Alaska Salmon on the Fly - Part 2

Fishing for Alaska salmon on the fly is something that every serious fly angler should do.  It really exemplifies the true essence of fly fishing with big water, big fish, and eager numbers of takes that you can achieve in a days worth of fishing, especially on the Alagnak River in Bristol Bay.   As mentioned earlier in my last article, Angler’s Alibi on the Alagnak River is a premier Bristol Bay fly fishing lodge.   Our location is suited to intercept fresh salmon every day on the tides within a 0 to 10 minute boat ride.  That is right, a 0 minute boat ride because you can even catch fish off the dock if you wanted to! Picking up from the last article, I covered King, sockeye, and chum salmon.  The next salmon to enter Bristol Bay are the silver salmon.  Silver salmon come into the Alagnak River in late July, and really get stacked up the first week of August.  Silver salmon are truly what put Alaska fly fishing on the map.  These salmon have an innate ability to try and throw the hook once it is set by leaping out of the water, often multiple times.  The silver salmon leap many times after being hooked, then take off on drag testing runs trying to get back to the ocean.  It is this desire “not to be caught” that puts the silver salmon on top of many fly fishing enthusiasts bucket lists.  The problem is, at least with our guests at our Bristol Bay fishing lodge, that the one trip usually turns into several trips back to the incredible state of Alaska.  At Angler’s Alibi, we have a return rate of over 80% with close to a 90% return rate this coming season.  Part of this is due to our level of customer service and fishing program, but we are not fooled that this return of silver salmon keeps our August weeks full!  

​Pink salmon are the smallest of all the Pacific salmon, and run only on even years.  These smaller salmon are very underrated, much like the chum salmon.  They enter the Alagnak river at the end of July and run about half way through August.  These “pinks” are amazing fly fishing specimens as they too, like the silver salmon,will crush top water presentations with tenacity.  Pinks will jump right away as well offering a very visual fight to the angler.  We love pink years at Angler’s Alibi, and love catching Alaska salmon on the fly.

Silver Salmon on the fly

About the Author

​Pink salmon are the smallest of all the Pacific salmon, and run only on even years.  These smaller salmon are very underrated, much like the chum salmon.  They enter the Alagnak river at the end of July and run about half way through August.  These “pinks” are amazing fly fishing specimens as they too, like the silver salmon,will crush top water presentations with tenacity.  Pinks will jump right away as well offering a very visual fight to the angler.  We love pink years at Angler’s Alibi, and love catching Alaska salmon on the fly.