Alaska
Our
last stop on our westward journey across the North American Arctic, lands us in
Alaska; land of mountains, glaciers and grizzly bears. Alaska is a
Mecca
for Trout and Salmon anglers, there are millions of acres of pristine
wilderness, thousands of lakes and thousands of miles of rivers. If you are
addicted to the pursuit of coldwater fish this is the place for you. There are
hike in, fly in and drive to destinations, something for everyone.
Accommodations range from tent camps to five star lodges and hotels, something
to fit any budget. The most sought after species are rainbow trout and the five
pacific salmon, Chum, Coho, Pink, Sockeye and Chinook. The Chinook or King
salmon is the granddaddy of the salmonids attaining weights approaching one
hundred pounds. Starting in May the salmon start returning to their natal
streams to spawn. From May to October there are different species available, the
first to arrive are the Chinook followed by Chum, Pink, Sockeye and finally
Coho's. Other notable species are Rainbow Trout, Steelhead the ocean going
version of the rainbow, Lake Trout, Grayling, Dolly Varden, Arctic Char,
Whitefish, Northern Pike and Shefish, known as Inconnu in Canada. My time in
Alaska has been in the fall after the main runs of salmon are done and the trout
fishing starts to heat up. Driving through the state an angler can stop just
about any where and expect to catch something. Ship Creek located in the heart
of Anchorage for example, hosts a good run of Kings and there is a fishing derby
in June. The 2005 winning fish was fifty pounds. North of Anchorage are plenty
of streams and rivers full of salmon and trout. An hour or so north the
traveler finds Denali National Park, home of Mt. McKinley the highest peak
in North America. When in Alaska plan a couple of days exploring this wilderness
area, there are bus excursions into the heart of the park. There are Caribou,
Moose, Grizzly Bears, Mountain Sheep and Goats just to name a few of the animals
to be seen here. If we head South out of Anchorage about a two hour drive we
find the Holy Grail of Trout fishing the Upper Kenai River. The town of Cooper
Landing is the center of this area, with the bulk of the area in the Chugach
National Forrest. The Kenai River hosts a particularly large strain of Chinook
Salmon (the current world record is 97 pounds). Starting in May and running
through June and part of July the run of huge fish are in the river. Here as
with most of the river systems the runs overlap, June, July and August are peak
times for the huge run of Sockeye also known as Red Salmon. A good number of
these fish are headed to the Russian River, a clear water tributary running into
the Kenai. Be prepared for some pretty congested fishing conditions during the
annual Sockeye run. Alaskans refer to this congregation as combat fishing. It
takes a more patient man than I to deal with the kind congestion at this time of
year. If you are like me and shun the crowds head for the inland lakes and trout
streams to find some solitude. As the
run of Reds starts to peter out in September The Coho's start to enter the
river, also at this time the Doll Varden and Rainbow Trout move in to feed on
the huge quantity of salmon eggs in the river. The trout fishing remains
excellent well into October. The preferred lure for the Dolly's and Bow's is a
roe coloured plastic bead pegged above a small plain hook. The only time that
bait is allowed is during the run of Kings. After the King run only artificials
are allowed, this is to reduce mortality of the trout population. It is
estimated that each and every trout is caught ten to twenty times per season.
The Coho run lasts into November. These fish just love big pink maribou jigs and
flies. If we head another hour south we come to the town of Anchor Point, the
most westerly highway point in the United States and home to the Anchor River.
The Anchor is a relatively small clear river that hosts a good run of King's and
excellent runs of Coho's and Steelhead. While not overly large Steelhead the
numbers are pretty decent. Most of the Steelhead are first and second run fish
averaging from twenty to thirty inches. When fishing the lower river if you look
to the west you can clearly see Mt. Redoubt, one of Alaska's active volcanoes
about fifty miles away. About a half hour further south on the tip of the Kenai
Peninsula is the town of Homer. About seventy miles south west of Homer is Mt.
Augustine, another active volcano that started erupting on January 11th 2006,
with plumes of ash and steam seen from the mainland. These are just two of the
thirty volcanoes being monitored in Alaska. Enough geology; back to
fishing...... when in Homer plan a day of Halibut fishing. Not only do these
fish pull they taste soooooo good. There are many charter operators running out
of the marina here that can put you on fish. A typical day has you running out
to the Halibut grounds in the morning and returning when everyone has there
limit of two fish. These fish grow to several hundred pounds, but average
fifteen to thirty. If you go do your part to preserve the fishery, let the big
breeders go and keep the smaller fish for the table. I could go on and on and
on, but I'll end here. Remember it doesn't matter where you go fishing in the
Arctic just as long as you go. If a trip is in your future I hope that I have
been able to help you in your quest for knowledge on the last great wilderness,
that area North of 60.
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