Patrick Brandon First Coho at Sheep 2025

8/14/25 Fishing Report

The first coho are officially in the channel! Last weekend's rain helped flush out some old salmon in the rivers and as we suspected brought the first round of coho into Gastineau channel. From here on out it is game on. Going south of town will likely be the best shot at these early coho, but in years past this is the week where the mouth of Fish Creek and Bayview area have started to produce some fish.

Anglers that were able to hit the freshwater before the levels got too high and blew out were rewarded with some of the best cutthroat and Dolly beading of the year. The high water will have flushed the older chums out and replaced them with some fresher pinks. This is a perfect time to get on the water and roll some beads. With the fresher salmon in the river egg color can vary wildly, so don't be afraid to throw those fresher eggs if the dead eggs aren't working. Look in back eddys and the gravel banks to see what is in the water currently and try your best to match the size and color for the best results.

The 2025 COHO DERBY starts tomorrow! This year we will be blending last year's coho contest and this year's king contest. The contest will run from August 15th till 10:00 AM September 20th. Like last year you will need to catch three coho on three different flies. Here is how it works:

Come into the shop and pick out three different flies you will use to catch three different coho.
We will record your choices at the shop.
New rule for this year: You cannot choose Dolly Llamas as any of your three flies(!)
Once you have come into the shop to get your three flies and register, those are the three flies you must use for the contest (you can use and many as it takes, but the pattern and color can't change).
All three coho must come from the Gastineau Channel anywhere between the mouth of Fish Creek and end of Thane Road. All coho must be caught from shore and photographed with the fly in their mouth.
Either come in to show us the photos, send them to our Instagram page or email them to cory@alaskaflyfishinggoods.com.
All anglers who complete the task of catching their three coho on the three chosen flies will be entered into a drawing for three awesome prizes. We will draw the winners on Saturday September 20th; you don't need to be present at the shop to win.

COHO CONTEST PRIZES

First Place: Echo EPR 890-4 fly rod.

Second Place: Simms Dry Creek Zippered Backpack

Third Place: Grundens Dillingham Tech Hoody with Alaska Fly Fishing Goods Logo.

Come in the shop, pick your flies and get signed up and then commence to coho fishing on August 15th!

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

Lincoln Saito Late Season Fish Creek Pond King

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!