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In Yakutat: (907)784-3697     E-mail: ***CLICK HERE***     Toll-free Message Only: 1-866-737-1123

robcoho.jpg (51238 bytes)Salmon

The mighty salmon is the most sought after and prized sport fish in the North Pacific.  Each of the five species carries its own unique behavior and attraction.  We find ourselves very fortunate to have sizable runs of all five species,  on the rivers of our area.

We have links below to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's biological descriptions.  The information there,  along with my attempt to put in words,  can never give you a sense of the heart pounding thrill of hooking these great fish.  Fishing is not a field to study and dissect,  it must be lived.  Italio River Adventures will bring you into this amazing world of wonder,  so you can experience it all first hand.

Although each of the salmon species runs and peaks at different times,  they also overlap,  enabling you to experience a continuous season from May to November.  There is even a brief time in early August where we have caught at least one fish from all five species in a single day.  That is no easy task by any means,  but here...  all things are possible.

newsockeye1.jpg (54624 bytes)Salmon begin to arrive in May.  King (Chinook) peak first around the first week of June,  just as the Sockeye (Red) begin to appear.  The volume of Sockeye continue to increase through the third and fourth weeks of July,  when the Pink (Humpback or Humpy) and Chum (Dog) salmon start to swell the rivers.  Last,  but not least,  the most popular sport fish in Alaska,  the Coho (Silver) make their presence known.  By mid August,  Coho displace the large quantities of Pinks,  until casting without hooking a Coho becomes nearly impossible,  in early October.  Bright Coho are often seen as late (or early) as February.  As the last arrival,  they take advantage of every possible creek and stream to lay their eggs.

As I have said,  each species has its own unique attraction.  Some salmon are more popular,  or have a better reputation,  but all are considered among the greatest fish in the world.  Each one provides the angler with its own challenge and charm.

celebking.jpg (56361 bytes)King (Chinook):

Kings are the largest,  but also the least common.  Their average size weighs in at around 30 lbs,  although specimens between 50 and 100 lbs are possible.  Kings can have either a pale white flesh,  or a darker red that is more attractive,  but essentially tastes the same.  They bite an assortment of spoons,  spinners and flies.  We try not to deliberately target the King run,  however they are always present throughout the Sockeye season.

Kings often don't play so much as sit there for what may seem like hours.  You can go through a roller coaster ride of emotions as you hook a submerged log,  only to find it swim away just before you decide to write off your fly.

The taking of King salmon requires an additional fee and stamp from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  As King salmon numbers continue to shrink throughout their historic range,  this fee goes toward habitat restoration, tagging and tracking,  research and preservation.  We,  at Italio River Adventures,  are also protective of Alaska's state fish and we promote catch and release for this species.  The King stamp is not required when you do not intend to target this species and you carefully release your catch.

See more information on King Salmon from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series



katelynnsockeye.jpg (29135 bytes)Sockeye (Red):

The deep red meat (hence the name) of the Sockeye helps to make this fish Alaska's biggest moneymaker.  Extremely high in oil and omega 3 fats,  Sockeye have the richest flavor and are one of the healthiest foods on earth.  Averaging between 5 and 6 lbs,  Sockeye are one of the smaller salmon,  but still the perfect size for a typical family dinner.

Sockeye are unique in that they do not respond well to spinning lures.  They do not feed like the other salmon,  preferring the gentle hand of a fly fisherman.  You can occasionally catch them with spinners and spoons,  but it is usually more of a defensive snap that gets them rather than the usual feeding habits of salmon.  For this reason,  we choose to have a fly-only policy during the Sockeye season.

The Sockeye run has many attractive elements.  They are aggressive fighters, especially for their size.  Their numbers are quite strong,  but require a fly fisherman with skill and patience.  Best of all,  their run peaks during our "dry spell",  where the weather shows all the mountains,  ripens the strawberries and brings the bear population out into the open.  There is just so much to do and see throughout June,  July and early August.

See more information on Sockeye Salmon from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series



fishing2.jpg (32273 bytes)Pink (Humpback) and Chum (Dog):

These two siblings are easy to distinguish,  but hard to separate.  They run simultaneously,  spawn low in the river and respond similarly to spin,  or fly fishing.  The big difference?  Pinks are the smallest,  averaging from 3 to 4 lbs and Chum the largest (except for Kings),  weighing in from 8 to near 30 lbs.

Pinks are the most plentiful salmon in Alaska,  outnumbering their larger Chum by more than 10 to 1.  Their extremely large volume,  combined with warm July and August weather,  make this the perfect time for families and newer anglers. Fly fishing takes years to master,  so it is nice to have large quantities of eager bitters to practice on.

johnchumnew.jpg (124598 bytes) The meat of a Pink is somewhat pale (hence the name) and softer than the other salmon.  Although it is the smallest of the salmon,  it is still bigger,  better and easier to catch than almost any trout.  Chum are much lower in fat than Sockeye,  but smoke very well.  Toward the end of August,  both of these fish become tougher to catch,  because the Coho start to steal the show.

See more information on Pink Salmon from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series
See more information on Chum Salmon from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series



mark2.jpg (32776 bytes)Coho (Silver):

A beautifully bright fish,  Coho will bite nearly anything you throw at them.  Egg patterns,  streamers,  flashflies,  nymphs,  or bass poppers,  they are the only Pacific salmon eager to take dry flies for top-water fishing.  Sometimes when a handful of Coho arrive early,  you can't catch a Pink,  or Chum because the aggressive Coho get there first.

There are obvious reasons why the Coho are Alaska's most popular sport fish. Besides their insatiable appetite,  they are spectacular acrobats.  Fresh from the ocean,  Coho have been known to charge right back out to sea with every inch of your line.  Although the state average weighs in at 8 lbs,  the New Italio and Akwe Rivers have an international reputation for AVERAGING as much as 5 lbs higher than that.  We catch fish each season well into the mid 20's.

Fall along the Alaska Gulf Coast can be very wet.  The rivers swell and creeks form in normally dry ditches.  Coho seem to thrive in this time of year,  using any and every pool,  puddle and place to spawn.  Their thick bodies and widely spread pectoral fins enable them to stay upright even without water.  They will scoot across shallows of no more than an inch,  while searching for their home.

toddold2.jpg (56655 bytes)Coho hit the peak of their frenzied and euphoric run while the waterfowl descend all around us.  Ducks are fair game from September 1st on,  with the Canadian Geese season opening on the 21st.  Throughout October,  there are wonderful opportunities to combine hunting the abundant waterfowl and fishing the prolific Coho.

Salmon are not the only fish to be had in our area streams,  lakes and bays.  Sea run Dolly Varden Char and fresh water trout are always present.  We have partnerships with local deep sea charter boats for combination trips in town,  since Yakutat Bay is home to many of Alaska's other great sport fish.  Halibut,  Red Snapper,  Cod...  Italio River Adventures will put a package together that combines the absolute best Alaska has to offer.

See more information on Coho Salmon from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series

 


World-class Flyfishing in the Alaskan Wilderness

http://www.italio.com
Italio River Adventures
P.O. Box 210
Yakutat,  Alaska 99689

(907)784-3697
1-866-737-1123

***E-mail***

Extremely remote Alaskan flyfishing for salmon,  trout and char...                    Italio River Adventures                    The only full-service outfitter on the pristine Italio River...                    Italio River Adventures                    Spectacular flyfishing in one of the world's most spectacular locations...                   Italio River Adventures                    Experience the REAL Alaska - pristine - wild - unspoiled - perfect...                    Italio River Adventures

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