a whole summer. I'm surprised I did!

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Tight Lines,
JP Z

[superfish2]

Just a little update. I talked to my brother last week (who also posts as superfish2) he is up in alaska. He said the salmon runs haven't really started yet but he has been fishing in anchorage and so far he has caught a bunch of rainbows the biggest being 25". Our conversation was pretty short so I didn't get a chance to ask him about grayling or getting out of anchorage.

[JP Z]

Well I'm off to Alaska on Sunday and will be gone for a week. So we will see if I come back this time

Have fun in the lower 48 folks!

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Tight Lines,
JP Z

[This message has been edited by jpz (edited 06-11-2004).]

[HoleHopper]

Jpz, Have fun! I am going the the Kenia aria the third week in July, hopeing to hit the Red run just right.
There was a lot of good information on the AK forum, but that is gone now Maybe we can keep a thread going about AK.
Any one else going there this summer?
HoleHopper

[superfish2]

I am trying to plan a trip up there to visit my brother. Shooting for the middle of august. Should be able to hit the silvers if I can swing it with work, and money wise.

BTW He went fishing for king's this weekend on the kenei. He didn't fish the kenei river but some river on it. He said something about easing into the combat fishing.

[JP Z]

Hopefully you can hit the Kenai when the STUPID regs are off. Although it doesn't really matter much for the Reds. But if you want to chase Kings right now until July you can't use scent or bait. And the runs have been beat to death. In camp I believe there were only 6 fish kept between 4 days of fishing with 32 people fishing a day. Not great odds. We did manage to hit the early Red run rather good and got quite a few of them but it was combat fishing to say the least.

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Tight Lines,
JP Z

[HoleHopper]

I have been watching the water clerity and the water temp on the Kenia, so far this year and nothing seems to be faverable to good king fishing. For example. Water clerity seems to be around 15 - 20 inches verses the high 20's to low 30's which it usually is. Water temp around 45 degrees. 50 or higher being ideal! The water depth and flow rate is also a little higher than than the 30 year norm. They are saying that the King fishing for these reasons on the kenia has been very poor so far this year. The Kasilof has been getting much better reviews than the Kenia R.
JP Were you fishing the Russian for the reds?
HoleHopper

[JP Z]

We were fishing down from Cooper's Landing. So I believe it is the Russian that we were fishing.

I had heard that the Kasilof was a better bet, but the outfit we went through just wasn't the greatest. So, that didn't help out situation as we were set in 2 days of guided King-Fishing but of course only on the Kenai.

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Tight Lines,
JP Z

[HoleHopper]

Sarry to hear you had bad king fishing. I too have two days set aside for fishing kings on the Kenia. I booked with two diferent guides. One of which was recomended to me through the old Alaska forum. 20th and the 21st of july. Hopefully the river will be in more of a stable condition by then. Three years ago, Me and my wife went on an all lodging all meals all guilded trip to AK in early july. We went king fishing two of the 5 days we were there and we did see some cought but not on our lines. Maybe this year will be our year, who knows. It will just be fun trying, and I think I raised our chances by going with two guides.
But it is not the king fishing that we are going back for it is the wild and crazy Red salmon that gets my blood boiling. Them things are on steroids!!!! They are the only 5 lb. fish I know that can strip your rod naked of 20 lb. test in all of a matter of about 5 seconds and leave you standing there looking dumbfounded for all the natives to laugh at!!!!!!!!!! That is why we are going back!
Besides the last time we were there we left something behind that we had to go back for........ 'OUR HEARTS'......I think that this is going to be a good second hunnymoon, dont you?
Good day!
HoleHopper

[traveler]

You should have a better shot at those kings this year, holehopper. Early July isn't especially good, kind of between runs. July 21 should be prime, for reds as well. Wish I was going this year! Have a good one.

[HoleHopper]

Hey Traveler, Thanks for all the great info you and the others gave me on the old AK forum. When I think about it, I am sure that there were more peaple that benifited from that information than just myself! Sarry to see it go! Nice to here from ya, and I still think it would be a hoot to get a few FMrs to go in a future year.
Someone recomended that I go fishing through Jim Wilson. I booked a day with him. He has helped me a great deel with good detailed advice!!! I can tell that he really takes his time with his cliants. So however it was that recomended him. THANX
HoleHopper

[alaskadreamin]

I completely understand about this place getting in your heart. For me it's in my soul....I first went up in 86, and didn't get back until 96 but since then it has been an annual pilgrimage to recharge the battery. 3 weeks from today I will be standing in the Kenai, hopefully pulling in REds like crazy......

What happened to the Alaska forum? They start it in the middle of winter......from May to July is when it's fun to see what's shakin....I have a buddy in Eagle River, he and his boys have been up to Willow the last couple of weekend chasin Kings....Sounds like there are a few around.....

Man I got the itch........

[HoleHopper]

Anybody know how you go about tying a simple yarn fly for fishing the reds on the Kenia? I have tryied to look it up on the internet and have had no luck. I paged through some fly tying books at the book store and still could not find a simple yarn fly. I KNOW, stupid ?, but I gotta find out somehow! Would anyone be so kind?... Any info would be appreciated. Thanx!
HoleHopper

[tie flyer]

Around here most guys just tie them on the water. Use a hook with an up-turned eye. Tie it on using a snell knot and pull tight. Before you cinch the knot up to the hook eye, place your yarn in the gap. Now cynch it up, trim the yarn and fish on.

Otherwise, some guys like to glue those little puff balls (craft store item) onto hooks.

[HoleHopper]

I have been practicing it and, "by goarge I think ive got it"!
Thanx Fly Tyer, for the info!
When you say, to 'get a hook with an upturned eye', do you mean, the eye is slightly bent inward torwards the inside like on a regular fly hook or bent outward like on a live bait hook?
HoleHopper

[tie flyer]

Bent upward like on a live bait hook.

[JP Z]

HoleHopper,

The main fly that all the stores sell up there are "Coho Flies" Which as far as I can tell are just Bucktail tied on about a size 2 Streamer hook. You should take a look at the regs because, at least for the part of the river we were on it was Flies only, and the space between the point of the hook and the shank was like 5/8" max.

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Tight Lines,
JP Z

[tie flyer]

jpz, how would they classify yarn eggs? There are a lot of guys around here who say they aren't flies. To me it's all semantics anyway, and I would rather use something that I tied at the vise.

I guess if I were going to Alaska I would probably pre-tie or assemble - even with egg patterns.

[HoleHopper]

tie flyer, jpz, many many thanx for your words of wisdom!! The regs for the russian confluence is 3/8 inch gap, and a fly fishing only aria. I have found that a #4 hook has exactly a 3/8" gap. The reason I wanted to know how to tye a yarn fly is becouse of expence, and it is a very effective and common pattern for the red salmon. It is just nice to have another option. Tyeing flies seems like it would be fun to do, and I know someday I will get into it more, esspecially if we continue to go to AK.
I do plan on fishing mainly the lower Kenia. I will probably only fish the confluence only if the run is off, for some strange reason. Or to just wittness the combat fishing for a day.
4 DAYS AND COUNTING "Leavin on a jet plane", "Dont know if im cumming back again"!!! "Oh baby ............"

Nice chatting,.....My pleasure,.........
HoleHopper

[tie flyer]

Have fun. I hope you have lots of film!

[HoleHopper]

"Two days" "Here.... fishie fishie fishie!"

[eyesontonka]

Holehopper

Maybe i'll run into ya sunday..anyways good luck..read my post in open water..chance to win a trip..need input..should have put Alaskan trip on headline but oh well..maybe this will go through and make a couple lucky fisherman who could'nt afford it a chance to go..