Tip #5 Muddy Water King Fishing!

This fishing season seems to be cursed with a typical Alaska summer. In other words frequent and liberal amounts of rain. Coupled with that is a significant snowpack remaining in the high country which hasn't melted yet.

This has produced a lot of high muddy water conditions for king salmon fishing in the Kenai Peninsula and Matsu Valley streams. And obviously the decreased visibility can have a negative impact on fishing success when a salmon can't see the presentation.

The Kenai River is restricted to catch and release and artificial lures without bait or scent. And the recent rains have turned the river very muddy. To improve the chance of hooking up, switch from the traditional kwikfish or flatfish to those which have built-in rattles. And use chrome accented colors which provide extra flash to the offering. The combination of flash and rattling can often agitate a fish enough to strike if you can put it close enough.

For Matsu streams where bait fishing is allowed for king salmon, consider switching to rattling kwikfish with a fillet strip of sardine attached to the underside with thread or tiny rubber bands. The noise and additional scent may allow fish in dirty water to home in on the presentation better. If using salmon roe, the more the better. Change eggs often to maintain the most scent possible.

An alternative to sardine strips on the lure is to use some of the commercial scents which are available. Anise (licorice), sardine butter, herring oil and many others can be used by dabbing or coating the lure. Refresh the scent every 15 - 30 minutes depending on how fast the current is and how easily the scent washes off.

Tight lines,

Klondike Kid

Return to Outdoor Tips Index

Home