Alaska Float Fly Recs

[Matt B]

Something like this but weighted? https://www.alaskaflyfishinggoods.c...almon-flies/382-coho-kryptonite-chartreuse-2/

That's it! Funny, I looked on that site and didn't see it. Good find. We were using sink tips with it but I recall it being weighted. Maybe try both? I think that might be the key--having a variety of things to try if/when one things stops working. You might find that you're on a bunch of fish, hook 15 and then they just stop biting. That's when you want to have some other things to try. Folks have suggested some good ideas. I remember one time where what I described happened, and I put on a copper & gold kreelex and started hooking up again.
You may find fish in slack water that require a more subtle, stealthy approach at times.

 

[mtskibum16]

@DimeBrite you're killing me here man. haha Hard to tell in the pic but there are 5 chartreuse and 5 pink traditional clousers in there plus 6 chartreuse and 6 pink flash clousers. I'll get some chartreuse ESL in there though. Point taken on lack of chartreuse. Everyone hammers on having pink pink pink but as a Puget Sound coho fisherman I should have known better and included more chartreuse.

@Noah Cohn thanks for the tips. I have a selection of 6-10mm beads in there. Tried to get a variety of colors based on recs. Will Dolly Llamas not effectively imitate a sculpin? I have neglected sculpin specific patterns I suppose. I'm pretty loaded on foam mouse patterns (upper left in pic). I was just looking at the box and thought some orange would be a good idea. I've had good luck with orange in the salt especially later in the season. Maybe I'll swing by to chat one of these days.

 

[NBC]

@mtskibum16 Dolly's will work effectively but sometimes it can be nice to throw a lighter sculpin pattern. I've found those Dolly's get heavy after a few days of casting them. I'll dig around in my old boxes and see if I can't find any flies. Those mice will definitely work as well, I've just had great success with Mr. Hanky. Come on by anytime, I'd love to chat and answer any questions I can. I've also got an airflo pike/musky line spooled up on a lampson liquid that you're free to take with you if you need any backup line/reel combos. I'll take a look and see if there's any other gear I've got laying around that may be helpful.

 

[DimeBrite]

Flies get chewed up in Alaska fast. You need plenty. I was amazed at how fast my clousers and other key flies disappeared.

 

[Creatch’r]

Flies get chewed up in Alaska fast. You need plenty. I was amazed at how fast my clousers and other key flies disappeared.

I have a bunny leech from AK above my tying bench at home that had 98% of the fur gone, pretty much only leather and a couple pieces of mangled flash.

Still caught fish lol.

 

[greenriver]

I'll second chartreuse for the cohos.

 

[JayB]

I'm strongly considering trying to organize a float and that river for my best friend and I for my 50th. If anyone has recommendations in terms of when to go, what outfitter to go with, and an approximate figure for what I should budget I'd really appreciate any suggestions or intel either here or via PM.

 

[mtskibum16]

I'm strongly considering trying to organize a float and that river for my best friend and I for my 50th. If anyone has recommendations in terms of when to go, what outfitter to go with, and an approximate figure for what I should budget I'd really appreciate any suggestions or intel either here or via PM.

I will update with our experience after we get back.

 

[mtskibum16]

Done! If you think I’m missing something keep it to yourself Condensed it all down to a Cliff Bugger Beast Jr and a Plano 3600 (plus a few small boxes of regular trout kinda stuff for grayling). Somewhere around 200 flies tied for the trip but I stopped counting quite a while ago.

 

[FinLuver]

Done! If you think I’m missing something keep it to yourself Condensed it all down to a Cliff Bugger Beast Jr and a Plano 3600 (plus a few small boxes of regular trout kinda stuff for grayling). Somewhere around 200 flies tied for the trip but I stopped counting quite a while ago.
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With that many options, you are sure to get skunked…

Ps: diggin’ those round plastic flies ya got there. Bet those took some effort to tie up?

 

[Dr. Magill]

You’ll probably tie one on and just leave it on because it’s working so well
Have a fantastic trip

 

[Creatch’r]

Puget Sound beaches will never feel the same after a solid run in alaska.

 

[mtskibum16]

Tying this to my TRIP REPORT for future searchers.