Waking up before 6 AM is much easier when the sun has already begun it’s long circle around the northern sky and there are Sockeye Salmon swimming by at a rate of eight to ten thousand per hour a mere 100 yards from your bed.  On days like this there are really only two serious concerns: How bad will the bugs be and will my tackle hold together for another full day of battling the toughest pound-for-pound anadromous fish in the world.

 Such is life on Alaska’s Kvichak River in early July.  This is trophy rainbow trout country, and the largest spawning area in the world for sockeye salmon.  The Kvichak River is the only outflow for Lake Iliamna, which is the largest lake in Alaska, and flows roughly 60 braided miles to the tidal waters of Bristol Bay, near the town of Naknek. The Kvichak is the largest “highway” for salmon in the world, and the Bristol Bay region is renowned for its salmon fishery. The sockeye salmon run in this water is the largest salmon run of any kind in the world.  Ready to tie a fly on yet? Often times fishing provides an opportunity to relax and reflect in the serenity of the tranquil outdoors.  There has been many times when facing a challenging bite, I have simply paused in my pursuit of the elusive bite and absorbed my breathtaking surroundings.  This has rarely occurred while fishing Reds on the Kvichak River.  Pauses for relaxation are actual rests for a weary shoulder and the breathtaking surroundings are a welcome respite from the relentlessness of a seemingly infinite number of six to ten pound fish streaming by.  Much like the swarm of mosquitoes that maintain a stronghold above the water, these fish will defeat you simply by their overwhelming numbers. As strong and as fast as any fish you’ll find in fresh water, these fish will test your resolve and equipment.  You can bring your 6 weight for chasing the big rainbows that can be plucked from the braids in the lower river.  You can even bring along your 4 weight for some excellent dry fly action on trophy size grayling.  However, don’t forget your 8, 9 or even 10 weight if you plan to do battle with Sockeye.  Sure, I can land one with a 5 weight.  But can I land 100?  Or 200?   Such numbers may sound absurd to someone who is used to fishing for hours waiting for the bite to happen.  On an evening this past summer when there were good numbers of fish traveling past, I was curious as to what pace a steady fisherman could set, so I “clocked” myself.  In less than 30 minutes I had hooked 20 salmon.  Just to be conservative, let’s say I needed a break, broke off, or just slowed down to visit with a fishing partner, and ended up hooking only 30 fish an hour.  Now, to be even more conservative (borderline ridiculous, to anyone who knows me), let’s say that I only fished six hours that day.  That’s 180 Reds.  Now how many days do I want to do this?  How many days can I keep that up?  Now you’re getting the picture.   Sure, it’s not the same as the reward of a large rainbow finally being fooled by your flawless presentation, but it’s a completely different kind of adrenaline rush.  If you don’t think fighting over 100 Sockeyes in a day can be fun, then you’re sniffing too much bait.  If your idea of testing your gear is fighting one or two big fish, may I suggest another type of test?  Try fighting hundreds of seven pound fish. By the end of the day, a warm gourmet meal and a soft sofa will be the final ingredients in ending your day on the Kvichak.  Besides, you’ll need all the rest you can find if you’re going to do it all over again tomorrow.  Sometimes a few of us real demented old fishermen will actually go out after dinner and totally exhaust ourselves.  It doesn’t get dark, so it’s not uncommon for people to be fishing well into the night.  The body can only take so many days like that.  Trust me. If you think you’d like to put yourself through this test, there are some important steps to take.  First, get yourself some quality equipment.  I would recommend Loomis, Orvis or Sage rods.  A well built reel with a quality drag system is important as well.  Anything anti-reverse is good too, if you like your knuckles healthy.  For tackle, 15 to 20 pound line is a good choice for salmon leader.  Coho flies with no more than a 3/8” gap between point and shank with bright colors and lots of them.  Fast sinking leaders, a variety of sinking speeds for a variety of water, and small add on weights are also a good thing to bring along.  Don’t forget some preventative measures to ward off the insects too!   Second, plan to take some vacation days around the 4^th of July to hit the best time of the run on the Kvichak.   

Third, find a quality fishing lodge that can provide the fishing experience of a lifetime.  I would suggest starting with Ole Creek Lodge and calling Marge Haugen at 907-452-2421 or looking at olecreeklodge.com for information.  The time to book these trips is now!  What are you waiting for?  Feel free to send me any questions!

 See you on the river!