Alaska Sockeye Fishing On The Fly

Without a doubt the Russian River on the Kenai Peninsula is the most heavily fished sockeye salmon stream in Alaska. Each season tens of thousands of anglers will harvest from 60-100,000 reds from this remarkable fishery right next to the road.

Combat Fishing! No doubt the term sends chills down the spines of all those anglers who have experienced this phenomena. Unfortunately popular fisheries anywhere in the States which are easily accessible and produce lots of fish tend to draw crowds. And in Alaska, the Russian River sockeye fishery holds the dubious distinction of being the first stream in the state to coin the phrase "Bring Your Own Rock To Stand On!"

For the most part anglers fishing in crowded areas along Alaska's most accessible streams are cordial, friendly, and courteous. And most will respect those around them, even helping to land your fish or give you pointers to increase your odds of hooking up. So despite the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds lining the river bank, its more like organized chaos which even provides a lot of entertainment watching the tenderfoots tie into their first ten pounds of Alaska Dynamite.

After 40 years up here, I still consider the sockeye salmon the most acrobatic and pound for pound the hardest fighting fish in the state....not to mention the tastiest of the five salmon species we have. These fish most often take to the air in a flurry of tail-walking somersaults shortly after a hookup and will give any angler a run for their money....especially on lighter tackle.

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