Fall Steelhead Primer
By Troy Letherman
It’s that time of year again, tail-end of the seasonal transition from fish-filled summer to the short, cold, dark days of winter, our rivers frozen over, our fish gone deep and our fly rods buried beneath the coats, hats and mittens in the closet. But for the hardest of the hardcore, there’s one last opportunity to wade deep, swing low and tie into a mint-bright anadromous missile—and for many of us, it’s the best opportunity of all for fall steelhead.
Steelhead.
Even better, fall steelhead. [emember_protected custom_msg=’This content is available for subscribers only.’]
While the majority of Alaska’s steelhead returns to southeast Alaska are spring runs, for the steelhead stocks of the Kenai and Alaska peninsulas, the Copper River drainage and Kodiak Island, most returns occur in the fall. There are, however, some autumn returns in Southeast as well. On Prince of Wales Island, for example, the ADF&G has determined that approximately 14 streams receive runs of fall fish, about one for every five or six steelhead streams on the island. Department biologists also believe that the fall runs in Southeast tend to be smaller than spring returns, but as of yet, there is very little definite stock assessment information to support the supposition.
These fall fish typically arrive at their freshwater destinations in August, September, October and throughout the winter months. In some rivers, like the Situk, the Karluk and the Thorne, anglers fishing during the early months of the year will find mixed stocks of over-wintered fall and dime-bright spring fish.
In general, steelhead that return in the fall are bound for river systems with headwater lakes. There are few exceptions, as only large streams with plenty of pools and water deep enough to ensure survival throughout the winter can host fall-returning fish. Whether a return occurs during the spring or fall really shouldn’t matter to an angler trying to locate steelhead, though, as both can be found holding in the same type of water during the run. Nonetheless, some believe fall steelhead are more willing and aggressive biters. If this is indeed true, it might have something to do with there being generally higher water temperatures in the fall, after a summer of increased daylight hours. Or perhaps fall fish have evolved with a more prominent freshwater feeding impulse, since it’s necessary for them to feed at least some to survive the winter. The only certain thing, however, is that Alaska’s fall returnees will hold at the heads of pools and runs and pick off drifting salmon eggs, providing anglers an opportune occasion to drift Glo-bugs or other egg patterns through the best steelhead lies.
Gear For Fall Steelhead
Alaska’s steelhead can be found in everything from the pocket water of short, shallow coastal streams to the deep runs of a larger river like some found on the wind-swept Alaska Peninsula. An angler might only need a six-weight rod and his floating line one day, while the next rising water levels might require stepping up to a rod more capable of casting heavy sinking lines.
If there’s any common trait to steelhead gear, it’s that anglers will want a fast-action rod with a stiff butt section. No matter the line weight it’s designed to cast, a rod with a faster action will allow anglers to throw tighter loops, which aids not only in casting for distance, but when forced to deliver a fly through driving wind. Nine- to 10-foot lengths are generally the most frequent choice for Alaska steelheaders. The longer rods, especially 10-foot models, allow anglers to roll cast, mend and pickup line easier and faster. Longer rods are also more versatile. An angler fishing a 10-foot, 7-weight fly rod can “high-stick” and use a Leisenring Lift technique to probe good holding water on the Situk with a floating line, and then use that same rod when loading up with sinking lines to swing streamers on the Karluk River in a 20-knot wind.
With steelhead lines, again, versatility is the key. Where fish are holding in the water column is dependent on a number of factors, including water temperature and conditions, fishing pressure and the time of day. To consistently make the most desirable presentations, anglers must be prepared to deliver a fly at the proper water level under any possible circumstances. To this end, a full range of lines from a weight-forward floating line to sink-tips and fast, full-sinking lines may be needed. The most experienced anglers will know what line they need to deliver the fly before making even a single cast.
Today’s anglers have a number of choices they can make in regards to floating lines, as many of the most popular fly line companies have begun manufacturing tapers intended to maximize results under specialized circumstances. Many of these lines are tailored to the steelheader and all will remain supple in the cold-water environments fall anglers will encounter. Steelhead tapers and similar weight-forward lines can be a great asset if fishing large, wind-resistant streamers. Specialty nymph lines with short heads can also be handy for the small-stream steelheader, as they’re designed to load quickly. Most of the new steelhead tapers and nymph lines also allow for more precise and efficient mending. A third type of specialty weight-forward floating line is designed for big-water fishing. These lines frequently have longer heads for increased distance casting and extended rear tapers, which facilitate long-distance mends and line pickup. For subsurface presentations, a selection from Type III sink-tips to the much quicker sinking Type VI lines will suffice for most any occasion. Short five- to seven-foot sink-tips can be ideal for fishing less water or softer flows.
Perhaps the first requirement to consider in constructing steelhead leaders is the wariness of the fish. Even on their best days, steelhead are cagey; in low or clear water situations, they can be downright skittish. Fluorocarbon leaders enjoy low refraction indexes and allow anglers to retain greater line strengths without compromising stealth. The material does not absorb water and has less stretch than monofilament, perhaps increasing sensitivity. Either level leaders or those constructed in step-down tapers can be used. When using fluorocarbon, however, knots should be tied carefully, well lubricated and pulled down incrementally to ensure they’re completely seated.
If fishing sink-tips or full-sinking lines, nothing longer than six feet is necessary. Leaders longer than this will inevitably rise even while the line sinks, repeatedly causing the fly to drift out of the zone. In situations where the water carries a high rate of turbidity, or when fishing heavy riffles or otherwise broken water, long leaders again become less important. However, on rivers with low flows where the steelhead are holding in deeper pools, extending leader length is the prudent choice. In shallow water, a short leader will put the fly line on the water much too near holding fish, usually spooking them from their lie and guaranteeing a bump-free drift. Longer leaders in these situations will make for a decidedly better presentation, keeping the fly line—and its shadow—away from holding fish. A good general starting point is a leader of nine feet. By closely monitoring their drift, anglers can then shorten or lengthen the leader as the situation dictates, always keeping the fly working at the proper level in the water column.
Flies for Fall Steelhead
Generally speaking, there are five important groups of steelhead flies, Spey patterns being the first. Many popular Northwest patterns like the Freight Train, Skykomish Sunrise and Green Butt Skunk can be tied in a variety of ways, one of which is in the Spey style. The second group contains waking flies such as Bombers and Sliders, none of which are very common on Alaska streams. Faithful imitations of various nymphs comprise another class of steelhead flies, and patterns from this troupe are seen a bit more regularly on Last Frontier steelhead waters. More realistic shrimp and prawn imitations make up the next collection. First introduced to North America steelheaders in the winter fisheries of British Columbia, this group is embodied by the oft-imitated General Practitioner. The last of the five contains the marabou flies ordinarily tied in the style of the Alaskabou series. In Alaska, especially in the areas where fall returns occur, there should probably be a sixth group added: Flies representing salmon eggs. Glo-bugs, Babine Specials and the ubiquitous Egg-sucking Leech would have to go here.
Even with the wide range of patterns available, most anglers would agree that size and presentation remain the most important detail in choosing a steelhead fly. And size considerations are primarily connected to water clarity and depth. When the water is exceedingly clear, a small, sparse fly (down to a size 8) will almost always produce the most consistent results, regardless of color. If the water is turbid, a large fly will often be the best choice. Drab colors (purple and black) are also the way to go when fishing deep, dark or off-color water, as in those situations steelhead probably won’t see much color variation anyway. Hence a big profile is the key. Good sizes for these times can range all the way up to 1/0. Colors for high-water situations usually range towards the brighter end of the scale, with many anglers choosing to utilize pinks, oranges, yellow and fluorescent green. A good percentage of anglers follow the “bright day, bright fly; dark day, dark fly” mantra, but color theory should also take into account proximity to saltwater. A lot of times anglers fishing the tides or near river mouths will find that patterns displaying the same intense colors as those exhibited by favored steelhead food sources—prawns, shrimp, squid—are the most successful.
Fall Steelhead Fishing Options
For the purposes of this primer, we’ll stay away from the fall fish of Southeast, as the region is by far better known for and more productive in the spring. That leaves us with the fish of the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak and Afognak islands and southcentral Alaska, where the headliner remains as it always has been—the Anchor River.
Anchor River steelhead are one of Alaska’s most famous wild runs of steelhead. As the river sits just a four-hour drive from Anchorage, they draw strong contingents of weekend warriors and steelhead diehards alike. Still, a kind of tranquility falls on the community of Anchor Point in late autumn, as the oppressive crowds of weekend salmon anglers are gone and the river’s left to the returning steelhead and the anglers that pursue them.
Part of the Anchor’s allure is its intimate nature. Primarily a pocket fishery, the stream nevertheless offers a surprising amount of varied water. Almost every corner will have a different flavor than the previous. For example, anglers might be able to find a boulder garden, a seemingly bottomless pool, and a long, medium-depth riffle within a few hundred yards of each other, all holding fresh steelhead. It’s a very easy river to fish as well, unlike many of the oversized, rambling waters Pacific Northwest steelheaders may be accustomed to. The Anchor usually heats up in mid to late September, though a good proportion of the run usually doesn’t enter the river until after October 1. The Anchor River did come precariously close to losing its steelhead in the 1980s, but changes in management and the adoption of a catch-and-release policy for steelhead has enabled the wild brood to endure. Thankfully, Anchor steelhead can now be found in numbers reminiscent of the early years.
The Anchor can also serve as a staging area for adventuresome anglers in search of other stocks of the Kenai Peninsula steelhead. Deep Creek, the Ninilchik River and Stariski Creek also support runs, and all are within short driving distance of Anchor Point. Farther north is an old standby, the perhaps long forgotten Kasilof River, where past hatchery progeny still prowl Crooked Creek in the fall and a few wild descendants appear during a small spring fishery. None of these streams supports as significant a return as the Anchor does. They usually receive lighter effort, though, and impeccable timing can result in some great fall fishing.
On Kodiak, the meandering Karluk River contains the largest population of steelhead on the island, with runs averaging between 4,000 and 8,000 fish. In Alaska, only the Situk River has a higher annual return. The Ayakulik, Uganik, Dog Salmon, Saltery and Litnik rivers also support populations, as does Pauls Creek, with each averaging between a few hundred and 1,500 returning steelhead each year. The steelhead in both the Karluk and Ayakulik rivers are fall fish, entering freshwater in mid-August and continuing throughout the winter months. There is rumored to be a small spring run in the Karluk River as well, but the peak of the runs on Kodiak normally occur in October, with fish averaging six- to seven pounds and occasional trophies up to 15 pounds being taken.
The Karluk, flowing just over twenty miles from it source at Karluk Lake to a terminus at Karluk Lagoon and Shelikof Strait, can be exceedingly skinny water. There are few places for steelhead to hold throughout the stream, with the exception of a handful of areas near the Portage where fish can be found in concentrated numbers. Otherwise the Karluk’s steelhead are moving, stopping to rest occasionally in the little holding water available, which usually amounts to small divots in the streambed and short cuts next to banks. Anglers might locate a handful of steelhead in a stretch of river, only to find the next half-mile isn’t more than ten inches deep. Steelhead will blow through these areas, not stopping until they find acceptable cover.
Viable populations of steelhead are also known to inhabit the Afognak Archipelago and the streams that empty into Raspberry Strait. René Limeres, an Alaskan outfitter who fishes Afognak regularly, explains that fishing this area may take a little more planning than some other Alaska steelhead locales. “Most of the Afognak rivers are short,” Limeres says. “And hitting them just right requires a little due diligence.” That being said, some great fishing can be had when one does stumble on the right conditions. “Plan around big fall tides to bring the fish,” Limeres added. Unfortunately, some of the fall tides occur during the night, which makes fishing them virtually impossible. Plus, these short Afognak rivers often havevery little holding water, and most of the fish will travel to headwaters near or into the source lake, sometimes completing the entire journey in under a couple hours time.
In all, sixteen river systems on Kodiak and Afognak islands support populations of steelhead, and this is actually quite common for many of them. Some, like the Litnik River and Saltery and Malina creeks are no more than about three miles long. Fishing any of this type of stream for steelhead, and finding success, is heavily dependent on the tides, when tidewater areas and whatever holding water is available in the streams themselves can provide phenomenal action. However, within a few hours of the tide having come in, all the fish may be gone.
Most travel on Kodiak is accomplished by boat or plane, and several charter businesses and local air carriers are based on the island. Major air carriers also service Kodiak on a daily basis. Once on the island, a good number of lodges cater to late-season steelheaders, who will inevitably be sharing camp with deer and brown bear hunters. Air taxis and local outfitters are also available in the communities of Kodiak, Larsen Bay and Old Harbor.
For the most adventurous fall anglers, wild, esoteric stretches of virgin land dominate much of North America’s most remote western holdings, where the weather in late fall—the peak of the Aleutian steelhead runs—is both fickle and notoriously nasty. That only makes the logistics of planning for this already challenging destination more daunting. The rewards are ample, however, as here, at the root of the arm that forms the Aleutian Chain, some of Alaska’s greatest fall steelhead rivers lay almost unnoticed.
Most of the Aleutian coastal streams are relatively short. Born in the foothills on the backside of the Pacific Ring of Fire, these rivers often find their origins through aquifers in the ground and are birthed from cauldrons welling up clear artesian water. Although mostly stable in temperature, high water sometimes makes the streams unfishable for days at a time. There is also a benefit to shorter rivers, though, and that is the rebound effect—shorter rivers mean quicker clearing. Despite the wicked weather, the coastal rivers of the Aleutians are seldom blown out for extended periods of time.
Beyond the scenery and the unrivaled sense of adventure, why should an angler venture to this end-of-the-earth locale? Steelhead, of course, with some of these streams boasting trophy fish of 20 pounds and more. One such producer is the Sandy River, which is backdropped by volcanic Mount Veniaminof and home to the largest known run of Alaska Peninsula steelhead. The pea gravel-bottomed stream features some classic steelhead water, almost like a mini-Skagit with its long riffles, big, deep flats, and ample holding water. There is a proliferation of gravel bars on the river and casting room is endless. In the fall, the Sandy is one of the few Alaska steelhead streams where a two-handed rod can be used to good effect, though it’s certainly not mandatory Spey water like many of the more famous Pacific Northwest and British Columbia steelhead rivers.
Most of the other steelhead possibilities in this isolated region of the Last Frontier are located in the zone between Port Heiden and Cold Bay. The Bear and Nelson rivers are two, though at least a dozen more verified steelhead streams bisect the rugged, barren-tundra coastline. Farther north on the Alaska Peninsula are a few more, including the Cinder River. Not much is known about any of these streams, as the Sandy draws the majority of what little angling pressure exists. Access to most of the waters of the area can be obtained from local air carriers based in King Salmon or Cold Bay, and a few lodges and rustic tent camps are available.
The northernmost wild steelhead population in North America returns each year to the sprawling Copper River drainage in interior Alaska. It is a small population that receives very little directed angling effort and primarily consists of two separate stocks, one heading to the middle fork Gulkana River and the other the Hanagita River stock.
The Gulkana is a clear runoff stream that begins above the timberline at Gunn Creek, a tributary to Summit Lake, and flows south out of the Alaska Range, running approximately 100 miles before reaching the Copper River near Glennallen. The mainstem Gulkana has two major tributaries of its own, the West Fork and the Middle Fork, both of which require access by plane or combinations of canoeing and overland portaging. Steelhead primarily use the Middle Fork downstream of Dickey Lake and within Hungry Hollow Creek for spawning.
The Hanagita River is also a clear runoff stream. Originating on the northern flanks of the Chugach Range in a series of three lakes (Upper, Middle, and Lower Hanagita lakes), the river flows swiftly to its confluence with the Tebay River, averaging only three to four feet deep. Above Hanagita Lake, the river gradually descends from Upper and Middle Hanagita lakes through an open valley comprised of wet-muskeg tundra. ADF&G studies have shown that this is the area the Hanagita steelhead use for overwintering and then spawning, which usually commences near the last week of May. Some light fishing does occur for steelhead on both drainages, but run sizes are small enough and fish so difficult to intercept that the crowds stay away. In the case of the upper Hanagita especially, difficult access also helps to keep the number of prospective anglers down.
In the end, there are options enough for the late-season steelhead angler to venture into the crisp morning air, tie-on a thick egg imitation, add a little shot and extend the season for one more day. Before the winter begins in earnest, we strongly suggest you join them, and maybe meet up with the prince of all sport fish. [/emember_protected] [emember_protected scope=”not_logged_in_users_only”]
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