Alagnak River - 2015 Silver Salmon Run

We asked John Perry of Anglers Alibi for an overview of the 2015 Silver Salmon fishing season on the Alagnak River. Below, he offers a quick overview of why the season started a little later than usual and what flies were working. Contact us if you would like to submit a review of your fishing experience, or your lodges season.

2015 Was A Good Year for Silver Salmon on the Alagnak River

The 2015 silver salmon run was one for the books again on the Alagnak River, starting in late July and going on well past our departure at the end of August.

Warm Summer Delayed the Run

The heat in 2015 did have an effect on our silver run, which normally starts out like gangbusters August 1. The warm temps the last week of July delayed a big push of silvers and the run was slow to start. The water temperature was in the high 60's and the new fish were not that willing to jump up river with the heated waters. BUT, with all the heat, our guests still managed to catch their limits of silvers every day of that hot week and also catch chums as well to add to the excitement. Our guests totaled well over 100 salmon for the week per rod in what would normally be hundreds per rod for the week, so despite what we considered slow fishing, the guests still had a grand time.

30 Silvers Per Day

The second week of August came in with a cold rain, and with it came a boat load of silvers. And I mean a boat load with several guests catching over 30 silvers per day, and counting became an afterthought. The run did slow down again in week 8, but limits were still caught every day, and the chum salmon were still there to add to the catch rates and keep rods bent for most of the day.

Our last week of guests was our 9th week in 2015, and with it came another cold snap, and a huge push of both silver salmon and chum salmon. This is not a normal scenario this late in August for chrome chums, but with the heat, I think the run timing was severely delayed. There were dime bright chum salmon attacking dry fly skaters as well as silver salmon all in the same run while wading for them on the beautiful firm sand bottom of the Alagnak. Numbers again skyrocketed for the daily totals with the "normal" weather we were experiencing.

High totals on silvers for the day per rod were in the 50 plus category and there were plenty of sore arms around the lodge in the evening. The megawatt flies were killer and just a blast to be fishing with as silvers literally crushed them with complete recklessness. It was a shame to leave the river with it still teaming with chrome bright silver salmon right out our door, so with this happening again, we are going to run a total of 10 weeks in 2017. The 10th week will feature silver salmon fishing, as well as out of this world rainbow trout fishing in the braids of the Alagnak. Techniques for the rainbows will be swinging flesh ties and drifting egg patterns.

Silver Salmon Flies

These were three of our most productive Silver Salmon flies from the 2015 season. Any one of these flies will catch silvers, and you have to consider pink the main color that works most consistently for all Pacific Salmon in Alaska, BUT, do not hesitate to use purple/pink, blue/black, and chart/pink as great color combos in any one of these patterns.

Megawatt in Purple & Pink - © Alaska Signature Flies

Dolly Llama in Chinchilla & Fuschia - © Alaska Fly Fishing Goods

Hareball Leech in Pink - © Alaska Fly Fishing Goods