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DBW...<br />
ALASKA<br />
H O W D O T H E Y F I S H ?<br />
The King or Chinook salmon<br />
is the chief quarry for many in<br />
Alaska although, due to falling<br />
numbers, fishing in some places<br />
has been limited in recent places<br />
and, in some locations, closed<br />
entirely.<br />
However, there are four other<br />
species of Pacific salmon to go at –<br />
sockeye, chum, silver (or coho) and<br />
pink – not to mention rainbow<br />
trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic char<br />
and grayling and even pike in a<br />
number of spots.<br />
In contrast to the plight of King<br />
salmon in many areas, sockeye are<br />
at a high point right now – indeed<br />
places like the Kenai River are<br />
where to head for at present.<br />
Rainbow trout fishing is also as<br />
good as it ever was. They are native to<br />
waters throughout southeast Alaska, the<br />
clearwater lakes and streams draining into<br />
Bristol Bay provide outstanding habitat.<br />
Release of hatchery-reared Alaska<br />
rainbows has extended their range of<br />
resident rainbows to specific lakes and<br />
streams in the Tanana River drainage near<br />
Fairbanks.<br />
Head away from freshwater and out to<br />
the sea and you’ll find more salmon, along<br />
with halibut, ling cod, a variety of rockfish<br />
species, Pacific cod and more.<br />
Here, charter boats are the best way of<br />
targeting the saltwater bottom feeding<br />
species. Indeed, charter boats abound in<br />
Salmon fishing in Alaska<br />
Arctic char<br />
many ports, mainly because<br />
Alaska is so remote and<br />
the population so small<br />
and sparse, with plenty of<br />
visiting anglers. The boats<br />
offer a variety of fishing<br />
styles, including jigging and<br />
trolling for everything from<br />
black cod to chinook.<br />
Inland, head for one of the hundreds<br />
of fishing lodges offering fly fishing for<br />
Dolly Varden, Arctic char, rainbow trout,<br />
grayling and so on using mostly singlehanded<br />
rods, or doubled-handed for<br />
swinging flies for salmon or very large<br />
rainbows in some regions.<br />
In the north you’ll also find native<br />
northern pike, too, which are becoming<br />
Fly fishing is popular<br />
more popular to target, although be aware<br />
that, further south, they are a non-native<br />
species, often illegally introduced to lakes<br />
and streams in the south central region.<br />
As the apex predator, they have had a<br />
dramatic and negative effect on juvenile<br />
salmon numbers, not to mention rainbow<br />
trout. In the south central region,<br />
returning pike is not allowed.<br />
28 www.tackletradeworld.com
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