Whether its heavily weighted flies, split shot ridden nymph rigs, or ‘dredger style’ sink tips, there’s nothing delicate about fly fishing in Western Alaska. We may take the ‘chuck and duck’ a little too literally at times, but we love it! Nonetheless, no matter where you are fishing, if you are planning on fishing heavy…
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Tips
Jerry French’s Steelhead Sculpin – Fly Tying Video
A while back we shared a great fly tying video put together by our pals at North 40 Fly Shop on the Summer Sculpin, a great sculpin pattern for trout designed by anadramous authority and Alaska West alum, Jerry French. Well, they did it again, this time with a more steelhead worthy version of the…
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Fly Fishing for Barracuda – Roundup
We have comprehensive lists on bonefishing. We have dozens upon dozens of posts on fly fishing for trout in Western Alaska. We have even more posts dedicated entirely to fly fishing with spey rods.. However, we’ve yet to run a roundup of posts dedicated to one of our favorite species to target on a fly…..
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Timeless Tips: Landing Fish Without a Net – 6 Tips
The ability to ‘tail’ a fish, that is, the ability to land fish safely and effectively without a net is a skill every angler should posses. After all, we’ve all been on a trip where the net didn’t make it into the back of the pickup. Regardless, the old adage reigns true; if you want to catch…
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Timeless Tip Tuesday: Bonefish and Tides
Aaron Adams is one of the leading authorities on bonefish science. He works for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, one of the organizations out there at the forefront of research on bonefish. Even better, Aaron’s an angler himself, and that means he’s written some great science pieces that can also help you catch fish! Thanks very…
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Fly Casting – Don’t Creep on the Back Cast
One of the most common fly casting faults of all time, the number one cause of those pesky ‘wind’ knots, is known as “creep.” Most simply put, creep occurs most commonly by starting the forward cast too early, before the fly line is able to straighten on the back cast. The result? Too abrupt of…
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Listen While You Walk
Ask nine out of ten saltwater anglers their favorite thing about bonefish (or other flats species for that matter) and odds are you’ll get a response somehow related to the parallel between fishing and hunting. Stalking your quarry, only ever making a cast once you (or your guide of course) has spotted a fish, is…
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Trout Fishing: Hold On To Your Hook Set
Today we present you with a simple tip that we’ve seen learned the hard way on, not one, but many heartbreaking occasions. When fishing for trout, particularly when fishing sub-surface flies from a drifting boat, most successful anglers agree that the most effective method of hooking fish on flies you can’t see is by setting…
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Timeless Tips: Wading for Bonefish – 5 Tips
OK, you’ve decided that you’re going to chase some bonefish on foot. Want to make sure you actually catch one? Here are 5 ways to improve your chances. Walk quietly. Bonefish sense noise and vibration from a long ways away. If you’re on a flat with a hard bottom, step softly – landing on the…
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Timeless Tips: Boat Speed and Strip Length
When you’re on the deck of a poled skiff looking for bonefish (or permit, or anything else for that matter), it’s really important to be aware of the speed that the boat’s moving, and to adjust the length of your strips accordingly. Fishing from a Moving Boat Most of the time (hopefully) you’re going to…
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