Fall in Alaska

Some of the best Alaska fly-fishing can be enjoyed during the early fall months. September and October can spectacular for silver salmon and rainbow trout. And in some locations the latter part of October can be magical with steelhead. The remote tidal creeks of the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island can be teeming with late arriving cohos, some of the finest you will find in the state, and some of the best fly fishing you will ever experience. The Lost Coast anchored by the town of Cordova not only yields some of the largest silvers of the Northland but also has a wonderful steelhead fishery. If rainbows are your cup of tea the Iliamna region of Bristol Bay can be magnificent. Byt the Katmai region is a personal favorite.

Inshore "Bones"

It’s time to make your bones? Atlantic “bones” that is. For some savvy anglers this is time to give chase to pelagic speedsters that grace our inshore waters. The first of those species to arrive is Sarda sarda, the Atlantic bonito. As of this writing the bulk of those annual visitors are slightly to our north on the south shore of Rhode Island, on the Vineyard, and south of us along the New Jersey beaches. There are plenty of fish in those locations because there is also substantial bait. Some very in-the-know Long Island anglers have been fortunate to find the first few fish and have also been very closed-mouth about exact locations. But I can tell you from personal experience, they are not yet in all the “usual places”. The best advice that I can offer those willing to search and find bonito is to fill up your gas tank and be prepared to run it dry. Bonito are cruising deeper water in the Sound and off the south shore and have yet to cycle into their more predictable inshore haunts. Since my boat is high and dry at the moment I hitched a ride with a friend and we ran almost an hour before bumping some fish! They were in a place I haven’t found them in years. There are a lot of reasons for that change of behavior but we don’t have room to go into that in this report. I’ll save that for another time. If you’d like to chat about bonito feel free to send along an email.
I took a break from the brine to join my brother-in-law, Ed on a trip to one of Long Island’s hidden freshwater ponds. Despite sweltering heat we managed a number of feisty largemouth and pickerel, and we were treated to a dragonfly mating ritual that just turned the bass on!

The table is set as we await the arrival of some eagerly anticipated special houseguests. Peanut bunker, bay anchovies, rafts of sand eels as well as spearing are in the neighborhood. Now all we need is the first solid showing of inshore pelagics. But this year they just might be delayed just a bit. Reports of one or two fish popping up here or there do not a major run make, but with all this varied bait buffet, it is only a matter of time before the arrival of strange “bluefish” that can’t be caught. Those tough-to-catch- mini tunas will most likely be Atlantic bonito. They too have a preferred water temperature comfort zone and with this year’s cooler H2O my bet is that there will be about a two-week lag from previous years’ full swing run of the early hard tails. In all the years I have been fishing for Atlantic bonito – and that goes back 1975- fish have already hit the decks! So, we need to keep our fingers crossed that they will still make a solid showing. But if all goes according to nature’s grand plan in an odd season we should see some bones, Spanish macks, albies and perhaps even some skipjack move in the area to cash in on all the bait that is in our area. Some fish have already passed us by and are up in the Cape and the Vineyard; to those fish we bid a fond adieu and hope their cousins stop by the Island for a visit. Both sides of the Island receive their annual share of these most coveted of inshore gamesters. That said, there are already fish in the neighborhood so this is the time of year to start prospecting so get out those light spinning outfits and fly rods and hit the water. Small tins, plugs and thin plastics work well on pelagics as do slim Deceivers, Clousers, and any assortment of epoxy baitfish, hair flies, and marabou or rabbit strip flies.

Hosted Alaska Fly Fishing Trips

Alaska is one of the finest fly-fishing destinations on earth. I took my first trip in 1989 and have been on many annual trips since, fishing for king salmon, silver salmon, chums, sockeye and pinks, as well an indigenous species - char, graying, dollies and magnificent rainbow trout. I have a unique opportunity to host a small groups of fly anglers at several remote lodges during the 2010 season. Good fishing in Alaska requires advance preparation to ensure prime weeks for the targeted species. You would be surprised at how many anglers make the mistake of selecting the wrong times for the species they would like to catch and end up verky disapponted. My experiences can help you avoid those costly mistakes that can ruin the trip of a lifetime. If you are interested please reposnd to me at apdotcominfo@aol.com for further details. Thank you. AP

Just One of Those Days

It was a fly-fisherman’s dream day. And what better way to enjoy it than being in the water, wading with feeding fish. While I thoroughly enjoy fishing from my boat or kakay, nothing quite beats catching fish in the surf with a fly rod while immersed in the fish’s element.
I thought about what exclamation might best describe my last few outings with the fly rod. I could simply just say, “WOW”! Or perhaps, “Extraordinary or even “Sensational.” But I think rather than one word the following sentence may do the fishing justice: “Two days of great bass fishing, out of what is some of the best spring striper fishing I have experienced in more than a decade.” And that might be an understatement!
Rewind to the other morning on the Sound. After playing around with some hickory shad and a few small bass I put on the hiking shoes and took a long walk – fly rod in hand. As I crested a high point of land all that came to mind was “Holy Striped bass, Batman!” As far as I could see east and west, bass were slapping on sand eels. Many of the fish were a fly rod cast away off the beach and my pace quickened to meet those rises. The first cast with my favorite sand eel pattern brought a hard strike after three short strips of line. I ended the ensuing tussle with the first of many bass - a solid 35-inch linesides. Time to get serious. I followed those fish up and down the beach for eight solid hours, and they were in a mood to play. I am not sure of the final tally, but it was a lot, including stripers up to 37-inches, and many fish 28-inches or better - all taken on flies. But the best part of the day was releasing them back to rejoin the fracas. The few times the bass got a bit finicky all it took to get them back on the bite was to downsize the pattern slightly and changeup the hackle color combinations. I just alternated between light and dark colors and flies of between three and five inches in length. It was a magic day. I can nly hope that I will be blessed with many more!

Weatherby's: A "Grand" Destination

I first visited Grand Lake Stream Maine in July 1988 and became as hooked on the region as were the fish I caught. My wife and I traveled to this destination as part of a summer road trip that included sightseeing and fishing. While the tourist part of the trip was most enjoyable, the fishing was nothing short of spectacular, especially for smallmouth bass. Our mid-summer adventure did not necessarily coincide with peak spring and fall smallmouth fishing, but you could have fooled me. No matter where we ventured, we caught bass, and lots of them. Most were fish in the 1-½ to 2-pound class but there were enough quality fish in the 3 and 4-pound range to keep me on my toes after each cast. We fished for five days and literally lost count of bass that certainly numbered in the hundreds. I have been back this region many times since and often refer to the area’s fishery as a smallmouth bass factory. And if the smallies aren’t enough to keep you occupied, Grand Lake Stream proper is home to some exciting fishing for landlocked salmon.One of my favorite bass fishing spots is the St. Croix River, bordered by Maine on one side of the river and Canada on the opposing bank. I would always begin and end my trips to this region with a float on the St Croix. Nothing quite beats the aesthetics of fishing the St Croix in a traditional Grand Laker canoe and enjoying a timeless Maine shore lunch. The upper reaches of the St Croix hold some very magical smallmouth waters and prolific populations of fish. Flies, small plugs and any assortment of plastic baits work wonders on those river bass. But the St. Croix is far from the only game in town. Grand Lake is a classic Down East smallmouth bass water, replete with boulders, shoreline structure, coves, creek inlets and deep water holding areas. For a taste of Maine “wilderness” fishing, Third Lake Machias can’t be beat. It is one of a chain of Machias Lakes that includes First Lake through Fifth Lake. All Machias lakes are wonderful and productive places to fish; Third Lake has yielded some of the best dragon fly-fishing for smallmouth bass I have ever experienced. During the course of my visits I have also been treated to day expeditions to other places like Pocomoonshine Lake, Big Lake, East Lake, West Lake and Long Lake. I have never been disappointed by the outcome on any of the area’s waters.The smallmouth season typically begins in late May as the air and water temperatures steadily increase and become more consistent. The pre-spawn and post-spawn bass fishing can be as good as it gets anywhere, with 50 to 100 fish days not that uncommon. The month of June offers high quality finest top water smallie fishing with popping bugs or topwater plugs. The fishing remains productive throughout the summer months with flies and a variety of artificial baits quite effective. The season runs through September, a month known for fast action and big fishThis region is one of four in Maine that have native populations landlocked salmon - cousin the mighty Atlantic salmon. One major difference between the landlocked salmon and its larger relative is that the landlocked salmon are actively feeding while in the Stream during the summer. The season for the salmon begins early May after the ice leaves our lakes and they follow the smelt, a favorite forage fish, into Grand Lake Stream. Not long after the white suckers move it to spawn another wave of salmon targeting the sucker eggs follows. Late May and June bring the May fly and caddis hatches, followed by alder flies, stoneflies and other terrestrials in July. Typically during mid-summer the salmon move to the deep pools or into the lakes to feed, only to return in late September and October to spawn. We fish until October 20 and experience tremendous fishing for large salmon in the spawning dress during this time.Your best choice for a base of operation for your Grand Lake Stream adventure is Weatherby’s, an outstanding historic lodge situated in the heart of town. Weatherby’s offers central access to some unique landlocked salmon fishing and is a hub location for spring boarding to the areas unsurpassed smallmouth bass fishing. The lodging, food and hospitality are second to none and Weatherby’s also boasts one of the most professional cadre of skilled guides available anywhere. The lodge is one of the oldest and most famous fishing destinations in North America. Many famous visitors have stayed and played outdoors using Weatherby’s as a their home base, including the “splendid splinter” himself, Ted Williams.Weatherby’s is also an excellent destination upland game hunting. The area is renowned for woodcock or “timberdoodle” shooting.
For further information about accomodations, seasons and rates visit the lodge's website at www.weatherbys.com .

Fundamentals of Fly Fishing the Surf

Join Angelo Peluso for a unique fly-fishing class. Instruction will take place at selected beach locations on Long Island where the fundamentals of fly-fishing will be taught in an informal and conversational setting. The basic program is geared for the new or intermediate fly angler with customized sessions available for more experienced anglers. With more than thirty-five years fly-fishing experience under his wading belt, Angelo has a wealth of information to share with the students attending his classes.

Topics covered will include:
*Casting
*Retrieves
*Line Selection
*Leaders/Knots
*Fly Selection
*Essential Gear
*Reading Water
*Tactical Wading
*Elements of Structure
*Tactics for local game fish
*Beach Safety

Individual and group sessions (up to four participants) are available, and can be structured to meet any specific needs or interests. The full program runs three hours. Specialized hourly classes can also be arranged to meet specific needs, interests or time constraints. Most classes are offered evenings and weekend, and are scheduled throughout the entire year. Some light beach walking required for the full program.

Classes are scheduled throughout the entire year. Some light beach walking required for the full program.
For individual or group rates please contact: apdotcominfo@aol.com