I traveled to Kodiak, Alaska with a good friend and previous colleague science teacher, Charlie Glinche to fish for silver salmon. Kodiak has a rich history of excellent silver salmon fly fishing.
We started at the Pasagshak River, where we saw only 1 silver salmon, so it was time to move! We drove onto the Olds River, where a lot of people were there to fish, but the only fish in the river were old pinks and chums. Onto the American River.
The American River had a nice hole just downstream from the parking lot, and a number of silvers were resting there. Charlie and I both caught Silvers, but catching them was not easy, as the majority of fish willing to bite were pink salmon! With the plethora of chums and pinks still in the rivers, and a lack of silvers, it looks like the run may be a little late this year.
I caught fish a silver on one of my favorite Alaska flies, the Black Egg Sucking Bunny Leech, and Charlie hooked up with a fly that has become quite popular, the Chartreuse/Black Dolly Llama.
Sept. 18, 2022:
Saw some Silver Salmon in the mouth of several inlets, (American, Olds, Russian) but still very few fish in the rivers, except pinks and chum. Best bite was early in the morning, before sunrise.
September 19, 2022.
Fished the Olds River today. The silvers are starting to arrive. Lots of reports from others fishing the American River, Solonie Creek, and the Pasagshak that silvers are beginning to arrive, but in low numbers. Again, the silver bite was best early in the morning.
September 20, 2022.
We fished Pillar Creek bay today. No fish in the creek, but saw an exceptional number of fish swimming in the bay, in front of the creek inlet. These silvers were staging in the ocean, anxiously waiting for rain, so that they can run up the creek. After wading out from the creek, and casting at nervous waters at hundreds of returning silvers, but no response from these fish, I realized my technique needed to change.
A Kodiak local named Ray, who was catching fish after fish, advised me to stand on the bank, rather than wade, stay low, cast well in front of an oncoming school of silvers, and fish a long leader. His theory is that fish get spooked when they see fishermen and being “lined” by fly line. (When you cast a fly, and the line splats down over a fish, and the fish all run away!)
Staying low on the beach, extending my leader to 12 feet, and casting ahead of the schools made a big difference! The hot flies today were the Size 2 Black Egg Sucking Bunny Leech, Size 2 Chartreuse/White Deceiver, and a size 4 Pink Coho Comet!
Thanks, Ray!
September 22, 2022:
We returned to Pillar Creek today. Lots of Silver Salmon swimming back and forth, hoping for rain, but none came. Fish bit early in the day on a rising tide. We used Ray’s technique and had good luck on the chartreuse/white deceivers and #2 Pink Coho Comets.
As all good things end, my time in Kodiak is over. Hope to return here soon.
With each day, the silver salmon fishing is heating up, and seeing those big Kodiak Grizzly Bears was quite a thrill!
