Alaska Steelhead Fishing.

Steelhead fishing in Alaska is about one of the most unappreciated and least understood sport fishing alternatives available in the state, Alaska Trout Fishing. Anglers are encouraged to practice catch and release when fishing for steelhead. Please consider removing the barbs from your fishing gear to protect these sea run trout and allow them to return to spawn again.

Fishing Southeast Alaska for Steelhead.

Steelhead fishing in southeast Alaska is one of the most underrated fishing trips available in the state, If you are looking at going fishing in Alaska, don't pass up the steelhead fishing if your planning to be here in the late fall or early winter months.

When is the best steelhead fishing in Alaska? August, September and October are the primary months but some steelhead continue returning to the rivers well into the winter.

Where is the best steelhead fishing in Alaska? The streams and rivers of Southeast Alaska rate in the tops for fishing for steelhead in Alaska.

Steelhead are present in the coastal rivers and streams of Alaska Ketchikan to the Cold Bay area on the Alaska Peninsula. This includes the rivers of Kodiak Island and some of the lower rivers on the Kenai Peninsula.

Tips for Steelhead Fishing in Alaska.

• Start your day off early, be on the river at first daylight.
• Use as light of line as possible, 10 or 12 lb test is usually sufficient along with a good quality 8 to 9 foot rod like those from Lamiglass or Fenwick with a light sensitive tip.
• Keep hooks razor sharp, Steelhead are exceptionally light biters.
• Adult steelhead like fast, deep, running water. Fish the fast, white water areas during the day and the area behind large rocks and log jams are often productive.
• Walk the river and cast into the locations that steelhead like to travel or hold in.
• Steelhead like colorful flies like the skyhomish sunrise, red rascal, and polar shrimp.
• Also keep an assortment of Egg Patterns, Egg Sucking Leeches and Wooly Buggers with you as these are top patterns for Steelhead.
• Drift fishing is the most common form for steelhead fishing in Alaska. This method uses small colorful bobbers such as "spin-n-glos", "little corkies", "gooey bobs", and " oakie drifters ".
• Lures like some spoons and spinners can also be effective when drift fishing. The key is to keep the lure in the strike zone. This is the area just off the bottom and can be found when the lure or lead make an occasional contact with the bottom.

Using a Guide Service or Southeast Alaska Fishing Lodge.

A general knowledge of the behavior of Steelhead can add a big advantage to fishermen. If you’ve never drift fished for steelhead, the use of an Alaska guide service will help in getting you started. If steelhead is something your familiar with, some Alaska fishing lodges in Southeast Alaska cater to veteran fishermen like you. Novice fishermen venturing into Alaska should consider a lodge offering guide services offering valuable information you can use on the river immediately. Southeast Alaska lodges are located near some of the finest steelhead fishing the state has to offer. From the Situk river near Yakutat to the rivers and streams of Prince of Wales Island, look for a fishing lodge that offers the services you need. Also, Kodiak Island is a top destination for fishermen looking to catch the Steelhead in Alaska.

About the Steelhead In Alaska.

The steelhead trout is a rainbow trout that has spent a part of its life in the sea. There are no major physical differences between rainbow and steelhead trout; however, the nature of their differing lifestyles has resulted in subtle differences in color, shape, and general appearance.
Source; Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife Notebook Series.