Description
Departments
4 Fish Alaska Online
6 Alaska Traveler
10 Creel
12 Fishing for a Compliment
14 Gear Bag
16 Salmon Sense
18 Fly
20 Boats
30 Saltwater
34 Coho Chronicles
38 Flyfishing
40 Conservation
79 Ad Index
80 Recipe
82 Final Drift
On the Cover:
George Krumm with a 33-inch Naknek rainbow taken on a swung fly last fall. © George Krumm
44
Girls’ Trip by Melissa Norris
Women in flyfishing are the fastest growing segment of the flyfishing demographic. Fish Alaska Publisher Melissa Norris joined Women’s Flyfishing and FisheWear owner Linda Leary for the annual Women’s Flyfishing Kenai Cannery Retreat on the Kenai River. Rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, silver salmon, and women’s fellowship were on the agenda.
52
A Fall to Remember by George Krumm
Everyone knows that the vaunted waters of the Naknek kick out mega ‘bows with regularity. Most know that due to its popularity, angling pressure has increased over the decades. You’d think that the quality of the fishing would decline as a result. However, Fish Alaska Editor and Flyfishing columnist George Krumm claims the fishing is only getting better. Last fall’s trip put an oversized exclamation point on that claim.
60
The 2 Meccas of Monsters by Jeremy Anderson
Jeremy Anderson has been a guide on the Kenai River for years. He knows the river and its rainbow trout as few others do. He’s an aficionado of rainbows. In this piece, he compares and contrasts two of the world’s most renowned rainbow trout meccas: his backyard mistress—the Kenai, and Patagonia’s bucket-list stillwater destination, Jurassic Lake.
66
East Meets West: Euronymphing in Alaska by Joe Jackson
Budding fly angler and writer Joe Jackson and his wife began planning a trip to Slovenia some time ago. Like many of us, Joe can’t go anywhere without investigating the flyfishing opportunities that might exist. In his quest for knowledge, he learned Euronymphing was high on the list of go-to techniques for the region, and he began to learn and practice the technique on his home waters in Alaska. Maybe Euronymphing will work for you, too.
72
Pattern or Presentation? by E. Donnall Thomas Jr.
It’s funny, how fly anglers who are fishing near someone who is having extraordinary success often ask the same question: “What fly are you using?” The answer to that question—whether you’re fishing stillwater, saltwater, or moving water—sometimes matters. But often, it’s the wrong question.
