How to plan an Alaska trip?

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
21

Flyboy:

I don’t have any maps to reference, so I can not exactly recall the places involved. It’s been about 5 years ago too, so my memory is not clear on it. However, federal wilderness areas were involved, and the operation of any motor in one is forbidden. Rock climbers can not even use a drill to make holes in rocks. I don’t see any way that you can operate an airplane in one legally. I concur that it is legal in state parks, nat’l parks, basic unresereved lands managed by USFS and BLM. I was not in the lead on trying to put that trip togethere, the other guys were and I deferred, and the problem in SW Alaska was that if it could be reached by plane, someone was running an operation.

I know one guy from here in Atlanta that did a trip up there and they floated down a river from one camp to the next, and I believe that they stayed in wall tents each night. I can’t remember all of the particulars, but his trip did not go very well. I’d probably still try something like that though.

Where does one fly from to reach those rivers in NW Alaska that you mentioned?

22

I just noticed that the lead article in this month’s Fly Fisherman mag is on raibows at Bristol Bay. Oddly, the cover photo below the hype line is of a big fall dolly instead of a bow. The article goes into some detail on beads and hooks. It must be pretty funny to women at cash registers in Alaska to see so many men come in and purchase fingernail polish to touch up the beads.

I was at the San Juan in early April a while back, and the fish were hitting glowbugs well and the guides and flyshops were recommending them. I immediately deduced it they were hitting a glowbug, you’d get 'em on the bead. I learned to use Tiemco 2567 scud hooks and snell them, but saw something interesting in this article, and that is to tie some rabbit fur to disguise the hook (looks like flesh).

23

Flyboy, aren’t the Kobuk, Noatuk and Koyoukuk rivers too far North for Rainbows?

I thought the main fish in those streams were Sheefish, Pike, Grayling, Chum Salmon and some Kings.

If you want to catch Rainbows I do not think these streams would be the best of choices?

I would have to assume you access those streams through Dillingham?

Plastic beads work everywhere I have used them.

They originally started being used at Kulik lodge in the late 80,s. They were deadly and very few lodges caught on to them for quite a while.

I have even caught really nice Bull trout on them on the Metolius river.

The best way IMO to set up beads is to thread them on your line then tie on a hook such as a TMC #2457.

In my experience the light wire scud hooks bend out too easily.

If the bead is allowed to slide then the fish is always hooked in ther corner of the mouth.

I have witnessed guides pick the bead as much as 4 or more inches above the hook.

When they do this they are just snagging.

On some streams (Morraine creek for example) it is flyfishing only and plain beads are illegal.

The guides attach rabbit strips is to make the bead “legally” a fly.

The reason they tooth pick the beads is so the clients do not have to pay attention to their indicators because they feel the pick-up of the bead.

Rob

24

All,

The Kobuk, Noatak and Wulik in NW Alaska are accessed from the closest jet service in Kotzebue. While there is a small native rainbow population, the key fish are Sheefish and Arctic Char. I have gotten some real nice rainbows out of the Squirrel and Omar Rivers that drain into the Kobuk. Both are awesome rivers so clear you can see the spots on the bows when they are in 6 foot deep holes. Scared myself landing on floats, thought I was going to flip the plane as it looked shallow, but it was just that the water was SO clear. There are also some monster pike in the still sloughs that come into the Kobuk. The world record Char was taken out of the Wulik, and it was 27lbs! It is easy to get 10-15 lb char, that are 36" plus in length. These are some powerful amazing fish, and being sea run, they make a steelheader quiver when you get them on a 7wt-9wt rod. The Sheefish are equally amazing, but less fight to them. However, 40" - 60" Shees, are something. They snap 8wts, you need a 9 or 10wt. The Sheefish are called the Tarpon of the Arctic.

The Wulik and Kobuk both have Chum runs, so you can go with beads, but really the fish are not particular to the fly. Considering fall comes in August, they are starving to fatten up. Big Wooly Buggers, Flash Flys, Leaches, other streamers work well. A big flesh fly like a Double Bunny or Rabbit Hair flesh fly works well to. For the Char, it is a sight fishing deal, once you sight a pod, cast above them, get a drift going and hang on man!!! Sheefish are a cast and strip, and you find them more in the center channel in fast water. Best fished from a boat, but you can do fine from shore, you just need to move around until you find where they are holding.

Here is a picture of a sheefish from the Kobuk and char from the Wulik. You may want to place towel on floor to catch drool first:
[url=http://www.alaskaflyfish.net/coppermine/cpg143/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Kiana_Sheefish.jpg:33004]http://www.alaskaflyfish.net/coppermine/cpg143/albums/userpics/10006/normal_Kian a_Sheefish.jpg[/url:33004]
[url=http://www.alaskaflyfish.net/coppermine/cpg143/albums/userpics/10006/normal_ANDY_S_PICS_00027.JPG:33004]http://www.alaskaflyfish.net/coppermine/cpg143/albums/userpics/10006/normal_A NDY_S_PICS_00027.JPG[/url:33004]

A friend of mine has a great lodge on the Kobuk. You can find it at [url=http://www.alaskasheefishing.com/:33004]http://www.alaskasheefishing.com/[/url:33004]

I havn’t been up that way fishing in 10 years, but am taking the Super Cub up for a 10 day trip in August this year!! Lorry says it has been better than ever up there.

[This message has been edited by Flyboy@ak (edited 02 June 2006).]

25

Rob,

Forgot to answer the rest of your questions. Yes, the NW isn’t the best for rainbows, but you will catch them up there. See prior post. If someone strictly wants rainbows, the float trips of the Kanektok, Togiak, Goodnews, Nushgak or Koktuli in Bristol Bay would be better, and away from most of the lodge crowds. As you know, those are top trout producers. I am going to spend the last two weeks of September out there, fishing mostly Moraine, Talarik, Koktuli, Stuhoyak and Mulchatna. I have access to a cabin near Kokonak, and will fly out on tundra tires from there each day.

As far as beads you are right on. They are the surest bet for rainbows, and I have gotten my hand painting of them down, so I can match the color and translucency of eggs for all salmon species. Find some eggs if you can and “match the hatch” by holding real egg up to light alongside your selected bead. However, it is almost to easy with beads when you are into super trout fishing. I do like trying something different sometimes like big mice, leaches and flesh flys. It is interesting sometimes when fishing beads you can hook 20" - 26" rainbows one after another, but put on a mouse or a big leach, and pull a 30"+ hen out of the same holes.

Well better get off to bed, up and at it chasing Kings and Bos in the early am tomorrow.

Flying Fisherman in AK

26

Flyboy, I totally agree with you about the use of a wheeled plane on gravel bars.

Back when I was guiding up there it was rare to see them though occassionally we did.

I always wished that we had one for reaching the areas that a float plane just couldn’t get to.

Everytime I did the hike in and out of contact creek I would be swearing under my breath for a plane with wheels.

Have a greeat time out there this fall.

The biggest trout I personnely ever hooked was just below the high bluff on the Morraine.

I am positive it would have been very close to 20 pounds if I would have been able to got a tape on it.

Rob

27

Thanks again for all the replies, everyone. We have some info to digest and some thinking to do.