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Truth is, it would take even the world’s most fanatical angler dozens of lifetimes to explore all the fishing Alaska has to offer.
But it only takes one day in the Alaskan bush to give you a taste of its myriad angling opportunities. A typical midnight sun marathon is like a Baskin-Robbins for fishheads: kings, sockeyes, silvers, rainbows, Dolly Varden, mammoth pike, and more. You’d think packing (and humping) the necessary tackle would be an insurmountable task.
Here’s the good news. You can leave the kitchen sink at home. All an angler needs to successfully fish Alaska is a handful of Rapala brand baits, a common-sense assortment of “must-haves” that’ll fit into a small box you can slide into your fishing vest.
Whether your idea of an Alaskan adventure is staying at a plush lodge and hiring a guide or entirely do-it-yourself out of a tent or camper, the requisite tackle and equipment is the same. If you have to choose one rod, a medium-heavy action spinning or casting rod and reel loaded with 30-pound Sufix 832 Advanced Superline will cover all the bases.
Now, down to brass tacks. Cast any of the following cornerstone lures from riverbanks throughout Alaska and you’ll enjoy catching king, silver, chum and pink salmon, as well rainbow trout and northern pike:
Blue Fox Classic Vibrax and Vibrax Bullet Spinners
Vibrax spinners could be referred to as the subsistence bait of Alaska due to the fact they produce vast quantities of food for local and traveling anglers alike. Size 6 spinners are a great choice for the largest of Alaska’s predators like kings and pike, while sizes 4 and 5, especially those embellished with chartreuse, orange and pink bodies, are essential for fooling the other salmon species. Size 3 is perfect for trout.
Blue Fox Pixee Spoons
These spoons are heavy, cast a football field and have a tantalizing tremble that silver, chum and king salmon simply cannot resist. For silvers, aim for the edge of soft water backchannels next to the river’s main flow and bring them back with an aggressive lift-and-drop retrieve. For chums, drift main current runs with even current in the lower sections of river systems for the freshest-from-the-sea fish. Kings, on the other hand, devour the heavier 7/8-ounce model, which is great for “dredging” heavy currents and deep cover. Pink colors dominate the silver salmon scene while Green/Chartreuse rule for chum and king salmon. In stained waters, the UV Bright finishes shine through with their enhanced visibility.
Storm Wiggle Wart & Mag Wart
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to fish from a boat to effectively fish Wiggle Warts and Mag Warts. In rivers, make a long cast slightly downstream and steadily retrieve while allowing the current to work the plug so it ‘ticks’ across the bottom. In deep, slow-moving reaches, twitch your rod tip on the retrieve for a darting action that’s phenomenal for silver salmon. A core selection of must-have finishes of Wiggle and Mag Wart colors for Alaska fishing are Fluorescent Red, Fluorescent Red/Black Herringbone, Fluorescent Pink, Metallic Silver/Chartreuse Lip and Orange and Pink Fire UV. Begin there and expand as you like! (Tip: Incorporate a Luhr-Jensen Side Planer to carry Wiggle Warts out into the current and shore anglers can “backtroll” in the current like anglers in drift boats.)
Luhr-Jensen Krocodile
Able to tolerate a wide range of retrieves and/or current speeds, the slender shape of the Krocodile makes them productive in both rivers and lakes. Try the vast array of high-contrast UV Bright finishes in sizes 1/6 to 3/8 ounces for trout, and 5/8 to 1-1/2 ounces for salmon species. In rivers, reel in the Krocodile just fast enough it waggles near bottom, and in still waters vary your retrieve speed and add a stop-and-go action to trigger strikes.
Rapala Husky Jerk
In many of the backwaters of Alaskan lakes, northern pike are the primary predator. Husky Jerks in Silver and Firetiger finishes reeled in with quick snaps of the wrist followed by short pauses sends these savages over the edge. Size 10 and 12 are prime sizes. Connect them to your main line with a 12-inch Terminator Titanium Braided Leader of 50-pound test, or similar length of 40-pound-test Sufix 100% Fluorocarbon Invisible Leader; both will nip bite-offs from these toothy beasts in the bud.
Tips and Tackle For Fishing Alaska By Boat
By far one of the unsurpassed lures for catching kings Alaska’s raging rivers is the Luhr-Jensen K-15 and K-16 Kwikfish. Back-trolling these lures with finishes in Silver/Chartreuse Head, Double Trouble and Fickle Pickle behind size-30, -40 and -50 Jet Divers in water 12-feet or more is most effective.
Flashers and spoons trolled from seaworthy vessels are a hot bite all summer long when targeting salmon outside the river systems. A size-5 Shoehorn Spoon darting wildly behind a size-3 Coyote Flasher is hard for any salmonid to pass up, especially color combos in chartreuse, green and blue, and even more so those painted with UV Bright.
Timing the Alaskan Runs
June
- Peak month for king salmon in saltwater. As the month progresses, fish ascend the freshwater rivers
- Rainbow trout fishing is outstanding
July
- River fishing for kings climaxes, with runs fizzling by month’s end
- Sockeye salmon run superior
- In the saltwater, the silver salmon fishing is outstanding
- Chum salmon max out in river systems
August
- A super month for silver and pink salmon - early on in saltwater at river mouths, later high in the river systems
- Trout and Dolly Varden catches are terrific as sockeye numbers decline
- Northern pike feast in backwater bays of inland lakes
September
- Silvers are still running strong in the river systems
- Northern pike still hunting the in shallows of inland lakes
- Rainbow trout bite again ranks high
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