AK Salmon flys

[denduke 0]

Got a start on some for our trip.  DD says she booked the flights.  3rd or 4th week in July.  Got plenty of time to get vaccinated/ tested.  Still gotta finalize everything.  

Dont have pink rabbit strips and limited marabou.  But managed a few.  Rigged some plastic beads 2” above a bare hook.  And polywog ended up a Gurgler...

Input welcome.   

[denduke 0]

Read an account where guys could not get a school of Salmon in a run to hit.  The guy said he threw s big Mepps spinner and they nailed it.   Might make some bright “SpinnerFlys” that I used for redfish in the Coastal marshes????

MarkCrawford, a guide on Spring River Ark, said I’ll try them but here knock yourself out...😳  The larger blades work better that the wee ones.   The fly hackle shields the flow to the small blades I recon.    For the fly/lure Nazis,  “if you can cast with the flyrod it’s still a fly...” per MikeyShell..😝

 

 

[feathers5 0]

cool.

[TIER 0]

The bottom fly on your last post is a egg sucking leech, which is legendary. The smaller flies don't work very well for saltwater. Mabey in freshwater, though. Here are some other suggestions: Marabou flies, bucktail flies, Clouser minnows, and dolly llamas. Where are you going to and what species of salmon are you fishing for?

 

[mikechell 0]

3 hours ago, denduke said:

For the fly/lure Nazis,  “if you can cast with the flyrod it’s still a fly...” per MikeyShell..😝

Yep!  I stand by that opinion.

And it's "Chell" ... not "shell".  😉

[denduke 0]

Talkeetnah and kings, whatever....

[TIER 0]

ohhhhhhhhhhh king salmon. Use big spey flies, preferably with some chartreuse as a tail and a dark body. And dolly llamas with still work for kings, because those flies are the best for salmon. If you don't know what a dolly llama is you should definitely look it up. They are VERY good. as for the flies you tied, I don't think they would hit topwater, but everything else looks good.

[denduke 0]

Thanks Kiddo!   Like I said mat’l needs upgraded.  Ain’t got the right tibbar strips.

 

 

[denduke 0]

 

Found some fur strips...

 

[upnorthtier 0]

Really nice ties, i'm sure you will hook in to some with those flies.

I'm form the Yukon. I usually go down to Haines AK 3 to 4 times a year (4 hr drive), missed last year with the border being closed---dam covid, I hope I can make it down there this year, missed it a lot. Good times and a lot of fun. If you want I can post a pic of some of my favorite flies to give you more ideas.

 

check out this vid. I'll be tying myself a few of these if I'm allowed in Haines

 

[denduke 0]

1 hour ago, upnorthtier said:

If you want I can post a pic of some of my favorite flies to give you more ideas.

By all means UP.  I am thirsting for info and not lotta folks on here with it.  Haven’t watched the whole video yet.  I think some of my salty flies would work up there but we may be too far inland.  Not sure about fishing at end of trip at Anchorage/salty kinda(?).  Makes me wonder if they guit eating up river and strike outa anger/reflex, putting a shrimp, squid in their face might work?Any way I use the mesh/coils on shrimp and squids down here in Dixie.  Thanks!!

[upnorthtier 0]

I would swing all the flies above even if you're inland a ways. I used to catch kings in the Teslin river years ago, almost 2000 miles from the bearing sea. its been closed for I think 6 years now. Cant even catch and release, the run is to low, maybe this year. The biggest king I caught there was 35 lbs,  was probably 60 lbs when it entered the Yukon river, was still a great fight. Bring all those shrimps and squids with you.

[denduke 0]

Good to know; what about rats, pollywogs, gurglers?   Surface stuff?  Any luck?

 

 

 

 

[upnorthtier 0]

I never used surface flies, I think you want to be down in the water column, sometimes bouncing off the bottom. size 1/0 to 6 for the flies

that purple comet is my favorite fly. seems I always end up with it on my line

of course eggs.

I would add some intruders and of course the Russian river.

[denduke 0]

Comets look good 👍are they weighted or just chain bead?  Use any color as long as it’s purple....Just using mustad 3007 cheap salty hooks.  Ain’t no salmon fly hooks in M’isipi and at $1 a lick prolly never get any.  Curious do you tie a “Turle” type knot in the upturned eye or.regular strait eye knot?  Do you ever use plastic beads for eggs or heads on flies..   I’ve been drilling them out on one side to gettem on the hooks and Solarez mostly.   Used the pegged bead above bare hook actually double bead in Arkansas while back.   Worked great with split shot under sliding thigamabobber drifting over gravel areas in a boat. Just plopping them out not really cast able.  Total leader with tippet ring was well over 12’ but water was 8’ deep.  Guide said it was salmon rig..The brown spawn in the winter there.   Don’t think many browns brought to AK?

Whitehorse Yukon    Hot damn! Prolly have to pipe in sunshine in that place!😛