Description

May 2014 | Biking in the Backcountry

May 2014 IssuesDepartments

Alaska Traveler 6

2014 Derbies 8

Editor’s Creel 10

Gear Bag 12

Fish Alaska Online 16

Fishing for a Compliment 18

Tackle Tech 22

Salmon Sense 24

EZ Limits: A Guide’s Angle 26

Fish Alaska Fly 30

Fish Alaska Boats 32

Fish Alaska Saltwater 34

Fish Alaska Stillwater 36

Fish Alaska Recipe 86

Advertiser Index 88

Final Drift 90

Features

The Making of a Masterpiece by Troy Buzalsky
Split-cane bamboo rods come in all shapes, styles, tapers and designs, and there is a guild of superb bamboo rod makers working today. Alaskan Chris Carlin is one such craftsman.

Killer Fly Rigs for Kings by Michael Lunde
There’s a new school of leader construction when it comes to targeting beefy, chrome-sided Chinook with a fly rod, primarily built around leader systems bolstered with saltwater knots meant for tarpon and billfish. Here is one of the most effective.

Egg Storage by JD Richey
It’s no secret that cured salmon roe is one of the deadliest baits you can put in front of an Alaska king. Here you’ll learn how to properly store the stuff so it can be put to work on the water at a later date.

Spoon Fishing for Salmon by Dave Kilhefner
Learn the lowdown on putting heavy metal in front of feisty Alaska kings in this feature geared toward the hardware-chucker.

Pinning for Kings by Terry Wiest
Veteran author Terry J. Wiest offers advice on gaining an extra edge when targeting Chinook. When the water is low and the kings are finicky, a center-pin setup may be what you need, providing a natural, drag-free drift that will look inviting even to the wariest fish.

Small-boat King Tactics by George Krumm
Don’t have a large open-water boat? No problem. George Krumm walks you through everything you need to know to target kings and halibut from your small craft in Cook Inlet.

The Kings of Southeast by Terry Sheely
There may be better places to catch king salmon than southeast Alaska, but not to catch them as consistently, and not from May all the way into September — and in so many diverse arenas. Terry Sheely walks us through the when and where.

COVER/An effective bait for boondogging Chinook. ©Marcus Weiner