Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Russian River Flies

Goin to be on the Russian and what to try for some rainbows.What flies do I need? Will be there on the 23rd of June.Thanks

Egg patterns, egg sucking leaches, beads.

Try a crystal meth egg pattern and big purple and green nymphs with a lot of rubber legs , articulated purple leeches, sculpins and try a simple pink San Juan worm

Was much more successful than beads, flesh, egg sucking patterns for me up in Alaska When I fish the Kenai

I think fish want to see something different when pressured

It's a little early for egg patterns on your date. Do you tie your own? If so, try creamy rabbit nymphs, brown wooly worms with black palmered hackle and black rabbit fur tails. Also, muddler minnows with a green sparkle braid body substituted for the typical gold. If not, then black leeches, regular muddlers, gold ribbed hare's ears, and black zonkers.

Any pattern similar in color with moving parts are good. I prefer sizes 6 and 8 for all but the zonkers, sculpins, and the like. 4's and 2's for them.

Good fishing!

bhtr

I'm assumeing that you are referring to N.Ca. Yes, it will be a bit early, but, ifn' it was me, I'd use a embrio emerging pattern on a #6 hook. Regardless of time of year, I have found it to be very effective in N.Ca. and S.Or. streams and lakes. I also prefer to tie my pattern at the bite of the hook, instead of the shank! Ya end up looseing the pattern faster, but I find it to be more effective---Or use to, when I was a youngster in that country!
Twink

Uh, not really, Twink. I'm guessing that the OP was asking about the Russian River on the Kenai Peninsula. Alaska forum, eh?

Doesn't matter- yer snaggin 'em in the mouth anyway...

^Word.^^

The fish still remember what an egg looks like. An egg=food. Fish aren't the brightest.

Sockeyes are plankton feeders.

They MAY strike a fly if defending a redd, but I've never seen one pursue a fly as as food/prey. Maybe I haven't fished enough in clear water...

Others claim differently - and they may be right.

Me - I've long since gone to dip-netting or using a gill-net... Too bad TNT ain't legal.

But I still have the rod-fishing gear just in case I ever get to waste so much time again... I'm getting old, ya know- not that much time left to waste.

OOPs- the discussion is Rainbows. As Gilda would say..... "Never Mind!".


Color me red.

Years ago I was catching little 8-10 inch "golden fin" (a Dolly Varden/char derivative) in Resurrection Creek, above Hope. Many of them had crooked backs. Fish and Game told me it was caused by a virus..... I still think it was getting hammered by humpies working their redds, while the little egg-stealing bastids were sneaking in under, trying to feed on eggs.

You can gut/head those golden fin, fry them up unadorned in butter, and eat 'em like french-fries. Real good!

Challenging and fun to catch too. Small hooks and cheese ball for the first- after that, use eyeballs. the largest I've ever heard of was 13 inches.

fish, not eyeball...

I would definitely have some bead head nymphs in my arsenal. I have had great luck there in June with prince nymphs, pheasant tails, copper johns, etc. The water will be swift but the trout will be hanging in the normal trouty spots. I would also have some micro flesh flies and fish around spots where people have been cleaning/gutting fish. The rainbows will be hanging right below those spots waiting for scraps.

Yep egg patterns produce year round

While I will agree with this, Russian River trout can be very selective at times. You can certainly fish egg patterns all day down there in June, but if you want to catch more fish I would expand my selection a bit. Just remember if you are going to do the bead thang, make sure it is fixed to your hook until Aug. 15th as a pegged bead isn't legal under the FFO rules that will be in effect.

To throw in my .02, I've had my best luck fishing the Russian early in the morning before the sun hits the water.