Fishing around Juneau and Northern Southeast is in full swing. Most streams have good numbers of chums and pinks entering them, making for some really good Dolly and trout fishing.
Fishing for pinks is dynamite right now. Echo Cove has been the hottest roadside saltwater producer. Good numbers of fish are also being reported off of the Shrine and Point Louisa. If you want to fish off your boat, check out Pt. Hilda, Olivers Inlet and the head of Barlow Cove. For fresh water hot spots on the road system, check out Cowee Creek and the mouth of Fish Creek (on the incoming tide.) Remote streams that are fishing well include Admiralty Creek, Bear Creek or some of the streams off of the Chilkat Peninsula. All should be full of pinks right now. Try fishing Humpy Hookers, Starlite Leeches in Pink, Mr. Bodangles in Pink or Aleutian Queen or Lead Eye Egg Sucking Leeches. Try using a floating line or a slow sink tip. Fish in the salt like the fly fished with a slow to moderate strip. In fresh try stripping the fly in a similar fashion, but also try a slow swing in the current. Another fun way to chase pinks is with pink poppers and wogs. These work well when the fish are schooling in shallow water or cruising just under the surface. One other quick tip: use a tapered Salmon/Steelhead leader, not a trout leader. You will land more fish and lose less flies. Our favorite is the Rio Salmon/Steelhead in 10lb or 12lb.
Most of the Dollies and trout have made the transition from salt back into fresh in preparation for the egg feast. Sheep Creek, Fish Creek, Montana Creek and Cowee Creek are all fishing extremely well. Egg patterns and beads in 8mm and 10mm are the key. For flies, try orange and pink in Glo Bugs, Gormans BH Egg and Billys Crystal Egg. Bead colors that are really good are Mottled Peach Roe, Mottled Glo Roe, Mottled Mango, Mottled Egg Yolk, Mottled Peachy King and Mottled Orange Clear. If painting your own beads, try Peachy Roe, Egg Yolk, Orange Clear, Glo Roe and Tangerine as the base color. Please remember that if pegging the beads above a hook or fly, the bead must be within two inches of the hook. Otherwise the bead must be able to freely slide the entire length of your leader. Refer to the ADF&G regulations for more information.
The weather is great and it doesnt get any more prime than this. Dont let another weekend slip past without wetting a line.
See you out there.
