P.O. Still, I continued on, motivated by the fact I was on the world-famous Situk River near Yakutat, Alaska, in mid-April carrying my favorite fly rod and a trove of proven flies in search of steelhead. My brother-in-law caught one that day and lost a couple of others. Did Pats make Mac Jones happy? The process to implement this new strategy is ongoing. We took turns rowing through log jams and one time in a long, shallow rapid when I was on the sticks and Shannon was watching for rocks, we missed one, or rather, we didnt miss it. From swinging flies like the Dirty Hoh and Mini Intruder, to smaller offerings like our custom Liquid Wrench and of course the crazy but effective Garcia Glo Bug. This trail follows the river for a mile then turns inland, crosses the Old Situk, and returns to the river at the Forest Service's Eagle and Raven Cabins. Because fall steelhead are not preoccupied with spawning rituals and are coming into the river to overwinter and spawn the following spring, they are active feeders and can be very aggressive. Anglers often float the stretch of river between the two access points. Performance Management, Digital Touched by the water. Its better to look at the first trip to the Situk as exploratory or even as a pilgrimage. The Situk does not give up its prized quarry easily and is a very technical river to fish. Tie into a long egg loop knot then dunk it and wring it out and trim it up to a smooth round ball. Appreciate any insight people might have. Located near the small community of Yakutat, Alaska, the Situk River is a unique and prolific river even by Alaska standards. Work on the Situk River Lower Landing boat launch is continuing but should be done by this weekend. Yakutat is one of the rainiest places on earth, but as our fishing days approached, we saw breaks in the clouds. These fall runs begin in late August and early September and typically peak in the middle of October. Controller for SteelHead, NetIM In addition to strong runs of all five species of Pacific salmon, the Situk hosts incredible Dolly Varden char, cutthroat, resident rainbow trout and Alaska's largest run of steelhead. Beautiful scenery, wild landscapes, and healthy populations of fish and wildlife are what make places like Yakutat so special. Anyone have recommendations on specific gear to use? My friend Josiah Darr, a steelheader and a scribe greeted me in the bar to say he was fishing the river these last two weeks of April. Its not shaped like a steelhead river.. Brent Kesey is one of those anglers and I've spent many hours with him casting flies in the clear, cold waters of southeast Alaska. Situk River Fly Fishing For Spectacular Spring Steelhead - Yakutat, Alaska, this Alaska road trip that will lead you through some of the most treasured tiny towns, Kepler Park - The History, The Future & The Fish, El Capitan Cave, Alaska's largest abovegroundcave, This Campsite Inside Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park Named Most Beautiful In America, 17 Incredible Alaska Field Trips Many Kids Took And Will Love Even More Now. Jake looked at me. The lower 14 miles are floatable from the Nine Mile Bridge down almost to the ocean and while that is not so unremarkable, the river is choked with wood. During peak migrations the catch rates of steelhead on the Situk River are often in excess of 10 fish per day, per angler, especially on guided trips. The bead has got to hunt, Wyatt said. 3Customer will be charged at the local call rate. None of us would have met each other except for steelhead. Fishing on six fabulous river systems of the Yakutat Alaska area is just a short flight with our air taxi partner. LockA locked padlock The natural-run Yakutat steelhead fishing is considered the best in the world. Sink. During the past 15 years, the run of metalheads in the Situk River has grown from an estimated low of 338 in 1993 to a high of 15,003 in 2006, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Also: The best gear for anglers camping in Alaska. The fish were really hot that evening and more than once a steelie would take our offering, make the wrong turn and end up several yards out of the water. Over the course of the rivers run, it only loses 1,640 feet of elevation. Chest waders are a must. wildernessenterprises@gmail.com, Joe Letarte ~ 7445 Chena Hotsprings Rd ~ Fairbanks ~ Alaska 99712 As soon as it was gone, I fired a cast into the same run, hooked one and lost it. Salmon runs fill the river from June through October and steelhead filter in beginning in the fall and in a larger spring run. But intermittent meadows and alder thickets made life miserable with chest-high snow and a completely obscured path. But most would simply take off downstream, and sometimes upstream, never to be seen again. All five species of Alaskas Pacific salmon can be found in Yakutat, in addition to rainbow trout, steelhead trout, coastal cutthroat trout, and Dolly Varden. The rainbow-striped 13-pounder (as told by the length and girth formula) took a deep-running Wicked Lures spinner and battled back and forth across the river, thrashing at the surface, taking dad a considerable ways downstream before it was brought to hand. Bank anglers fish up from the bridge and down from the bridge and the first mile upstream and downstream can be crowded. although fish 15-20 lbs. Some stocks of steelhead can travel hundreds of miles upriver to reach their spawning grounds. It originates from the Situk and Mountain lakes and flows 18 miles through old-growth forests and muskeg meadows into the Gulf of Alaska and the North Pacific Ocean. They moved when the light was low morning and evening and held close to cover during the day. There are also guided boating trips and boat rentals available from nearby lodges. Blog by Gary Lewis Alaska Fishing Trips, 2021 Alaska Fishing with Mark Glassmaker, Website by OTC Web Design Girdwood, Alaska | SEO by SocialSEO. about family discounts, senior rates, & package fishing trip offers. They are warm and personable, and truly care about making your trip memorable. Kenai Peninsula Steelhead Fishing is primarily a fall pursuit and takes place on the southern Kenai Peninsula rivers: The Anchor, Deep Creek, Ninilchik and the Upper Kasilof. The next days would be clear and warm. Both conventional tackle and fly fishing work well. Email Us, Board of Fisheries and Game: Actions & Activities, Threatened, Endangered, and Diversity Program, Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS), About the Division of Commercial Fisheries, Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP), Online General Season & Registration Permits, Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Permits, CSIS Community Subsistence Information System, The Technical Papers and Special Publications Series. Add to that our top choices for custom beads along with hooks, pegs and indicators. Whether you are fly fishing, drift fishing, or spin casting, we will put you on the fish!This unique early season trip puts you on a slow moving wilderness stream, ideal for fly or spin fishing for NativeRainbow and Cutthroat Trout. Upstream habitat is critical for highly migratory fish like salmon. These trips are strictly walk and wade excursions and require a certain degree of hiking ability and wading mobility. However, the runs are so immense that by sheer chance some fish are extremely big and occasionally I'll land one more than 40 inches in length. A small number steelhead also enter the Situk in the fall to overwinter in the drainage. Toll. There were a lot of fish compared to what Ive grown accustomed to in the Lower 48, but there were a lot more people than I am accustomed to. From $175.00. The Xirrus product line has been acquired by Cambium Networks. If youd like to get involved with efforts to conserve the Tongass National Forest visit americansalmonforest.org. Then again, "Many of the steelhead trout in the southeast lay their eggs within just a few miles of the ocean," said Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Jason Shull. TTY:907-228-6222 Miller has big dreams of some day tapping into that traffic and taking . Great report! Every one in our group caught steelhead, but the same could not be said for many of the fishermen gathered in the bar on our last evening. Sink. The repeal left critical areas like the Yakutat Forelands, and the areas incredible fish runs, at risk. Drifting down this clear water river with is pools and runs provide the perfect arena for catching one of the hardest fighting, fast action fish there is to catch. Thats quite the accomplishment in a fish-filled state. With an annual return of 4,500-8,000 fish, the Situk hosts the largest steelhead run in the state. On days 2 and 3, all the best holes had guides and their clients. And then it began to look like we were going to get the best weather of the year so far. Huge trees lay on their sides with limbs bare and curled, like rib cages of long-dead dinosaurs. In Yakutat, from March through April, the buzz is about chrome bullets fresh from the salt and rainbow-splashed, deep-bodied wild fish, some of the biggest in the world. You can contact Riverbed online or over the phone. Miller, the founder of the non-profit museum and owner of the shop, sells gear and provides fishing reports for thousands of anglers who visit or wish they could visit the Situk River, a 16-mile river famous for its massive production of steelhead trout and salmon. YAKUTAT, Alaska It was pitch black, freezing and a headlamp was required to follow the snow covered trail. Oh yeah, you probably wont be able to see the stars because of the rain, but thats okay. Sixteen miles long, the Situk River is unlike any other steelhead river Ive fished. Thanks, Matt! If you only know the names of two fish in the world, they'll probably be Salmon and Trout. Cooper Landing Fishing Guide, LLC. The Situk is accessed at the top end via a nine-mile bridge and the float to the bottom takeout is 14 miles. The health of the run is arguably a big factor in my recent success. This is comprised of both winter and spring-run fish with their spawn occurring in April and May. The Forest Services new direction for the Tongass will work with communities, local businesses, and anglers and hunters to help make sure places like the rivers and streams near Yakutat remain a thriving fish factory for generations to come. Country / Region. They are not prepared to stay out overnight and hence, they start the drift at 8:30 in the morning and get off the river some 10 to 12 hours later. 13. The primary fishery takes place from April to June, with peak effort occurring in May. 5928 Views 15 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Large Edward, . When was this article written? The fall flood significantly changed the Upper Situk, and . That was 40-something Trey Sharp, and he never said how many fish he caught. By exploring long straight stretches of water, using polarized glasses and targeting schools of char, a fly-rodder can find great sport. website belongs to an official government organization in the During the past 15 years, the run of metalheads in the Situk River has grown from an estimated low of 338 in 1993 to a high of 15,003 in 2006, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The Situk is world renowned, but it is just one of the rivers that make Yakutat so special. How much does a Situk River fishing charter cost? Sitting in the airport on the way back, all I can think of is how I wish my trip wasn't over and how soon I can get back to Yakutat Alaska. Tracking fifth-year options for 2020 first-rounders: Which were picked up, and which were declined? The Situk River has two steelhead runs: one in the spring and one in the fall. Information, Mailing 1UIFN toll free numbers are not supported by some mobile carriers. They're also the reason fly fishing - arguably, sportfishing in general - exists. : coho and pink salmon, and rainbow trout; Oct.: coho salmon, rainbow trout, and steelhead; Nov.-March: steelhead. Another large fish, well over 20 pounds followed it up out of the deep water. 50, Man United in pole position for top four, but can't take their eyes off Liverpool, The VAR Review: Red cards for Jota, Skipp; Richarlison penalty claim, Zags, Vols have gained spots in men's WTE Top 25, Titans quarterback Will Levis opens up about emotional draft day, After hoopla of going No. The Situk cuts its magical swath through pristine Southeast Alaska rainforest and its unique substrate, flow, mineral content all combine to create the most ideal steelhead stream imaginable. Pull over and get out! Moose hunting is good to excellent. The low water dramatically affects the Upper Situk in terms of fishing ability. It originates from the Situk and Mountain lakes and flows 18 miles through old-growth forests and muskeg meadows into the Gulf of Alaska and the North Pacific Ocean. Trade-Up Assets, Riverbed Authorized Pete Eades at the Glacier Bear Lodge had told me there would be no guides available at the end of April. Riverbed Global Support Email: support@riverbed.com. When planning your steelhead guided Alaska fishing trip, the river is accessible via the town of Yakutat which sees two flights daily from Alaska Airlines via Seattle or Anchorage. These guys are the most popular fish on the market. Alaska Fishing Guides Most of these anglers likely know that Yakutat is known as the Yakutat Fish Factory and is one of the best places in Alaska to catch these fish, but how many know why this place is a hotbed for salmon and trout populations? Red Pipe status culverts impede fish migration. He got it. These fish winter beneath Situk Lake . United States government. On our first day I hooked five steelhead with the river green and dropping. They can catch big numbers of fish when the conditions are right. Trout Unlimiteds mission is to protect, reconnect and restore North Americas coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Within the Forelands, there are at least eight instances where roads cross streams and impede fish migration. The world renowned Situk River is home to the largest steelhead run in Alaska. If we had been on the river the day before, I might have hooked ten. is considered the best in the world. So many times in my life I have found snappy fish with other snappy fish. The Situk River steelhead fishery is the largest steelhead fishery in the state, accounting for nearly half of the steelhead caught annually in Alaska. The Situk offers many miles of accessible fishing locations to the angler willing to hike. And now we were at the Glacier Bear Lodge in a town called Yakutat where the rain had stopped and the snow had melted and we found ourselves in a unique circumstance where almost everyone in the lodge was there for one thing. The Rodeo Hole is a pinch point right now and very difficult to jet boat through. And quiet confidence and swagger for the fishermen who figure it out. Map created by Mark Hieronymus. Heading downriver it wasn't long before I encountered some promising shadows along a deep cutbank. Like any good steelhead river, there was lots of gravel, but there were no large boulders. Closer to the weekend, and with the river low and clear, our hook-up ratios dropped considerably. With an annual return of 4,500-8,000 fish, the Situk hosts the largest steelhead run in the state. In that spirit of sportsmanship, anglers share techniques in the few restaurants, down at the hardware store, over a coffee at Fat Grandmas or between beers at the bar. The Situk River offers outstanding fishing for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and steelhead, as well as sockeye, pink, king and coho salmon. The Situk drains a gentle plain of muskeg and trackless forest, as well as a lake fed by melting snows. Each year we start our fishing season in mid-March for spring steelhead in the world-famous Situk River. A classic fall-run Situk River steelhead. In July, the Forest Service announced its new Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy. Under this new strategy, the Forest Service is ending large-scale old-growth logging and refocusing its efforts on restoration, recreation and resiliency. I turned the handle of the reel, felt the slow thump of the blade in the soft rod tip, felt it load up. We were hungry for steelhead. Once spring fish enter the river, however, they are preparing to spawn and often can be very difficult to hook as they appear seemingly uninterested in any terminal tackle. We do have drift boats for you, he said. This makes boat travel very difficult, both drift and power boats. By late April, it can depend on rain to stay fishable and floatable. Top 11 Salmon Fishing Rods: 1. CHECK LATEST PRICE. There are only two or three good access points and anglers jam into boats at the same time every day to compete for the same fish. Before you pick up the phone, consider our other support options such as the knowledge base, user documentation, and online cases, as they may be quicker and easier for you. The Forest Services new Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy will realign the agency away from outdated and costly practices that damage the forest and important fish and wildlife habitat, towards management activities that benefit local communities, the southeast Alaska economy, and our fish and wildlifelike hiring local businesses to fix culverts that do not meet fish-passage standards. angling for steelhead and four species of pacific salmon and trout on the Situk River. Check out our favorite flies for fishing the legendary Situk River in Yakutat for steelhead. The small difference in elevation from its headwaters to the ocean creates meandering riffle-and-pool habitat throughout the river. Stream-side cabin accommodations. and Management, Cloud Steelhead & Steelhead Cloud 7 Days, 6 Nights: $3,500/person5 Days, 4 Nights: $2,500/person, Minimum 2 peopleDepart from from Yakutat, AlaskaIncludes lodging, (907) 488-7517 - Five minutes later, I cradled it in shallow water. This area includes numerous streams and rivers that have similar characteristics as the Situk: clean water, a meandering channel, perfect spawning gravel and slow tributaries. The Situk River boasts runs of both. On the first day we were able to pick good spots from among the other anglers. With a Riverbed support plan in place, you can be assured that you will limit expensive downtime while maintaining the high level of performance expected from your Steelhead appliance deployment. Having fished steelhead in the Situk River for the past nine straight years, my mission was clear: I needed to hike a couple of miles upriver to a few reaches of the river that had always held ample numbers of these often-elusive fish. This river, defined as it is by wood which can move around from day to day or week to week, changes so much that good holes come and go faster than any river I have ever seen. Most of the spawning in the Situk River takes place between the mouth of the stream and Situk Lake, a distance of about 19 river miles. Although the float can be done in one, long day, typically anglers will take two or three days to do the trip, fishing as they float and camping near good concentrations of fish. Everywhere, rainbow-striped shadows darted through grasping roots and submerged branches, spooky in the clear water. Products, Report This section of river extends for two miles and is closed to all fishing for most for the steelhead season. Our drift boats were staged at the bridge, waiting. Situk steelhead are not considered large, robust fish by any means and fish are generally "cookie cutters" between 28 and 33 inches. Those might be the two biggest steelhead you will ever see, I said. (Situk River) for mid May, fishing the salt for 1-2 days and the river for 4. The largest steelhead I've seen landed in the Situk was 46 inches, and I've heard rumors of a couple of larger specimens. The pace was brisk in the areas of trail protected by a dense canopy of Sitka spruce and hemlock forest. Riverbed Global Support Email: support@riverbed.com. From your home base here in Yakutat, Alaska. The Yakutat Alaska area offers Alaska's finest river & saltwater fishing without the high cost factor of more remote destinations. "After Tony hooked his second fish in the first 10 minutes of our float, I started to believe in the magic of metal," author Randall Bonner writes of their experience.

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