Salt Water Flies for Kings

Two questions Klondike kid. First, are those Repala's and second do you replace the hooks and rings with stronger ones?

Rapala and other makers offer this smelt looking design with larger diving lips for deeper running but these are KDS jerkbaits.  As far as the hooks, my package is in Anchorage PO today and will be in my box in Soldotna tomorrow. I'll be able to access the hook strength and split rings at that time.  I'm not a big fan of switching to single hooks on trolled lures or baits so I'll be sticking with the trebles with the exception of maybe removing the center hook to make room for the hooligan wrap....but maybe not necessary.

Here are a couple Rapala mega-divers that are the full size of an adult hooligan. I think these are good for 20 feet deep which means trolling them off the beach on a flat line should be covering all the water in the migration corridor. Nice thing about these is when you are in less than 20 feet of water you shorten up your line so you are fishing closer to your kayak for accurate depth control. If you are plowing bottom just reel in some line.  These are husky enough to take a herring/sardine/hooligan wrap too. Note how much beefier the hooks are on these Rapalas. They are designed for blue water fishing.


Tuning a trolled diver like these plugs on a downrigger is not critical or necessary like it is when backtrolling in the rivers or flat lining on the ocean. And in fact if adding the hooligan wrap (and removing one hook) causes the plug to run erratic behind the canon ball so much the better to simulate a crippled and vulnerable meal for the predator. After watching many hours of my downrigger cam footage and seeing how uncoordinated a salmon or rockfish is for actually grabbing the hook I can see a treble is far more effective in producing a higher hookup rate. But that is just my preference I'll be sticking to. When it comes to the Kenai or Kasilof River you are forced to go single hook on plugs.

Damn, I'm ready to FISH. But Shane said that there is ice as far south as Anchor Point still and they were cutting through patches there the other day. That means Whiskey Gulch is still seeing some slush too.

Ahh...the quest for saltwater sockeyes. 

KK, you probably have seen this before  Kintama Reserach's sockeye tracking in the inlet.  I have to laugh KINTAMA:  Kin=Gold,  Tama=Balls.  Gold Balls translated into Japanese for the most common usage...Testicles.  Someone has a sense of humor. You may have to change the map settings. 
http://kintama.com/animator/CookInlet2013/

Ha ha, you know how those Japanese like that sort of thing.
I hadn't seen the animation for sockeye tracking - didn't know they did it on that species. I did see the data on the chinook sonar tag tracking they did.

If the straight lines are not point to point, i.e. it depends on where the receivers are.  But the animation shows the sockeye bypassing the shore area by Whiskey Gulch.  I will say is that as many years I have been on the water off Whiskey Gulch in July, I have only had one or two days where I would see more than 4 or 5 jumpers.  I've carried the bare red hooks and dodgers, tiny flat fish, mini-hoochies on the salt but I have never deployed them as I have never marked massive schools of salmon or seen large number of jumpers when fishing off Whiskey gulch. 

You are on the mark with respect to the route the sockeye most frequently take when moving up the Inlet into the commercial fishery zone. The Anchor Point OTF sample stations fished every day by the test boat most often shows the main body of fish are far out from the beach at AP and WG. The one exception providing sockeye on the beach would be severe weather from the West pushing the fish towards the shore.

But by the time the fish are reaching just south of Deep Creek there is quite a bit of the migration starting to orient along the beach by then as confirmed by the set net sites that begin north of Ninilchik River. I've stood at that weird metal platform frame thingy that's a great look out between the high school and old PO and watched torpedos and jumpers passing by for far longer than I could take. Which means driving down through old town to the north side of Ninilchik River to access the beach will put you into some prime sockeye territory. And there are halibut there too as a secondary option if salmon aren't passing by.  Closer than WG by miles too.  Just need to pick a non-commfishing day so the nets aren't in the water and a hazard. Although their dang running lines will always be in the water. Hmm, so maybe best to launch at Deep Creek where there is no commfishing sites and fish some non-hazardous waters.

I have trolled the dodger and bare hook set up in resurrection bay and I think I mentioned it but I caught everything but sockeyes.  I may try it more off the outlet of Skilak lake this year. 
Okay, need to dig the vehicles out.  I got stuck in my own driveway with a rental car.  Argh.

I am going to give Res River trolling a try in the salt. And bring along the snagging rod for a backup for some added insurance. But feeder king trolling has my interest too working between Sea Life Center and Millers.

We got to figure out those reds!! With millions out there its just too good to not be able to capitalize on with dependable results. We just need more lines in the water for a diversity of trials.

Only got one inch of snow here at HQ.

Thank you again KK! Also, I really like your Sand Lance imitation pictures! I've been invited to attend a veterans fly tying club in Wasilla on Tues nights and wanted to "tie" that activity into Kayak Fishing Salt Water! Will recommend a "Deceiver/streamer tying night" this month and bring a picture of your flies.  May even recruit a few more for the "Plastic Navy" here in SC Alaska while I'm there.

Jonathan

AK Trapper are you going to the Project Healing Waters tying clinic?  I have taught a couple of them and if it is say hi to Mike there for me.  I believe he is the one teaching them out there since the other Mike passed away.  If not you should check it out, it's an awesome program.   There is also one at the hatchery at 5:30 on Thursdays which I teach at as well. I should be there before the end of April if you venture out that way and could help you tie some as well.         

jsfishndreams,
I'd appreciate some assistance! I've tied flies off and on for 20 years (mostly off) and would like to learn new/better techniques and build flies specifically for Alaskan waters.

I am also looking for interested individuals to start a Hero's On the Water (HOW) Chapter here in South Central AK. I just attended their recruiting seminar and think that starting a chapter is very do-able with about a 4 to 5 person Leadership Team.  Let me know if you're interested in either volunteering or assisting in leadership team. If we can get a team together this Spring; by AUG/SEP we could have the first SC AK HOW event.
 

jsfishndreams,
I'd appreciate some assistance! I've tied flies off and on for 20 years (mostly off) and would like to learn new/better techniques and build flies specifically for Alaskan waters.

I am also looking for interested individuals to start a Hero's On the Water (HOW) Chapter here in South Central AK. I just attended their recruiting seminar and think that starting a chapter is very do-able with about a 4 to 5 person Leadership Team.  Let me know if you're interested in either volunteering or assisting in leadership team. If we can get a team together this Spring; by AUG/SEP we could have the first SC AK HOW event.

I am not a veteran but I am VERY INTERESTED in assisting.  My only concern is at this moment, the time I can commit to is very limited.  Between Family, work, and the commitments I have already made on the fishing side, I wouldn't be able to fairly pull my share of any duties. 

Having said that, if there is ANY way I can help, please ask.  If I can, I most certainly will.

jsfishndreams,
I'd appreciate some assistance! I've tied flies off and on for 20 years (mostly off) and would like to learn new/better techniques and build flies specifically for Alaskan waters.

I am also looking for interested individuals to start a Hero's On the Water (HOW) Chapter here in South Central AK. I just attended their recruiting seminar and think that starting a chapter is very do-able with about a 4 to 5 person Leadership Team.  Let me know if you're interested in either volunteering or assisting in leadership team. If we can get a team together this Spring; by AUG/SEP we could have the first SC AK HOW event.

I'm in...let me know how I can be of service.

I tied these last year but no field trials yet (or should I say water trials). Ive already modified them for lightweight action but again--no time on the water.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

That bottom one should get a LOT of looks.

I tied these last year but no field trials yet (or should I say water trials). Ive already modified them for lightweight action but again--no time on the water.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

ooo....they look ultra fishy!! I guarantee they will work.  Especially behind a standard metal dodger, I would think. 

All who are interested in starting a HOW chapter here in SC AK this is what we'll need.
1. A 3 to 5 person core leadership team to run the chapter - probably a bit of a commitment such as meeting monthly and lots of prep work and fundraising.
2. Volenteers who understand kayaking and fishing and both - one volenteer to 2 veterans is about right during events
3. Volenteers to help set up, clean up, and serve meals
4. Sponsers who will provide (loan or donate) equipment, money, food, etc

 Goal to start is three events per year with 5 to 15 veterans at each...

Please PM me if your interested in becoming part of the core leadership team. I think we can get volenteers for events but individuals agreeing to  run a chapter is a big commitment.

KK what size hook and maker are you using to tie your bait fish fly?

Those were #2 but originally intended for fly casting with that size. If I tie up some dedicated trolling flies I'd go with around a 1/0. I don't know if there are any 1/0 long shanks available. I'll have to research that. I prefer a long shank as it provide more base to tie the components to compared to an octopus or other short shank style.

There are a variety of lead dumbbell eyes available to add to these fish imitations. Some are colored, some chrome, and even some with prismatic eyeballs on them for a great "lifelike" look. I use a lot of those on my sockeye flies so I'll experiment with some of the larger ones for a baitfish pattern.

I'm also thinking of focusing on using UV materials to make that fly stand out in the water in the eyes of the fish. I put a UV light on my fly tying materials container and was surprised how many things lit up like a day-glo concert poster. Fish see the same thing. So for a fly being so diminutive I believe using UV components will make it more noticeable from a distance. Just theory but plausible.

AK Trapper I am very interested but I do not know how much time I would have to commit as I am heavily involved with project healing waters.  I tried to be on the board with the Alaska fly fishers before I deployed and was unable to meet that commitment goal as well as I would have liked. I will get ahold of you when I get back home for more info. 

Jsfishndreams, sounds great. Just let me know when you're back and we can talk about it; perhaps on fly tying night!