Sockeye flies...need some help.

[Fishrite]

Going to Alaska at the end of the month. Have never fly fished for sockeye. Would really like some help on presentation and what flies to use. Thanks in advance. Fishrite

[Keta]

Small and purple works well. We did well with purple yarn tied to a #2 hook and trimed short. Most of the Russian River/Keni reds are flossed.

[clacksteel]

Red is always a good color for the Sockeye. Don't believe what a lot of people on the river say...they will bite...you don't have to snag them!

[Keta]

they will bite...you don't have to snag them!



Yup, you do not have to floss to get a red to take a fly.

[reeldick]

We found a chartreuse yarn fly worked best in the Kenai year after year. It outfished any other color we tried. It also produced silvers in late July and into August.

[Grantspastor]

Where are you going to fish? Not that it is a big deal, but the greater the numbers, the easier it is and the less the fly matters. On the Alagnak where I have fished there are so many reds that even I can catch them. We have used all kinds of different flies successfully. On the Kenai or Russian rivers, traditionally people use Coho flies..a bucktail streamer usually with white and some other color like red or chartreuse. They all work. The most important thing is getting it close to them. They won't move far to take it.

[SilverFly]

Given the facts that Sockeye eat lots of krill and the color red is consistently mentioned regarding flies and lures, you might what to try this fly: Red Krill (http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/4925KrillFly_med.jpg)

A buddy of mine said it worked great in Alaska for Sockeye. I know it's an ugly, scraggly looking thing (one guy referred to it as "butt-lint", -lol) but it catches a lot of fish (including 2 steelhead yesterday :grin:).

I can send you the recipe if you want.

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[Fishrite]

Thanks guys, it sounds like you just have to get the fly in front of the fish. We will be fishing the Kenai and the Russian....sounds like we may have some company. I want to fish some of the small streams on our days off. I have talked to a few guys about Deep Creek, the Anchor River, and the "Nil something" I hope that these have "reds" in them...does anyone know? Thanks for all the help, Fishrite

[Grantspastor]

That would be the Ninilchik river. I don't think it has a substantial number of Reds, but check it out. You will indeed have company. Don't let it frustrate you. Everyone can catch fish. On the Russian you might consider walking upstream to get away (more or less) from the crowds. Use polarized glasses to locate fish in small pockets, or behind rocks. Keep your eyes open for bears. There aren't a lot of them, but a few frequent the Russian. They like Reds too.

[moman]

I just got back from a week on the Kenai and as in years past, I can't place much empahsis on color. Its all about the drift and positioning the fly in front of the fish. I'll agree that the fish don't need to be flossed, there are pickups, but it all happens pretty quick and its hard to distinguish between the two. The water is moving hard in the Kenai and Kasi. In any case, the presentaiton is very similar down to to how much "set" to place at the end of the drift. This year I migrated to all yarned bodies and away from the "Kenai Coho Flies" (the bucktails Grantspastor refers to); they are simply too bouyant to get down to the bottom early enough in the drift. If anything a chartruese or chart/pink or red was probably best this year. Sink tip or sinking is close to a must. IMHO, throw out that flourocarbon and stick to 6 or 8 feet of beefy mono: a hard lesson to learn but well, you'll see, even if it tugs at your purist underpinings. Both rivers are snaggy nearly everywhere and since you want to be very near the bottom, a stout leader will keep you fishing and not tying. That said, fish are caught on an assortment of things and all kinds of rigs. I used a shrimp pattern in chart one day and did well.

There are few or likely no reds in the Ninilchik or Deep creeks (both in the town of Ninilchik) or the Anchor 20 miles south. All three are extremely small this time of year but they do get small early chinook runs (now over). There were some reds in the Kasilof but access is tough without a drifter or raft: few sand bars and steep banks in most accessible areas.

Good luck. One more thing: the reds are running shallow and close to the bank. A gorgeous roll to the center of river will look great and be far from the fish. Last thing, research the hook restrictions on the Kenai.

[Steve L.]

When I fished Alaska I had the most success with either black or purple egg sucking leech pattern. 2nd place went to a purple rabbit fur leech pattern. Since all fly fishing on Prince of Wales island is C&R no meat went into the freezer, but it was a blast. Fish on and on and on....that was the beginning of my fly fishing addiction.