Alaska 2011-1
I’ve just returned from Alaska after a week’s fishing at the No-See-Um Lodge (www.noseeumlodge.com) with Dave Graebel, Scott Snead, and Les Adams. John Holman, owner of No See Um, did a wonderful job of hosting us and providing positive information on fishing in some of the worst conditions that Alaska can offer in July. It was cold (as in really cold), windy (as in airplanes really can dance), and rainy (as in, boy am I glad I have my Simms guide jacket with me).
We fished for kings, chum, arctic char, and rainbows. The trip started on the Alagnak River.In the native tongue of the Yupik, it means “to err.” That’s because it’s highly branched and every years the branching changes a bit. For this reason it is also called the “The Branch River.” It’s noted for the kings and chums that surge into its waters in early July. They were, indeed, in, but the runs had really just started—they were about a week late. Thus, our fishing success was based on fishing intensity and determination, not an overabundance of fish.
I landed a beautiful, bright chrome king and many chums. More on the king fishing in a later blog. The chums were really hot for a magenta Collared Leech, and we caught them to excess. Well, not really. One can never catch too many, and chums don’t just roll over and come on in. They fight like a demon possessed, all the way to hand, and then throw water on you as you release them. This day, I fished them with a standard down and across swing, using two 3/0 shot ahead of the fly to get it deep since the chums were lying in water about waist deep. I love ‘em. More on chum tactics in a later blog.
A chrome bright king, 43 x 26.5 (about 40 pounds) from the Alagnak
A chrome bright, wild and crazy chum--note the faint tiger striping onr the body
Mmmm those magenta Collared Leeches taste good.
The magenta Collared Leech--the source of all the wild times with the chums.