With all the vacation talk on the board I thought now would be a good time to ask for some advice. My father and I have a trip booked with GBL to fish the Situk river the first week of May ( my first Ak trip but not my pops). 2 days are self guided. We are planning on fishing floats and hardware mostly. Jigs or beads under the floats. Spoons and spinners for the hardware.

Anyone have any suggestions to lures, colors or techniques? This will be my first time traveling by air with gear. Any tips there? I have been watching Youtube vids to get a feel for the river before we get there. It looks a bit different than the rivers I am used to here in Snohomish county.

Thanks.

Its lots different. Be ready to fish really small gear, or bigger stuff if there is rain. Watch out for the griz and moose.

I had more fun with the Hali when I was there two years ago in May.
The Situk was low and clear.
It's a small, meandering river. Similar to a midwest steelhead river.

Float and jig is a good choice.
You could back some plugs into a few spots.
Roll some worms.
A size 3 French (Blue Fox type) would be about right for me.

If it's not happening on the Situk book a flight on the mail plane with Jad for your second free day. (sightseeing on the cheap)
If you want to spend a little more ask about a "fly out".
I'm not sure what fisheries are available in that time frame.

IMO, too early in the season to rent a skiff unless you like to monkey with small bottomfish.

We did get the steelhead package which includes a day on the salt for butts and bottomfish.

I would love to tell ya but BFD and I will be there a week or so after you and I don't want you soremouthing all the fish.

Seriously, here are a few things I have learned from a few trips there.

The river is chock full of sunken wood. You will lose gear - lots of it. Floats help. Go with heavy leaders. They are not leader shy and that heavy leader will save you some retying. If its low, think floats and jigs 1/16 ounce. I make my own Situk specials. Not fancy ties but they work.
Note the colors. Nuff said.



Also it's a VERY long float. Do not fish marginal water. Do not waste time. In May the days are long, but you will still be taking out in the dark if you are not careful. I always find more and better fish in bottom end. Some days i have just rowed thru the first six miles.

We busted a$$ all day looking for butts and finally found them on a hump in 78 feet of water.
I got a 121# and a 110#
Beautiful, deep bodied fish.

If you know how to backbounce you'll have an advantage. Similar to sturgeon fishing, if you've ever done that. I think that the butts are easier to get hooked up.
Although your guide will want you to get that precious lead off the bottom.
With lead laying on the bottom, the boat swings and the lead hangs up.

I disobeyed my guide and bounced and caught.
We had two whiners on the other side of the boat complain to the captain and he asked me to switch sides with the whiners !
One was a salmon guide from Craig and one was a n00b (puker) from Canby, OR.

Neither one of them knew how to backbounce.

Switch sides

Last year we fished nothing but trout beads and whcked the crap out of them at every bend.
The year before that, floats and jigs seemed best. Both years were low clear water but it seems that the lower in the river the small trout bead type lures work good.
There are quite a few clients that will fish nothing but aeropuffs in any type water and they catch the crap out of them so size does not seem to matter as much as finding the packs of newer fish moving, they will hit anything that looks good.
Stay on the move and fish as you drift, we catch as many on the move as anchored up. Feeding a trout bead or small drift rig under the pog jambs is a gas, getting them out once you hook up is another story, but why not!

I will be there May 12th through the 20th, I think Mr. Vedder will be there about the same time.

Dub--When is your trip? If we are there at the same time, we will tip a few together,,,on me of course!

May 3rd thru the 8th.

Is a pog jamb similar to a lof jag?

Haven't been down to check the situk out yet. Tough time of year for me as the first half of my busy season is well underway at that point. Couple of pals locally make the trip just about every year and do well with beads and glo bugs...imagine that! If they are anything like the peninsula steelhead up here, most colors work, some work really well.


Sounds like a fun time down there. Might have to sneak out for a long weekend one year when the boss isn't looking.

I'll be up there that first week as well. Planning on lots of beads, yarnies, and I'll have to get some smaller jigs tied up. I've got quite the selection of midwest-sized floats, which are gonna run great with the pin

All will work great, just keep an eye for the moving packs of fresh spring fish, they are real aggresive!
The bigger winter fish (not that there are not big spring fish!, there are plenty of big ones) will be there as well in full color and look real nice, just stay off the spawning beds and fish, there are plenty of fish without disturbing them.

Dub-I will try to get up early to meet up for a day or so if I can pull it off.

And just for information--
We now have a full tackle shop at the lodge and will be stocking more as the season gets going!
Thanks David Lee and Three Rivers for the advise in getting set up!

Just to get you a bit more excited - a few Situk photos.

I have no advice on the Situk steelhead fishing as I have never done that (something I hope to change this year).

However, this spring we are sending up two of our personal pontoons boats for Glacier Bear Lodge to use as part of their boat fleet. If anybody gets a chance to use them while floating the Situk, I'd love some good feedback on their performance.

Dub,

Good luck, your timing sounds pretty spot on.

I can't take it anymore! Is it May yet?

All those pics are awesome especially the dreamy trough looking water under the overhanging tree!

Thanks Dave! I am excited as it is! I have dreamed of Alaska for decades. Your reccomendations are partially why we are going. Robbo spoke highly of GBL also when my parents fished with him last summer.

GBl, will do.

We are fishing the first day guided so I am sure we will be set straight. I just wanted to make sure we had the right tackle for the rest of the trip.

You will all notice Dave with two rods, both with fish on!
He needed a picture, one of them had to do the duty so the other could snap a photo!

Cobble--There are so many of those type spots that if you stopped to fish each one you would be on the river for about 3 days!
But you do get to fish each one as you go by and pull whatever out of there!

Me likey whatever!

We will be up there that same week this year. Pink/White & Orange/White Jigs