BRISTOL BAY REPORT For 6/28/10

KANEKTOK – The king swing is on! Break out the two hander and swing big flies. Trailer Trash along with Intruder style flies are the way to go. Try pinks, chartreuse and blues.

Trout fishing is fair and will pick up in the weeks to come as the residents prepare for the up coming salmon spawn. Swinging leeches is the the technique of choice. Mousing is also just as popular.

NUSHAGAK – The king run has been steady with 16,000 fish counted at the sonar as of last week. Fishing should pick up as more of the projected 117,000 return. Chum returns have been strong and fly fishing for chromers has been excellent.

KVICHAK – Fishing on the Kvichak has been fair. Early season smolt out migration is the targeted food of choice. Try fishing small Strung-Out Thunder Creeks. Swinging sculpin and leeches is a good bet too.

WOOD/TIKCHIK – Sockeye have started to pour into the system. Targeting these dime bright bullets on the Agulawak should pay out dividends.

Trout fishing has been fair with the trout recovering from the spring spawn. More trout will return into the rivers as the season warms and the hatches come. Try swing leeches or nymphing standard bead head nymhs.

Char fishing at the mouths of the rivers is good as ravenous schools devour out migrating sockeye smolt. Although sockeye smolt are tiny, try big bait fish patterns like Bad Sea Habits. Also big white flesh flies swung can be deadly.

ALAGNAK – King fishing has been slow as the season is still early. This should change this week as more fish will enter the river. Trout fishing on the upper stretches has been good to excellent. Dead drifting smolt is good or swing big leeches. Black and white Dolly Llamas are always a good bet.

Naknek – The salmon fishing reported is similar to the of the Alagnak, but should pick up in the next week or so. Sockeye will be returning in large numbers soon. Trout fishing has been fair to excellent with the smolt out migration in full swing. Try both dead drifting and stripping smolt patterns,