Yakutat / Situk trip

So, this isn't really kayak fishing related...  but I have finalized the dates for my upcoming trip to Alaska and we will be there the week of June 16th
I have been once before and had a great time, but I wanted to ask if anyone has fly pattern recommendations for Sockeye on the Situk?

Does anyone on this forum fish that estuary?

I've fished the Situk for steelies a bunch, never for reds.  It's a great river and lots of fun to fish. Don't let anybody tell you reds won't hit a fly; they certainly will.  It doesn't have to be the lip-snagging fishing style we commonly see. 

I use a 7 wt Sage with high density sinking tip line. Flies that produce for me are tied very sparsely -- sockeye lanterns, Montana brassies, red hots and shrimp are patterns I regularly use. I'd be concentrating on medium to fast-moving water rather than slower sections, especially upriver where the fish will school up and you'll spend more time foul-hooking reds than enticing them to your fly. Sockeyes will take your fly provided you get the fly to where they're at in the water column. They're not like silvers or chums. They're not going to slam it from below. And use a heavy sinking tip, because they're likely to be resting near the bottom clearing their gills.

You're going to have a really GREAT time.   

Yakutat is one of those places I've had on my mind.  I wanted to bring it up in the "DIY in Alaska" thread, but because I don't have any direct experience with it, I didn't.  However, since you bring it up ... I'm curious to hear the word from those in the know.  Kobaobe, what are your plans up there?  Lodging?

Are there good DIY opportunities for silvers here?  He who shall not be named did a forest service cabin trip here some years ago ... http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=3616.msg37200#msg37200 .  Seems like it was pretty good.

And of course there are halibut charters to be had.

-Allen

I've fished the Situk for steelies a bunch, never for reds.  It's a great river and lots of fun to fish. Don't let anybody tell you reds won't hit a fly; they certainly will.  It doesn't have to be the lip-snagging fishing style we commonly see. 

I use a 7 wt Sage with high density sinking tip line. Flies that produce for me are tied very sparsely -- sockeye lanterns, Montana brassies, red hots and shrimp are patterns I regularly use. I'd be concentrating on medium to fast-moving water rather than slower sections, especially upriver where the fish will school up and you'll spend more time foul-hooking reds than enticing them to your fly. Sockeyes will take your fly provided you get the fly to where they're at in the water column. They're not like silvers or chums. They're not going to slam it from below. And use a heavy sinking tip, because they're likely to be resting near the bottom clearing their gills.

You're going to have a really GREAT time.   

I went in 2011 and it was awesome, but we did a lot of flossing. we were mostly using red hots and some russian river patter, but it didnt really matter as we werent expecting them to strike.
This trip I would like to change things up a bit and see if I have enough skill to detect a strike. not just rake any hook/pattern thru the pool

this year the limit is 3 fish a day, in 2011 it was a 6 per day limit... it was the highlight of my year.
took back about 75# of sockeye and 75# of halibut/rockfish/lingcod

finances and weather stopped me from booking a trip last year, but I hope to make it a yearly event.

Our plans are pretty open, this is mostly a sockeye trip with two days in the salt planned.
in 2011 - Most of our fishing was on the lower section of the Situk, but we spent a day at 9-mile bridge and the fishing was great.
We were on the bank the whole time as there was no real need to cover water, but you can easily acquire a drift boat to use if desired
The river fishes really well at low tide, but with the sun still up 11pm, it doesn't really matter what time you decide to pressure it.

We stay at this lodge, http://www.yakutatlodging.com/
good price, John and his wife are great hosts and he happens to be our halibut captain which makes everything pretty easy.
he has freezer storage for your catch and a nice space to clean and seal your meat.
He is within walking distance to the hardware store if you need any last min items.
We rent a van from a local, but I don't have the details
most of our food and beer and booze is packed in as it is a cheaper option. Yakutat is not the cheapest town.

At some point I would like to check out Icy Bay, but its not it the cards for this trip.

there are some cool non fishing related things to do and explore, lots of WW2 left overs (tanks, planes and cannons in the woods) a pretty sweet glacial lake, hiking... and its close to Hubbard if you want to charter a trip

... we were mostly using red hots and some russian river patter, but it didnt really matter as we werent expecting them to strike.
This trip I would like to change things up a bit and see if I have enough skill to detect a strike. not just rake any hook/pattern thru the pool

I started having better success detecting those strikes when I realized that these fish really just kind of nip at the fly, rather than swallow or grab it.

I envy your trip -- it's a really great river. I've only been on it in late April and early May, before the snow is all melted when hiking up river pays big dividends. All but two of the steelhead I've caught have come out of that river. Do you know the Situk River Trail -- starts just upstream from the Alsek River bridge and ends near the landing strip? Not the easiest walking with snow on the ground, but well worth the effort to get to some great stretches of water. Really gorgeous fishing. Don't know what it's like when everything's greened up though.