First 2025 Fishing Report!

After an early end to winter and a fairly wet start to April, the fishing is picking up nicely. Even without much snow pack at elevation, the rainy weather has kept water levels just about perfect. Cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden are moving out of the lakes, down the rivers and into the saltwater. Although the fishing isn't hot and heavy yet, every day more fish are making their spring journey and the beach fishing is getting better and better. Wild salmon fry are abundant in the back eddies, pools and in the saltwater. Soon enough the trout will find them and it will be game on! DIPAC doesn't release their fry until later in May, but there are plenty of wild fry out there already.

Steelhead are starting to poke their noses in here and there around town. There have been a few caught in Cowee and a few in Fish Creek so far, but as usual the numbers are limited as these runs are quite small. If you do choose to chase steelhead, take care not to wade over reds, don't cast to paired up fish that are spawning, and if you do get so fortunate as to have a steelhead on your line, fight them quickly, keep them in the water and release them gently. And take note that Peterson Creek is closed to all fishing until July 1 to protect the run in there.

On a different note, if you are looking to brush up on your casting or are new to fly fishing, we will have our first casting class of the season Friday May 9th at 6pm. Class size is limited to 8 and the cost is $25. Loaner rods are available if you need one. Call the shop to hold your spot. Also mark your calendar for the annual Trout Unlimited/AFFG Community Casting Night on Thursday May 15th 6pm at Twin Lakes.

As always, we love featuring your photos for our fishing reports. If you have a great fish, scenery, or action photo that has to do with fishing around town send it our way! You can email photos or videos to cory@alaskaflyfishinggoods.com. Please remember to handle fish with care, especially if you are practicing catch and release. Consider getting a net with a rubber basket to help land fish quickly, pinch your barbs and keep them in the water until you are ready to snap a quick photo.

See you on the water!

The Crew at AFFG

Listed below are the hot patterns of the week. Fisheries change here through-out the season and so do the best patterns to use. Below are some of the recommended flies for the current fisheries. Happy fishing!