Alaska & Florida Fishing :: Fly Fishing Alaska
Fly Fishing Alaska: Species for Fly Fishing in Alaska
So, you're planning on fly fishing Alaska? Do you know the area's different species? What types of fish you can expect to encounter? If not, keep reading for an overview of the area's most abundant fish species.
Pacific Salmon
There are four major species of Pacific salmon in Alaska; Chinook salmon (also known as king salmon), pink salmon, silver salmon and sockeye salmon or reds. They're a great game fish, but usually less popular with cold water fly fishers than, say, trout or Arctic char.
Pacific salmon will only spawn once in their life and then die. And though they don't eat once they return to fresh water, they will strike surface and subsurface flies. Fly fishers also need to be prepared to do battle with strong fighters. With sockeyes and chums weighing in at 3 to 10 pounds and king salmon tipping the scales at 12 to 100 pounds or more, fly fishers need to be ready.
Steelhead Trout
The steelhead trout is a unique rainbow trout that can swim in the open sea or large lake environment, but does spawn in connecting rivers. After their spawning, they'll return to a large lake or ocean.
The steelhead is strong, large, high-leaping and long-running, making it highly prized amongst experience fly fishers. It's also a great catch for the dinner table and an overall tasty fish. The fish averages between 4 and 12 pounds, but can often exceed 20 pounds, particularly in Alaska.
Grayling
The grayling trout is a rare, beautiful and delicate fish found in cold waters and for fly fishing, Alaska graylings are probably the most prized fish. To survive, the fish needs pure, cold and clear lake or stream water, meaning Alaska is probably the best place in the world to find the grayling.
Graylings mostly feed on live and active insects, but will sometimes feed on crustaceans or small minnows. The most effective flies tend to be smaller flies or dry flies.
The graylings in Alaska will often grow as large as 4 pounds and prefer to feed in water ranging in temperatures from 45 to 55 degrees.
Arctic Char
The Arctic Char is a member of the trout family that prefers clean, clear and cold lakes or streams to survive. They are strong, active and aggressive, but also a fantastic catch. They predominantly feed on insects, minnows, aquatic worms, fish eggs and crustaceans. Most fly fishers agree that the Arctic char is generally more gullible than its trout cousins. For fly fishing, Alaska arctic char are plentiful and easy.
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