Alaskan fly fishing

Alaskan fly fishing is often something that outdoor sports enthusiastsdream about. Fly fishing in Alaska is like fishing no other place onearth. The legendary sizes of the fish caught, the breathtakingenvironment, and the daylight hours during fishing season make flyfishing in Alaska a great attraction.

Thevariety of fish available in Alaska surprises many people. A lot oftimes, novice fishers believe that Alaska is famous only for theirsalmon. But there are opportunities to catch halibut, rainbow trout,arctic char, grayling, and pike. This is not to say though that thosegiant Chinook, most commonly known as King Salmon, is not the big drawto the Alaska fishing industry. There have been King Salmon caught byrecreational fisherman that were as big as 85 pounds. The largest oneon record, caught by a commercieal fisher was 127 pounds. They begintheir spawning season and May, and it lasts through September, creatingthe ideal time for catching them.

The best season for fishing inAlaska is May through September. In late May, fishing can be riskybecause it is still early, but it is a great time for capturing KingSalmon if you know the right locations. When the weather begins to warmin June, Sockeye Salmon jump into the mix. July is one of the mostpopular months for fishing in Alaska, and many tour groups offer fly infishing trips where they fly you to more remote locations of the state.In August, rainbow trout and grayling increase in availability, as KingSalmon season winds to a close. In September, the trout are stillplentiful, as are steelheads, silvers, and Dolly Vardens. Later in theseason, you will have the opportunity to catch larger fish, so if yourgoal is to nab a trophy-size fish, head up to Alaska later in thesummer.

A concern some people have when traveling in thewilderness of Alaska is the abundance of dangerous wildlife. It isimportant to be familiar with bear safety,and if you are fishing with atour group, they will more than likely provide information, and rarelytake you fishing in areas that are the most dangerous. However, keep inmind basic safety while fishing. Do not do things to attract bears. Keep an eye out for posted signs warning you of their presence and bealert while fishing. If you should happen upon a bear, walk away if hehas not seen you. If the bear is close and spots you, remain calm.Behave in typically human ways by speaking loudly to the bear, andbegin to back away in a diagonal direction, stopping if he bear startsto follow. Always remember, the worst thing you can do is run!

Manycompanies offer fishing tours that include fishing instruction,transportation, accomodations and dining. They will aid you in findingthe spots that are most plentiful when fishing, and the most safe tospend time in. Most packages will provide bait and gear, so thoseflying from locations around the world do not have to worry aboutpacking their fishing equipment, or those that aren't regular sportfishers don't need to buy new.The fishing season offers temps in the60's and 70's, and 15-22 hour days, so you are sure to get your money'sworth. After catching fish, you can bring them home as part of yourluggage. Most of the fishing tours also offer shipping for anadditional fee.

Packing for a fishing trip

Tuesday, 30 December 2008 20:36

Preparing and packing for a fishing trip

If you have decided to participcate in an Alaska fishing trip,congratulations. You are almost guaranteed to have be amazed at thebeauty of the breathtaking scenery and environment of the state. Thosethat have never been to Alaska, or that are unfamiliar with fishing inthe state, may be at a loss for how to pack for a trip so exciting andadventurous. Experienced Alaskan fishers can give you advice on what topack so you will have everything you need to have an enjoyable trip.

Alot of times when people think about Alaska weather, they think ofbitter cold. You will want to choose warm clothing, but since you willtypically be fishing during the comfortable period of weather inAlaska, there is no need to overdo the hats, scarves, and gloves. Besure to dress in layers, so if the day starts out cold, you can removeclothing as the sun warms things up. Be sure to have waterprooffootwear, and typical raingear in order to protect you from theelements should a shower occur. Do not forget the sunglasses, suncreen,and hat, and always put your wallet and any valuables in a plastic,zipped bag to protect them from an unexpected dip in a strea.

Ifyou are participating in a fishing charter or tour, you will likelyneed very little in the way of fishing gear. But those traveling ontheir own will want to spend a fair amount of time choosing their gear.Because it can be difficult in more remote parts of Alaska to replaceanything that may be lost or broken, you may want to consider bringingtwo of anything that is vital to the trip. Most people bring along twofly fishing rods, several of a variety of Alaska flies, and nets, filetknives, and a multi-use tool that includes scissors and clamps. If youare an inexperienced fisher, this is a category you will want toresearch carefully to be sure you are prepared for the type of fishingyou will be doing in Alaska.

Try not to forget, this willprobably be a once in a lifetime vacation! Bring along your cameras andvideo recorders so you will be able to look back on the pictures andvideos of your trip for years to come. You may see some unexpectedsights on your trip that you will surely want to capture on film. Besure to protect these items with waterproof containers. You may alsowant to consider bringing a spare camera, just in case. If you have adigital camera, do not forget batteries and an extra memory card. Ifyou are going it old school, remember plenty of film.

Your finalpacking consideration will be safety gear. You will truly be in thewilderness during your trip, and you will want to pack as such. Manytravelers carry pepper spray with them, which works as a greatdeterrent should a bear launch an attack against you. Some people feelsafer carrying a gun, so you will want to research the type needed tocombat a bear and the travel restrictions if this is what you choose toprotect yourself. Remember, bear attacks are rare, there are specialrequirements should you need to destroy a bear that is attacking you,and often, the use of a gun does more damage to the gun owner than thebear. Consider other forms of protection unless you are an experiencedshooter or hunter. But also realize that a bear attack is always aremote possibility in the wilderness of Alaska, and be prepared toprotect yourself.