rod for Alaska

[kbobb]

Hi,
I'm going on a one time trip to alaksa in July and am looking for an inexpensive travel rod that is tough enough for salmon.
I guess a 9' for 9/10 wt would handle the toughest salmon but since we'll be away from the flyshops I'd also like one that won't break (or has a low chance of breakage) Of course I'd try it out at home on bass before going to exclude any obvious defects but would like to heaar from some folks about proven brands/models for this type of fishing.
Thanks a lot

[Rich Ward]

Is the sole purpose of the trip fishing or just a vacation? Are you going with a guide?

[kbobb]

This will be a vacation with about 3 days set aside for fishing. Not going with a guide but with some people who live there.
Don't know if they have any spare rods..will chek this though.

[Rich Ward]

When in July are you going? Early July can be very good in the smaller streams that drain into the Susitna. alot of those you can reach on the hiway to telketna.

Rich

[Flyfishingmachine]

Look at Temple Fork Outfitters or Redington rods. Both are good quality and inexpensive as flyrods go. As far as your choice of weight goes, a 9 or 10 wt is fine for kings and any other salmon you will encounter. Just keep in mind to gage your rod size by the water your fishing as well. Big water, big rod. A king in a big river can remove all your backing. The possibilty of three out of the five species are in the rivers in July. You will be too early for silvers and the pinks ran last year. Enjoy your trip, AK is a great place.

Fish while you can,
FFMachine

[captgordon]

The last time I was i Alaska we broke almost every rod we had between three of us. So rodS would be better than rod.

Salmon come in plenty of different sizes. A lot happens in July in AK w/ respect to salmon runs. Check out the historic timing on the rivers you think you might fish, then consider snow pack. Heavy runoff = later runs, light runoff = early runs. Early July in most places is still good for Kings but by late July many fish will be on their redds and you won't want to fish over spawning fish; it's unethical and they aren't as inclined to take flies. So you're probably looking at chums, pinks and sockeyes that time of year. Although you can handle Pinks on a 5 or 6 wt. pretty easily, consider an 8-wt for your trip. A 9/10 wt. is ok for kings but too much for the other three species available in July. Plus an 8-wt is not too heavy for bigger rainbows. And you might be able to use the rod at home for Bass or Pike. If you have a 6-wt bring it you might just end up fishing for grayling, dollies, trout and/or pinks.

I'm not sure if they still make it but Cortland used to make a rod called the Precision II in a 9' 8-wt that was really nice. Other options (no surprise here) are St. Croix, TFO, Redington, or entry-level Sage. Or you could look for something used on ebay, you might be able to pick up a used Sage RPL or something for a decent price.

You'll also need a sturdy reel with a disk drag. I'd suggest a used Ross Cimarron or Gunnison #4. You can probably find one on e-bay for about $100 or so. If you're serious about the fishing get an interchangable-tip windcutter with a floater and a type 4 sink tip. Otherwise, to save $$, just get a floater and used lead-eyed flies. Don't use 20 lb backing use 30 lb and get really strong tippet. I use 0x-2x Umpqual for Rainbows and 0x or heavier for salmon. The fish don't care in most places you'll fish streamers and the fish aren't leader shy.

Have a great trip let us know how it goes.

-John

[dunfly]

If you are going to fish Alaska on you own, get this book:

THE HIGHWAY ANGLER, by Gunner Pederson

It will put you on some great spots, at the right time. Also, take a 3 or 4wt and fish for some grayling. They will take a dry fly, are willing to be caught and put up a good fight. They are a real treat to catch since they are rare in the lower 48.

I liked catching rainbows but most of the fishing was subsurface with flesh flies. To catch salmon, you need to learn the Alaska Four Stoke. Most of the time you are trying to drift the fly into their mouth and snagging them. Not a lot of fun in my book, but once you get one on it can be a real battle.

[kbobb]

Thanks for the tips
The trip will be early July and should be in the Fairbanks area.
I have a 9' 4wt for the grayling and have been told the nice sized rainbows are ubiquitous so I thought a 9 wt might be the heavy rod for rainbows/ salmon.
I will check with our hosts about rivers, flows etc.
I do have a tioga #8 reel that I use for steelhead and was hoping I could use that reel for the bigger fish.
Thanks again.

[bstacy1974]

If you are coming to Fairbanks, the 4wt will be perfect for grayling. The Upper Chena River and Delta Clearwater River are really World Class fisheries for grayling. Many fish over 20 inches.
King salmon will be in the lower Chena in July. A 9wt should be good. The kings in the Chena are a bit smaller than other rivers, but still can give you a good battle.
Trout in the Fairbanks area are all stocked hatchery fish in the local pond and sloughs. You can check out the ADF&G web page for a listing of all the stocked fisheries in the Interior. Your looking at,no less than, a 4 hour drive for decent native rainbows. But if you are going to be here for 3 weeks, you might want to take a drive down the Parks Hwy, through Denali National Park, over the Alaska Mtn Range and fish the Parks Hwy streams from Talkeetna to Wasilla.
As always, check regulations before putting a line in the water.

Ben
Fairbanks