Time for more trout rigging detail! Here’s how Jordan Sly chases the big boys at Alaska West.
Jordan Sly’s Early Season Lower River Trout Rig
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the dilemma “upriver for quantity, or downriver for quality” here at Alaska West, but it is a common one. This question is referring to our rainbow population on the Kanektok River, where the numbers tend to be greater above camp, but the big guys tend to hold out downriver in the bigger water.
Between upriver and downriver the river is different, the fish are different, the presentation method is often different, so I tend to fish a different setup. Early in the season I like to use heavy sculpin flies that can quickly reach depth in fast moving water, and a rod/line combination that allows me to get a cast quickly out of the boat, plus is long enough to high stick around those snags.
The Summary
- Sage 796-4 ONE
- Ross CLA #4
- RIO Power Fly line, 7 weight
The Details
- 200 yards of orange 20 pound dacron tied to the spool with an arbor knot. Bimini twist in the fly line end of the backing to create a loop.
- Fly line attached to the backing with a loop-to-loop connection.
- Leader is 2-foot sections of Maxima Ultragreen in 30 lbs, 25 lbs, 20 lbs, and 15 lbs, creating a leader that is 8 feett in length. The leader is connected to the factory loop with a perfection loop, and each additional section of Ultragreen is connected to the next with a 7 turn blood knot.
- Fly of choice is Sly’s Bleeding Tube Sculpin with a size 6 B10S pulled into a little section of junction tubing so the hook point rides up.
The Commentary
“Yeah I like a 9’6” 7 weight – it might seem big, but I like to throw some nasty sculpins, plus I like the extra backbone when I hook into that 30” plus rainbow so I can get it in quickly and release it before too much lactic acid builds up in its muscles.”
“I know, orange backing might seem weird to some, but I also use this reel in Andros and I prefer a brighter backing when fishing on the flats. The loop on the front makes it super easy clean and change lines between seasons.”
“This is my first season using the RIO Power Fly and I like it so far. I was a big fan of the Coldwater Clouser, but with it being discontinued I needed to try something else out. I’m really happy with the short head on this line – it helps turn over big flies, and it is really nice when shooting that quick cast from the boat.”
“If I’m not getting deep enough I’ll often slip on a small bullet weight before the fly to help get it down, or maybe a Polyleader instead of my tapered Ultragreen one.”
Great suggestions, but somewhere in the archives of posts there has to be something about lower river or upper river Bow fishing for late season. I know flesh flies come into their own as the season progresses, but any semi-secret tips for late August Bows???
Iv’e got two weeks for any final equipment changes!
Doug- have an assortment of flesh flies large and micro- dirty white, tan, and a peach color. Articulated flesh is good with beads in the middle. King beads with size 4 straight eye owner for low bow (no mosquito hooks) they bend out to easy. I would suggest a 7 wt for the lower river as well even then I know there are trout down there that would give you a hard time on the 8wt once you get a trout in the 27-34 inch range that has an attitude. A 5 or 6wt will not stop a large trout from wanting to wedge itself in the smags after its hooked. Upper river will be micro flesh and beads even though sculpins and mice will still work. 5 and 6 wt rods for the upper. The majority of trout will move off the banks in August due to the fact that the spawn is on, they will move back to the bank in late August after most of the chum and sockeye die off which can make mouse fishing good the last week. Have fun looking at the snags that have a bunch of dead salmon stacked on them, chances are there will be a bow in front or behind it…. Micro flesh=bow bow.Good luck Doug
Thanks T!
Doug, here’s another late season flesh fly rig.
https://deneki.wpengine.com/2012/03/rainbow-trout-flesh-fly-rig/
Have a great time up there!