Early Season on the Coast

Fresh Chum salmon w/ sea lice caught in tidal water

Around the middle July we start flying down towards Kamishak Bay in anticipation of the chum salmon beginning their migration out of the salt. Kamishak Bay is a magical place filled with wildlife.  While fishing, it is not uncommon to see bears, eagles, moose, wolfs, and seals. We focus on three rivers that flow into Kamishak bay.  The Kamishak being the biggest of the three has the strongest runs of fish. But Strike Creek and the Little Kamishak river is where we spend most of our time in July before the Silver Salmon arrive.

Ben Todd with a bright Chum

Chum Salmon are a very underrated sport fish especially on fly rods.  These fish are big, weighing around 8-12lbs with a few topping out at 15lbs.   They pull hard, love to head shake and readily eat flies.  Thousands of chum enter into the coastal streams for one main reason-to spawn.  Quickly they move up the river systems and find their beds and begin to dig.  

Waterfall on Strike Creek our favorite lunch spot!

A bright sea run Dolly Varden caught behind spawning chum

 Just behind the migrating chum are sea run Dolly Varden.  They follow the chum out of the salt and up the rivers.  These dolly's will spend most of the summer beefing up on chum and silver eggs.  Dolly Varden can be a blast on fly rods.  Indicator fishing with bead patterns is the most productive way to target these fish. 

A big sea run Dolly Varden fooled on a egg

Video of John Burton landing on the Kamishak River

    

Usually around the first week of August we start running up the main Kamishak river to chase the highly anticipated Silver Salmon.  Below is a preview of what is to come! Be sure the check back in a couple of weeks to see some of the action these Silver Salmon provide.

Chris Leeman with a nice Silver caught on a wog!

Sockeye Salmon Have Arrived!

Chrome Sockeye harvested from the Kvichak River

Around the 1st of July the world's largest run of sockeye salmon begin their migration from Bristol Bay into the Kvichak River. After exiting the Kvichak River they enter into Lake Iliamna and follow the shore lines to their home rivers.  Sockeye salmon enter freshwater chrome bright and within a couple of weeks they transform into their spawning colors. Its tough to explain to someone the numbers of fish that flood these rivers until you see it with your own eyes.  Click on the link below to see this years fish counts on the Kvichak river.
Fish Counts
  

Young Brown Bear having a midday snack

 

Sockeye eggs in the river

Brown bear on the Kulik river enjoying a sockeye

   Towards the end of July sockeye salmon will move out of the deep pools and onto the gravel to begin spawning.  This is when the rainbow trout slide into position and start gorging on the thousands of eggs being laid into the river.  During the first week or two of the spawn the fishing can be spectacular.  Sight fishing for big rainbows behind paired up sockeye is something we all look forward to.  We fool these big trout by using 6mm and 8mm beads in various colors.  Our guides hand pick fingernail polish and paint these beads to create different shades and tones.     

Jess Furo landed this nice rainbow on a dead egg!

Ben Todd fooled this hog bow with a bead

If you get a chance please click the link below and spend a little time reading about the proposed Pebble Mine that is threatening this magical area and its fish.  We are all very scared this mine will go through and in time will devastate our fisheries and lands.  Without the sockeye runs this entire area will fall apart.   

Renewable Resources Coalition

Underwater video of sockeye salmon staging in a deep pool