Sockeye in rivers?

[lokidog]

What do you use for sockeye in the rivers?  I am heading to Yakitat, AK next week and am wondering if there is anything other than red hooks and yarn to use to catch sockeye.  Thanks.

[seaduckhunter]

Anything you can floss them with.

[nwlynx22]

We used to used mini squid hoochies on the baker until it got shut down. Sometimes we would stuff them with puff balls to float nice.

[cohoho]

Red Kami hook with the smallest, thinest thread of yarn you can get away with... aka the Crimean Shrimp.... lol  We used to tell folks from the lower forty eight that they need to ask for the fly tied in the Crimean Shrimp pattern....   I used nothing but my fly rod 8# for Sockeyes with a heavy sinking fly line, that way I could go alot smaller on weights with about a 36" leader...

[CP]

Flossing is the accepted method in Alaska.  The few that I’ve seen caught here in WA were flossed as well, or snagged.

[lokidog]

What size hooks?  Thanks all.

[Viszla]

Alaskan grey flies tend to be my lure of choice.  If the fish are there you will catch them.

[cohoho]

On the Kenai river they must have at or below 3/8 gap.  But there where your going I would go with 2/0, hey it is about catching fish and having fun and is quite a bit different than snagging..  When your flipping for reds standing facing the water at 12 o'clock, flip out enough line so that it drifts right along where the darker or blue water meets the green/gray water.  The sockeyes will run that line every time.  No need to be in the water with waders either stand at the edge as they will run shallow close to shore if not pushed out by "wading fools" thinking farther out is better...  Get the right weight on, might take switching it off and on till you get the feel of the bumping and you'll feel every rock, when it goes slack or is tight a slight pull up and game on, set the hook and have fun.  I'll get into the debate any day with those that snag and the difference between the two.  Here I watch snaggers ripping line through the water or seriously yanking at the end of the drift, you don't need to do that, reds are agresssive enough but more times than not you'll simply have the line go into it's mouth on the drift.  Mouth catches are legal, but body shots are not.  Just do not rip or you will be cited for snagging as it is NOT allowed in AK either, only in the salt is it allowed. 

[jackelope]

back in NY they call it "lifting" not snagging. As long as the rod went in an upward motion when you "set the hook" and hooked them in the mouth you were ok...we were fishing the kings out of the lake ontario trib's. It was good fun at the time but the kings were pretty much all boots.
Wear your safety glasses!!!

[Dustin07]

cool trip to AK! visiting family or something or are you just exploring the area yourself? I can't afford those guides so I have thought about just making a go for it.

[cohoho]

Jackelope gave the very BEST advise anyone can give.  WEAR GLASSES OR GOGGLES.  On the Russian River every year I personally witness near or direct hits to the eye of weights and/or hooks on bad hook ups, they come back like rockets.....

And the opener was the other day and I missed it for the third year straight........

[lokidog]

cool trip to AK! visiting family or something or are you just exploring the area yourself? I can't afford those guides so I have thought about just making a go for it.

Just a neighbor and some friends of his and one fishing buddy of mine.  No guide for the afternoon river fishing.  In the mornings we will head out for kings, then halibut and lings, come in for lunch and then river fish.  The guy whose boat we go out on lets some groups use the lower floor of his house.  Trying to keep the budget down, looks like $1500 plus airfare and might get some money back.  In years past they had someone else clean their fish but we will be doing it this year to keep costs down.  I have problems paying someone to do soething I can do anyways. 

Thanks for the tip on the glasses.  I almost got my head taken off by a 4 oz albacore jig on a shortline bungy once when the fish ripped off.

Cohoho, thanks for the tips.

[fisheral87]

Silver gnat pattern always worked for us.

Al

[Wazukie]

Alaska "Fly" fishing. got to love it. My father-in-law has been a guide on the Kenai for 30 years, http://home.gci.net/~fishak/index.html, feel free to delete link if not allowed.  I learned from someone who has been doing it professionally for a long time, and cohoho said it right, 2/0 and red yarn works best.  Lat time I was up there, literally had a fish on every 3-5 minutes. Have fun, I know I do every time I go.

[lokidog]

Thanks Wazukie, looks like a nice place.  Bought my hooks, weights and thin yarn today.  I won't be using a fly rod but plan on having fun anyways.  They say the bay is full of sockeye right now, hope something happens to scoot them into the river.  I guess the halibut and king fishing has been really good as well.

Tic toc, can't wait.

[Dustin07]

thats cool man, bring back some pics for your buddies online here 

[MtnMuley]

Sure wish I was heading to Yakitat for sockeye.  Bring an extra rod and reel as they're know for burning them up.  Good Luck!

[lokidog]

Sure wish I was heading to Yakitat for sockeye.  Bring an extra rod and reel as they're know for burning them up.  Good Luck!

Well, got back from AK.  No need to have worried about that, 50lb braid and 30 lb leaders, only lost two hooks, the other guys were breaking off a lot.  Even got a 20 pound king.  They were few and far between and closed for >20 inches the day after this was caught.

More story and pics soon.

[Dustin07]

nice, pic looks like a great time! how was weather/temp?

[MtnMuley]

Very nice!