Steelhead flies can range from surprisingly simple to extremely complex. However, one feature that most effective steelhead flies have in common is their ability to suggest life as they swing through the water column. In other words, they have great movement in the water. So, today we’re coming at you with a relatively simple pattern…
Read More
flies
Steelie Pot Bellied Pig – Tying Instructions
Every once in a while we like to run step by step tying instructions for some of our favorite patterns at our lodges, and judging by your comments, you like them too! Because of this, we ran a post earlier this month asking what fly patterns you want us to tie on our blog. The resounding…
Read More
Squeak, Squeak
Exactly what you want early season rainbows to be staring at in Western Alaska. Big, gnarly, mouse patterns. More on Trout Fishing How Often do Trout and Grayling eat Mice? Trout Fishing – Swinging Flies Streamer Fishing for Trout – 5 Techniques
Stay Classy
Modern intruders and tube flies are cool, and we fish a lot of them. However, today we’re coming at you with a friendly reminder that the classic patterns still work too! In fact, it’s safe to say that anglers have been catching steelhead and salmon on classic style flies for far longer than they have with larger…
Read More
Bonefish Flies – Our Favorites for South Andros (Updated)
It’s been a while since we’ve ran a comprehensive list of our favorite bonefish flies for South Andros. While we still use many of the same patterns, we’ve developed a few more favorites for our flats, and today we tell you about those favorites. Our fishery is pretty unique when compared to other bonefishing locations….
Read More
The Foxy Leech – Tying Instructions
Contrary to popular belief, flies don’t have to be incredibly complex to catch fish. In fact, often times the most effective flies are the simplest. Bunny leech style flies are a prime example. When tied in varying sizes and colors, the bunny leech is an extremely effective fly for trout, steelhead, salmon, or many other cold water…
Read More
Stu’s Tube Mouse – Tying Instructions
We dig tube flies, and we really love catching big Alaskan trout on mouse patterns. So, naturally we think mouse patterns tied on tubes are pretty darn cool. One of the most creative (and fishy) tube mice we’ve seen is that pictured above, created by our good friend and professional fly tyer, Stuart Foxall. We thought…
Read More
Dry Flies
At Alaska West, our trout tend to key in on rodents, not mayflies, and we’re really happy about that. More on Mousing for Trout Mousing for Trout – 5 Tips Mousing for Trout – Try a Strip Set 19 Reasons to Fish a Mouse Fly
The Rubber Legged Gotcha – Tying Instructions
It’s no secret that the Gotcha is one of the greatest bonefish flies of all time. We’d go out on a whim and say it has probably caught more bonefish than any other fly pattern in the world, and we use a lot of them. However, our bonefish on South Andros really seem to have…
Read More
Dry Out Your Flies
Today, you’re humble editor is throwing away not one, not two, but roughly ten dozen marabou tube flies. Why exactly? Because he failed to practice the universal fly fishing tip of drying out your gear, leaving a season’s worth of flies matted, smelly, and a vibrant uniform color of grayish-brown. Waterproof fly boxes do a…
Read More