9/28/2023 Fishing Report

The fishing season isn't over yet, you just need to pick your days wisely.  It doesn't take very long for the streams in the area to drop after a rain event, especially if they never got to flood stage.  Out the road also often stays drier than in town, so Cowee is always a decent bet this time of year.  The snow up in the mountains also helps clear up the normally silty creek.  We haven't heard much of anything about the channel, so the freshwater will be your better bet for cohos still.

Most of the creeks have flushed out the remaining salmon, other than cohos.  A few pinks are lingering here and there, but for the most part silvers are going to be the only salmon spawning now.  Redder colors of beads can work well for targeting the Dollies behind cohos.  It is hard this time of year because a lot of the Dollies are high in the watersheds getting ready to spawn themselves.  If you don't have the time to walk way upstream to target Dollies, try throwing some flesh or sculpin patterns for trout in the deeper pools.

With the wet weather and darkness creeping in it is almost time to hit pause on the fishing report for the season.  I'll do at least one more report next week and depending on what we see or hear about go from there.  Even if chances are not great to catch fish if the lakes around town aren't frozen there is always the possibility of catching something.

*We understand that folks want fish, but, if possible, release most of the wild cohos after you catch them.  By all means, keep a fish for a BBQ, just leave the freezer filling for hatchery fish.

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 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 we do our best to get you the hot flies.  Listed below are our recommended patterns for the particular species available.  Happy fishing!

Hot Beads/Flies - Trout and Char

Hot Flies - Coho