Cutler and his 3 year old daughter Sutton with her first Chum Salmon!
WATER TEMPERATURE AND CLARITY:
High 40s and dirty. Maybe one foot of visibility.
WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Wind and rain. Our guests this week put up with some nasty weather. We had cold temps, rain and wind most days. A drier day on Friday and some sun was a welcome sign.
HOT FLY OF THE WEEK:
Pink and purple Dalai Lama
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK:
Epic Chum fishing. Every summer in Alaska is different. Some years the chum fishing takes more work but this is not one of those years. Chums are everywhere!
COMMENTS FOR THE WEEK:
Week three is in the books, and we’re rolling into the middle of July. This week brought a big rise in water levels, and with it, a noticeable change in the fishing. Early in the week, the Rainbow Trout and Grayling fishing was good. Trout were holding on soft-side structure and eagerly eating mice, while the Grayling that have stuck around gave us some great dry fly opportunities.
The Chums are now everywhere, and Sockeye continue to pour through the river, stacking up along the soft insides. As the water rose and visibility dropped, salmon became the name of the game. Chums have pushed farther upriver and can now be found in just about any soft water. They’re eating aggressively and can be caught stripping or swinging just about anything pink. We’re still finding a few Kings, and the Dollies are showing up in great numbers with the Sockeye. They were just starting to hold when the water rose so we are eager to find them again. With another fun week behind us, we’re looking forward to the river dropping and clearing. It won’t be long before the Chums start dropping eggs, and the spawn begins.