Parks Highway Streams Provide Rainbows For Alaska Anglers!

Alaska Outdoor Journal's Photo of the Day!

Autumn Leaves Bring Rainbows!

9/26....Although Brad Hanson is only a 3 year veteran of Alaska fishing, his previous experience as a guide and avid flyfishing angler in the western Lower 48 proves just the background necessary to capitalize on fall trout fishing along the Parks Highway streams which feed into the Susitna River drainage. Besides having the savvy to outsmart fish such as this 22 inch rainbow (released), he seems to have an eye for photographic composition and you will see more of his "works" capturing memorable moments. He writes:

"I fished a Parks highway stream a couple of times last week and the salmon were gone. I drifted egg imitations initially without success. The trout were on the flesh! I've caught many more fish on other days, but these were huge, solid and wild all jumping numerous times when hooked. I fished a 4 wt. flyrod using a 9' leader down to 3x. I dead drifted a small white bunny leach and used an indicator to help the drift and detect the takes. I landed 7 to 10 each day with a total of 6 over 20". The largest at 24" and a 14" girth. I smash the barbs down and all fish were released unharmed.

"The rainbow fishing should continue to be good although the fish are starting to move out of the small streams back toward their winter homes. If a person were to fish without success they may consider trying to move downstream a sizeable distance. Also fish the snags. Deadfalls, sweepers, logjams and overhanging brush is the rainbows lair. They can be difficult to reach and plan on losing flies but there's some astonishing bows lurking in darkness.

"A tying tip: tie weedless. There's a couple of tying methods that produce an effective fly for probing the snags you'd never before dare to fish.

Releasing Procedure:

Land the fish as quickly as possible as lactic acid builds up in the bloodstream after exhaustive fights.
Don't handle the fish with dry hands. (it removes the protective slime)
Hold the fish just in front of the tail and cradle one hand under the belly. (never squeeze)
Never place fingers in the gills.
Minimize the time spent out of water. Lactic acid builds up from stress too.
Never lay fish on hot rock or allow them to flop around on the rocks.
Support fish in gentle current pointing upstream so that water flows through gills.
Don't release fish until it moves strongly.
Releasing a fish that hasn't adequately recuperated may result in a loss of equlibrium and eventually death.

"If practicing "catch and release," a barbless hook is a positive step to a successful release. If pressure is maintained on the fish during the fight, losses are minimized."

Photo Courtesy of Brad Hanson Š1999

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