Wild Sockeye Salmon Fishing

  King Salmon, Alaska, United States
Sunday, July 6, 2008

Filleting a sockeye

Where do you start when you are thinking back six months to relate an unbelievable experience? http://www.alaska-adventures.net Go to the website, check out what they offer, and if you love fishing, DO IT!!!

Jay catches the first sockeye salmon

The EXCITEMENT and the ANTICIPATION started at the dock when we were waiting for the float plane to take us to the Alaska Fishing Lodge. The first photo of the subsistence fisherman started the blood boiling. In Alaska, subsistence generally refers to the practice of taking fish, wildlife or other wild resources for one's sustenance - for food, shelter or other personal or family needs.With a proper permit, subsistence fisherman are permitted to collect several hundred sockeye each year.

Our transportation

While the images are self-explanatory, the experience was so incredibly great that we want to share as much as possible with you.

Waiting to go upriver - too many flies

When we first landed on the Alagnak and saw all of the boxes of salmon fillets we couldn't believe that we were going to catch that much fish.




Boy, were we wrong!

Not bad!

After landing at the float pontoon, we went by boat to the Alaska Fishing Lodge. The owners own within the National Park over a mile of river frontage; it is magnificent.

Over looking the Alagnak River

On the first day, fly fishing lessons were the order of the day

Jak goes first

because early the next morning we were off for our first day of salmon fishing.

Fly casting practice

Fishing grab shots: Jay

Of course, fishing wasn't the only thing we did on the Alagnak.

Grizzly sow and cub

Bear watching - some came quite close - and eating fresh caught salmon sauteed at the riverside - yummy yummy - were part of the daily ritual.

Riverside stirfry

Fishing grab shots: Jackie

And, then back to fishing! In addition to sockeye, Jackie fished for the elusive rainbow trout and was successful; they are a catch and release fish!

Jackie's rainbow trout

Fishing grab shots: Jay

Catching the sockeye was an interesting experience. The salmon are running upstream in droves to reach the spawning grounds. Sometimes the line of fish is so thick, a couple of meters wide, and looks like a dark hugh snake in the water. We were using wet flies, a light shot weight, and barbless hooks. We casted the fly over the salmon and slowly dragged the fly through the fish. Most times you got a hit; most times you lost the fish. They were large - up to a meter - and fought like hell! So often, at the last moment they would give a flick and they would be gone. The fights were wonderful!

Fishing grab shots: Jackie

One-half of our catch: 45lbs per box

All good things must come to an end, and after a week of fishing we sent two boxes - 45lbs each of fresh frozen fillets - to my brother and my cousin, Jon. Later on when we returned to California for Robyn's wedding and even later for Jamie's graduation we enjoyed sockeye salmon feasts at both of their homes.

Thanks Helen and Charlie for an unbelievable experience!