Alaska Leopard Rainbow Trout Facts

 General Description: The Alagnak River holds a strain of Alaska Rainbow Trout called the Leopard Rainbow Trout.  They are characterized by large and beautiful red to pinkish longitudinal bands down their sides and above average number of large black spots compared to other Rainbows.  This Leopard strain of Rainbows is notorious for having brightly colored gill covers as well as strong genes that help them live long, and grow big.  This makes this strain of Rainbows spectacular fighters! For many anglers that have only experiences catching smaller rainbows in the lower 48, fly fishing for our big Leopard Rainbow Trout is a huge awakening onto a sport that many dedicate whole life times to.      

Average Size: 16-24 Inches with a couple big boys hooked/caught weekly in the 27-30 plus range.   

Average Catch per day: That like asking a politician a question and trying to get s strait answer.  Depending on the anglers ability Trout anglers will catch on average 10-15 Rainbows worth talking about.  Most good fly fishing clients will find themselves hooked into a27- 28 inch fish and maybe even be lucky enough to catch that 30 plus incher during the week (probably in early June).    

Fly Fishing Tactics: Stalking huge rainbows raising in a ripple with small caddis imitations, swinging large articulated leach and sculpin patterns to Rainbows in the seems behind islands, drop offs, and feed lanes, skating top water mouse patterns across a river lit on fire by a perpetual sun, back trolling with weighted sink tip lines, the best  bead fishing in the state, dead drifting flesh patterns.     

 Alaska Grayling Facts

General Description: ‘The lady of the stream’ or as some call them ‘Gentleman Grayling’ is characterized by incredibly large purplish blue sail like dorsal fin, iridescent gray sides, and numerous purple, blue or red spots.  Another one of our resident species, the Arctic Grayling loves our river system with its cool waters and abundance of food coming in the form of salmon eggs, vegetable matter, minnows, insects, and other river inhibitors.  Being that the Alagnak is a clear non-glacially influenced river that almost never gets muddy these Grayling are known to display more fantastic colors because of the clear water.  Grayling are a very popular sport fish for fly fishers because they are very quick to a dry fly and you can often times stand in one spot and catch more then you can count.  When you come out to the Alagnak ask if you can go to Grayling central with your 4 weight and a dry fly and see how many you can bring to the fly.     

 Average Size: 12-16 inches with a few reaching 20 inches.

Average Caught per day: 10-15 caught with a mixed bag of Rainbow and other species. 

Fly Fishing Tactics:  In June -July when there are insects hatching the most favorable and fun tactic is dry fly fishing caddis dry flies.  During August and Sept we drift salmon egg imitations under a weight and strike indicator.  They will even chase a minnow or wooly bugger stripped up current occasionaly.    

Arctic Char and Dolly Varden Facts

Average Catch per day: We tend to catch more Char and Dolly around August and Sept when the salmon are spawning and they are raiding the salmon reds (nests).   

Fly Fishing Tactics:  Egg patterns or dry flies skated or moved across the surface.

Lake Trout Fishing Facts

 General Description:  Lakers are Alaska’s largest freshwater fish as well as belonging to the largest family of fish know as Char.  They have dark grey or blackish green sides and have orangish sides and fins during spawning.   

Average Size: 18-24 inches, Trophy 25-35 inches

 Average Catch per day: We catch Lake Trout on the upper river in June when they drop down to feed on the salmon smolt migration as well as up by the lake Outlets during the summer.  Anglers can expect to catch a couple Lake Trout in June while fishing for Rainbows in the river and if we are up by one of the lakes have a good chance of hooking into numerous.  

 Fly Fishing Tactics: Swinging and trolling big white minnow patterns on a sink tip deep is a good way to catch Lakers. Cast and retrieve will initiate a chase and strike. 

Northern Pike Fishing Facts

General Description:  Pike are found in small lakes and estuaries along the Alagnak river and can be very ferocious feeders long and slender with lots of teeth make Pike a true predator of the north  They have dark green camouflaged sides with an white belly.   

Average Size: 18-24 inches, Trophy 25-38 inches

 Average Catch per day: We catch pike on the lower river and on our hike for pike lake near the confluence. An average day of Pike fishing would offer each angler the oppurtunity to catch 4-8 pike in a morning of fishing. Hooking into numerous Pike on top water flies of mice and sculpins.  

 Fly Fishing Tactics: Stategically casting large flies on steel leaders along the weed lines where pike wait for a meal to swim by. Cast and retrieve method will initiate a chase and strike. 

5 Pacific Salmon species Availible