Streams in Southeast Alaska come in a multitude of forms, but two basic types are of interest to flyfishers. The first type is large, glacial rivers. They can be recognized by their silty color that comes from rock pulverized by glaciers. While salmon and trout will pass through them, they do not spend much time in them. Most of the time, fish are swimming up them on their way to clear water tributaries. Some anglers have moderate success fishing these streams. However, due to the lack of visibility and transient nature of the fish in them, it is usually more productive to fish clear streams.

The second river type is the clear water coastal creek. With our voluminous amounts of rainfall, nearly every valley has a creek that drains it. They start high in the mountains as small feeder streams that build in size as they pick up more tributaries.

While many of these creeks are small enough to jump across, if the drainage is sufficiently large these creeks become very fishable and will be host to migrations of native trout, char, and salmon. The upper parts of these creeks are heavily wooded, brushy in nature and have fast currents interspersed with pools and undercut banks. They are generally 20-50 feet in width and 1-6 feet in depth.

As these creeks near their saltwater terminus the gradient flattens, slowing the current and deepening the creek. The depth will be influenced by the tide and fish can often be found moving in with an incoming tide.

The final part of the stream is the intertidal zone. This area varies dramatically between high and low tide. At low tide it is a mud flat with a streambed winding through it. This tidal flat can be anywhere from a few hundred feet long to over a mile in length. As the tide moves in and floods the flat the salmon and trout move in with it. This often offers the best fishing for bright salmon and hungry trout.

A word of caution: Southeast Alaskan tides range in size from 8 feet to over 20 feet! An angler needs to be careful not to get stranded on a flat by a flooding tide. As well, the mud can be sticky in places. Use caution, carry a tide book, and always fish with a partner.

Please call 907-586-3754 or e-mail Brad if you have any additional questions about the fishing here in Southeast Alaska.

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Juneau Flyfishing Goods
Brad Elfers, Proprietor
175 South Franklin Street Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: (907) 586-3754
Fax: (907) 586-3734
E-mail: flyfishing@alaska.com