Description
Departments
4 Fish Alaska Online
6 Alaska Traveler
8 Creel
10 Fishing for a Compliment
12 Gear Bag
16 Salmon Sense
18 Fly
20 Boats
28 Saltwater
30 Coho Chronicles
32 Flyfishing
34 Conservation
70 Recipe
72 Ad Index
74 Final Drift
On the Cover
Lingcod are aggressive predators that will attack a well-presented jig. © Josh Leach
38
Special Section: Upcoming Events for Anglers by Melissa Norris
There are many events that take place each summer that are of interest to anglers. Read more about them in this special section so you can put some on your calendar.
42
Slice, Sauce, and Flop to Better Herring by Terry W. Sheely
A rigged herring has arguably caught more salmon than any other bait on the planet. However, variations in how you prepare the bait, put it on the hooks, and the gear you use all play a role in how effective your herring will be. Terry Sheely expounds upon the traditional and the unorthodox to give you ideas on fishing a better herring.
50
The Alaska Rockfish – An Unwanted Bycatch or Unsung Hero of the Abyss by Troy Buzalsky
Rockfish are generally plentiful in Alaska and can be caught with everything from fly gear, to light spinning or baitcasting outfits, to more traditional (and heavier) conventional gear. They’re generally easy to catch once you find them. Troy Buzalsky covers some of his favorite rockfish techniques in this feature, and highlights three operations in Kodiak, Prince of Wales, and Whittier, respectively.
58
Going Slow for Alaska Bottomfish by Josh Leach
By now, you’ve probably heard the term “slow-pitch jigging,” but maybe you’re not sure what it is or how to do it. Slow-pitch jigging departs significantly from what most Alaska anglers think of when they visualize jigging for deepwater bottomfish. In this feature, Josh Leach provides a description of the slow-pitch gear, variations of slow-pitch jigging techniques, and how to land fish with slow-pitch tackle.
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The Simple Spiral by George Krumm
Anglers are notorious in their quest of a better mousetrap, whether it’s a better way to rig herring, a better knot to tie, or a better rod. A spiral-wrapped rod, especially for larger fish like Chinook salmon, big lings and halibut, is a superior mousetrap compared to conventional rods. Though there are several spiral-wrap methods, the “simple spiral” is the easiest to build, and in Editor George Krumm’s opinion, the best method for most of the types of rods we use in Alaska. In this article, he extolls the advantages of the simple spiral, and tells you how to build one.
