North to south, waterways across southcentral Alaska are teeming with salmon, and with them, anglers. Many of the wild fish are still migrating to their spawning grounds but many are actively spawning, some dying and some already dead. Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden are rejoicing the steady stream of nutrient-packed eggs flowing down river.
I recently took a couple of trips north, my heart set on rainbows, and it didn’t disappoint. However, it did necessitate a bit of patience and adaptability — conveniently two of the very things that fly fishing has taught me. Access points were crowded with cars, forcing me to move around in search of a less-busy entry to the river.
I was excited to see pink salmon pink salmon everywhere I looked. My trout bum heart revved up a notch. My instincts took over as I tied on a “bead” and launched in with a feverish pace. If you are unfamiliar, beads mimic salmon eggs drifting in the current, and when the salmon are spawning, eggs are all trout are interested in. Some turn their noses up at beads, but no one can argue with their effectiveness.
If you head to your local fly shop to grab some beads of your own, prepare to be overwhelmed. Egg size varies between salmon species and their color is impacted by the amount of time they have been in the water – for these reasons, it’s common practice to carry a diversity of bead size and color. But when you are on the water, where do you start?
Note: The first bead chosen is generally a starting point to begin the process of elimination. Expect to change your bead regularly and be mindful of what species of salmon are in the river and what are the fish doing. This will help you first pick the size of the bead, and then the color.
Others may have a slightly different take, but I use 6-8mm beads to imitate sockeye and humpy eggs, 8mm for Coho, and 8-10mm for chum and Chinook. In slow or smaller streams where fish have plenty of time to size up your offering, start small. When approaching larger rivers or faster streams, consider starting with a bigger bead so that fish are more likely to see it.
If you see spawning fish, focus on bright colors that imitate fresh, live eggs, often advertised as a variety of “roe.” Many fresh bead colors can also be found in a “mottled” version which can be very effective at matching eggs that have been in the water for a short duration of time. iIf the salmon have already spawned and are guarding their beds or dying off, any eggs the trout are currently eating will be older and a pink or peach color may be a better match. Loose eggs very well may be visible in the river, so don’t forget to take a peek.
On this outing I saw spawning humpies, so I started with an 8mm natural roe. After fishing through a couple of dreamy pools without any takers, I switched to a 6mm bead that was more of peach color and my luck immediately changed. In 15 minutes I’d had my fill of quality trout, a couple of which were plenty big.
Two millimeters of size difference and a small change in color was the difference between getting skunked and having a terrific time. For help cracking this code I recommend picking the brains of local fly shop staff, buying a fishy friend a beer and dedicating time of your own to experimenting.
The protocol on sharing information with other anglers, or asking for information, can be unclear. Fishing beta has always been guarded, but social media and technology add a new layer of scrutiny as your personal enjoyment of a location feels vulnerable. From my experience, I would never have found success in a pursuit that has brought so much joy to my life without the information shared to me by other anglers. With that in mind, I think back to some of the helpful conversations I’ve had with local fly shop staff over the years and attempt to strike the balance between doling out secrets and sharing the sport with others.
Walking back up stream to my car, I passed a couple that I had seen on my way down stream. They asked if I’d caught any fish and there was no hiding the truth in my smile. Meanwhile, they were down on their trout luck. I cued them in on my bead choice and oriented them to a couple spots just downstream where I was confident more fish could be caught.
Six-Pack of the Week – these are the six trout beads that worked for me over the last week. You should be able to find them at your favorite local fly shop.
- 8mm Mottled Natural Roe
- 8mm Ruby Roe
- 8mm Dark Roe with Blood Dot
- 8mm Mottled Pink Pearl
- 6mm Peach Pearl
- 6mm Mottled Orange Pearl
Prep or Tip
This tip comes from a place of regret. Over the weekend I snuck a peek at my buddies bead box. It was neatly organized, complete with labels for the size and color of the bead. I skipped this step years ago when I established my own bead box and it is utterly unhelpful when it comes to locating a specific color suggested to me or replacing the dwindling supply of a prized color. I’ll be kicking myself until I reorganize.
Closures & Regulation Reminders
- Limits for Ship Creek Coho jumped to six in possession on Aug. 17.
- Retention for Coho salmon on in Susitna River drainage has been restricted by emergency orders on Aug. 10 and 17. Review them here.
Russian River campground closed Aug. 16 to vehicle and pedestrian traffic for construction of a much needed new road.
