The world renowned Situk River is home to the largest steelhead run in Alaska. Ocean migration and behavior of steelhead Oncorhynchus - ResearchGate To contact Gary Lewis, visit his website here. Drift boaters depend on jet boaters to cut paths through the logs. We were hungry for steelhead. Situk River Steelhead Fishing - Alaska Wilderness Enterprises, LLC The fish we saw averaged ten pounds, but now and then we surprised one that would go 16 pounds. From swinging flies like the Dirty Hoh and Mini Intruder, to smaller offerings like our custom Liquid Wrench and of course the crazy but effective Garcia Glo Bug. Were they fish? Great report! The Situk cuts its magical swath through pristine Southeast Alaska rainforest and its unique substrate, flow, mineral content all combine to create the most ideal steelhead stream imaginable. The low water dramatically affects the Upper Situk in terms of fishing ability. Chest waders are a must. After a mile of drift, we fished harder. Then for no apparent reason at all, fish will hit anything and everything you drift their way. Southeast, Alaska Department of Fish and Game The 11 Best Salmon Fishing Rods of 2023 - WooFish.com Visitors can bring inflatable rafts, kayaks and canoes. Only then did someone point out that in fact the fish was a steelhead and a record, at that.). Most meals were cooked on gravel bars or in parking lots. Map created by Mark Hieronymus. They moved when the light was low morning and evening and held close to cover during the day. Everywhere, rainbow-striped shadows darted through grasping roots and submerged branches, spooky in the clear water. The Situk River is home to five species of Pacific salmon, Dolly Varden trout, and the state's largest documented run of steelhead. 0011 800 4 782 3822. This was not always the case and my first few years were simply a challenge to find a fish, let alone hook one. Stay on good water or fish down ahead and get to the launch early and race up to the launch again. Trees were in every turn of the river, downed timber framed each run. All five species of Alaskas Pacific salmon can be found in Yakutat, in addition to rainbow trout, steelhead trout, coastal cutthroat trout, and Dolly Varden. Dolly Varden are easily taken on beads and egg imitations when they match spawn in the river, and small swung streamers that resemble baitfish. Tracking fifth-year options for 2020 first-rounders: Which were picked up, and which were declined? Situk Steelhead Fly and Bead List Bank anglers fish up from the bridge and down from the bridge and the first mile upstream and downstream can be crowded. About 2 miles down the trail, there is a side trail that provides access to the confluence of the Old Situk and Situk Rivers, a popular site for steelhead, sockeye and dolly varden fishing. Steelhead fishing on the Situk River In comparison to other anadromous species of Pacific salmon, they have a fairly complicated life history. About 2 miles down the trail, there is a side trail that provides access to the confluence of the Old Situk and Situk Rivers, a popular site for steelhead, sockeye and dolly varden fishing. The Situk River: A Steelhead Anglers Dream A member of the support team will reply as quickly as possible. Finally I reached my destination just as a few flakes of snow started to fall and light in the sky began to gather. The flick of a fin might reveal a holding lie, a blue-black back, the shine of chrome beneath a lateral line. Later, they return as adults to spawn in their natal streams. The change in the forecast changed how we would approach the water. Currently, the discharge is around 123 cfs. Jake, a tugboat captain, and Dave, a nurse from Soldotna, had just come off the river after three chilly weeks in a wall tent. Alas, the Situk is not for the faint at heart or easily ruffled as it definitely takes more than it gives but again the reward of an ocean bright wild steelhead on the line is well worth all the efforts. With daily housekeeping service, in-house laundry facilities, you'll enjoy the comforts of home with the exhilarating thrill of America's last frontier. When was this article written? Large log jams and root wads are both barriers and habitat. Situk River Fishing Charters & Guides | FishAnywhere Anglers and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world come to the Glacier Bear Lodge each. Situk Steelhead are among the most prestigious anadromous game fish on the planet and they command special respect and lore that only the most disserting and accomplished angler can embrace. Like any good steelhead river, there was lots of gravel, but there were no large boulders. The largest steelhead I've seen landed in the Situk was 46 inches, and I've heard rumors of a couple of larger specimens. The natural-run Yakutat steelhead fishing is considered the best in the world. This trail follows the river for a mile then turns inland, crosses the Old Situk, and returns to the river at the Forest Service's Eagle and Raven Cabins. The Xirrus product line has been acquired by Cambium Networks. Both conventional tackle and fly fishing work well. Riverbed Support: Contact Support Toll. Learn about our work in Alaska at tu.org/project/alaska. Know the local, April-Oct.: dolly varden; April/May/June: rainbow trout and steelhead; July: rainbow trout, pink and chum salmon; Aug./Sept. There is heavy equipment in the boat launch area so anglers are being asked to not park near the launch or on the launch and yield space so the equipment can move around. Fishing on six fabulous river systems of the Yakutat Alaska area is just a short flight with our air taxi partner. They are warm and personable, and truly care about making your trip memorable. But intermittent meadows and alder thickets made life miserable with chest-high snow and a completely obscured path. The rainbow-striped 13-pounder (as told by the length and girth formula) took a deep-running Wicked Lures spinner and battled back and forth across the river, thrashing at the surface, taking dad a considerable ways downstream before it was brought to hand. Raven Cabin, Tongass National Forest - Recreation.gov During the past 15 years, the run of metalheads in the Situk River has grown from an estimated low of 338 in 1993 to a high of 15,003 in 2006, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Fishing Opportunities, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Every year anglers flock to Yakutat to cast their chance at catching a trophy steelhead or to fill their freezer with wild salmon. Targeting Situk River steelhead in Alaska, Embiid sits out Game 1 vs. Celts with knee injury, Yankees put Judge on injured list with hip strain, Serena announces she's pregnant with 2nd child, Snoop Dogg joins Sparks' bid to buy Senators, LeBron 'locked in' as rivalry with Steph resumes, College baseball player hit by stray bullet at game, Jets bolster OT group by signing veteran Turner, Calipari thanks Bryants for package honoring Gigi. The downstream trail system is more extensive. Jake looked at me. Fall fish enter the Situk from August through December, while spring fish come in as early as March and as late as mid-June (with the majority arriving in late April and early May). Add to that our top choices for custom beads along with hooks, pegs and indicators. Miller has big dreams of some day tapping into that traffic and taking . : coho and pink salmon, and rainbow trout; Oct.: coho salmon, rainbow trout, and steelhead; Nov.-March: steelhead. The Situk does not give up its prized quarry easily and is a very technical river to fish. The river can be dangerous for . On days 2 and 3, all the best holes had guides and their clients. Beautiful scenery, wild landscapes, and healthy populations of fish and wildlife are what make places like Yakutat so special. Riverbed's trained technical support staff is committed to providing world-class expertise and assistance. Our famous saltwater halibut, lingcod, & black bass fishing is second to none. This new direction is wonderful news for places like the Yakutat Forelands and so many others across the Tongass National Forest. Pete Eades at the Glacier Bear Lodge had told me there would be no guides available at the end of April. In Yakutat, from March through April, the buzz is about chrome bullets fresh from the salt and rainbow-splashed, deep-bodied wild fish, some of the biggest in the world. These fish winter beneath Situk Lake . The Yakutat Alaska area offers Alaska's finest river & saltwater fishing without the high cost factor of more remote destinations. with their comfortable bedrooms for two or three, fully-equipped private kitchens for each group, spacious dining, lounging & TV areas, & picturesque decks with BBQ grills will immeasurably enhance your Alaskan adventure. The majority of Alaskan voters and numerous southeast Alaska tribes opposed the exemption. That was 40-something Trey Sharp, and he never said how many fish he caught. Many compliments..many thanks..Len. My friend Josiah Darr, a steelheader and a scribe greeted me in the bar to say he was fishing the river these last two weeks of April. Trout Unlimiteds mission is to protect, reconnect and restore North Americas coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Country / Region. Performance Management, Digital This makes boat travel very difficult, both drift and power boats. There. A steelhead streaked from the tailout, up under a cutbank. During the past 15 years, the run of metalheads in the Situk River has grown from an estimated low of 338 in 1993 to a high of 15,003 in 2006, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Having fished steelhead in the Situk River for the past nine straight years, my mission was clear: I needed to hike a couple of miles upriver to a few reaches of the river that had always held ample numbers of these often-elusive fish. The bulk of the fish are 8-12 lbs. Most of the Yakutat Forelands is within the Tongass National Forest and considered a roadless area, which means it has been spared from industrial logging and most road construction. And with the clear days the fish had pulled tight into the wood of the log jams. Map Information. Yakutat is one of the rainiest places on earth, but as our fishing days approached, we saw breaks in the clouds. Over the years I have fine-tuned my technique and maximized my efficiency at hooking steelhead in this river; now a dozen hookups per day is not uncommon. This area is natures perfect design for a fish factory. If youd like to get involved with efforts to conserve the Tongass National Forest visit americansalmonforest.org. Then again, "Many of the steelhead trout in the southeast lay their eggs within just a few miles of the ocean," said Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Jason Shull. We took turns rowing through log jams and one time in a long, shallow rapid when I was on the sticks and Shannon was watching for rocks, we missed one, or rather, we didnt miss it. Tongass National Forest - Situk River Trailhead Accelerator, Bulk Token Each steelhead is like a miracle, a gift out of time, a prehistoric primal beast. On our first day I hooked five steelhead with the river green and dropping. They were huddled with Ty Wyatt, a conservationist, guide and steelhead junkie who grew up in Lakeview, Oregon. United States government. The pace was brisk in the areas of trail protected by a dense canopy of Sitka spruce and hemlock forest. Some of the rivers inhabitants are very difficult to deal with when hooked and will make a mortal man look like a monkey as they take over. (Situk River) for mid May, fishing the salt for 1-2 days and the river for 4. The trail also fords the Old Situk River, but it does not follow the banks of Situk River. Where the river bent hard left, I had Shannon hold back while I fired a spinner into deep water along a log. These fall runs begin in late August and early September and typically peak in the middle of October. The Situk River is one of the most productive and popular salmon and trout systems in Southeast Alaska and the National Forest System. Map showing recreational areas. If you only know the names of two fish in the world, they'll probably be Salmon and Trout. So many times in my life I have found snappy fish with other snappy fish. Parts of steelhead resolve into whole fish. On the second day, the flotilla starts again at daybreak, but you are already ahead of them. Situk River is the most famous of Yakutats rivers. Controller for SteelHead, NetIM The Situk River offers outstanding fishing for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and steelhead, as well as sockeye, pink, king and coho salmon. And now we were at the Glacier Bear Lodge in a town called Yakutat where the rain had stopped and the snow had melted and we found ourselves in a unique circumstance where almost everyone in the lodge was there for one thing. Still, I continued on, motivated by the fact I was on the world-famous Situk River near Yakutat, Alaska, in mid-April carrying my favorite fly rod and a trove of proven flies in search of steelhead. When I should have been packing bags and stowing rods, I steeped in steelhead subculture in the bar at the Glacier Bear. The fall flood significantly changed the Upper Situk, and . Also: The best gear for anglers camping in Alaska. I hooked five, landed three that day. Subscriptions, Riverbed 2UIFN toll free numbers are not supported on mobile devices in China, Malaysia, and Denmark. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Shannon fought the fish in close after a five-minute battle and then turned it loose in the soft water. Moose hunting is good to excellent. The Situk cuts its magical swath through pristine Southeast Alaska rainforest and its unique substrate, flow, mineral content all combine to create the most ideal steelhead stream imaginable. And I got it. The only consolation was now he could cut 10-pound mono with that tooth. The Situk River Trailhead begins at the Nine Mile bridge and heads downstream along the river. This habitat is exactly what fish need to spawn and rear, and contributes to the Situk River being the largest steelhead fishery in the state. Can street race king Perez challenge Verstappen for the title? The Forest Services new Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy will realign the agency away from outdated and costly practices that damage the forest and important fish and wildlife habitat, towards management activities that benefit local communities, the southeast Alaska economy, and our fish and wildlifelike hiring local businesses to fix culverts that do not meet fish-passage standards. They can catch big numbers of fish when the conditions are right. A few years back Kesey and I were fishing the Situk River in late April when we stumbled on a pack of hundreds of fish that had just moved in on a tide. Kenai Peninsula Steelhead Fishing is primarily a fall pursuit and takes place on the southern Kenai Peninsula rivers: The Anchor, Deep Creek, Ninilchik and the Upper Kasilof. Alaska Fishing Steelhead Fishing Alaska. With an annual return of 4,500-8,000 fish, the Situk hosts the largest steelhead run in the state. Riverbed SteelHead CX 5055 Series | WANSolutionWorks.com Steelhead on Alaska's Situk River - Alaska Fly Fishing Goods Shannon and I traded places at the oars, pointing the bow at a new obstacle at every turn, pulling away from it. Our spacious dry rooms allow you to, , offers the ultimate in reasonably-priced World-Class, The natural-run Yakutat steelhead fishing. TTY:907-228-6222 Photos by Gary Lewis & Trey Scharp. Official websites use .gov A .gov The series is engineered for seamless network integration into remote sites and data centers, with scalable performance designed to support a . This area includes numerous streams and rivers that have similar characteristics as the Situk: clean water, a meandering channel, perfect spawning gravel and slow tributaries. Our famous saltwater halibut, lingcod, & black bass fishing is second to none. When the float streaked sideways, he set the hook. Tongass National Forest Sustainable Cabin Strategy, 648 Mission Street, Suite 110 Water levels on the Situk River continue to be very low. Anglers in the know speak in hushed tones of 30-fish days, but the reality is it can be easy to have a zero-fish day. In any pod of fish, I like to think that at least one is a biter. River and Stream Fishing. Over the course of the river's run, it only loses 1,640 feet of elevation. Riverbed Global Support Email: support@riverbed.com. 1, Panthers' Bryce Young is all 'business now'. My dad caught what may have been the biggest fish of the trip on the third day when the water was skinny. Tongass National Forest - Districts UIFN Toll Free (1) Toll Free. In a constantly changing river, there are good holes people overlook simply because they are heading to a known or a favorite spot. Its better to look at the first trip to the Situk as exploratory or even as a pilgrimage. Mid-morning one day in the middle of our trip, I stopped to look off the upstream side of the 14 Mile Bridge. Huge trees lay on their sides with limbs bare and curled, like rib cages of long-dead dinosaurs. They're also the reason fly fishing - arguably, sportfishing in general - exists. Contact Cambium for assistance. Each year we start our fishing season in mid-March for spring steelhead in the world-famous Situk River. Spectacular steelhead fishery in Yakutat good way to kick off the You will be redirected to the Riverbed Cloud Portal. The Situk River: An Alaska Steelhead Mecca, Alaska Department of Fish Still, there are known holes that hold fish 100 percent of the time and those places feel the most pressure. It took real persistence and attention to detail to hook fish on the third day. Cooper Landing, AK. Trey, a 40-something from Wyoming, his dad, Vernon Scharp, my dad, Don, my brother-in-law Shannon Winters, and our friend Gary Davis shoved oars into oar-locks and threw our tackle bags into bow and stern. Share sensitive information only Fighting through a log jam on the Situk River in southeast Alaska. Call usabout family discounts, senior rates, & package fishing trip offers. With 4 species of wild salmon, the largest wild steelhead run in Alaska, resident Rainbows, Cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden, its no wonder so many anglers venture from far and wide to fish it. Yakutat Lodging | Alaska Fishing | Yakutat's Situk Inn "After Tony hooked his second fish in the first 10 minutes of our float, I started to believe in the magic of metal," author Randall Bonner writes of their experience. We might be in competition for the biters, but keep in mind Situk steelheaders depend on each other. The fish are numerous and the action fast! Before you pick up the phone, consider our other support options such as the knowledge base, user documentation, and online cases, as they may be quicker and easier for you. Yakutat Steelhead Fishing Situation On The Situk Dependent On Water With polarized glasses, we stood at the oars and peered along current seam lines and beneath cut banks. Color and sizes of spinners, beads, worms, etc? They are not prepared to stay out overnight and hence, they start the drift at 8:30 in the morning and get off the river some 10 to 12 hours later. With a Riverbed support plan in place, you can be assured that you will limit expensive downtime while maintaining the high level of performance expected from your Steelhead appliance deployment. The Situk River in Southeast Alaska has the longest running set of biological data and scale samples for steelhead in the state and is of particular interest because it supports the largest known . Sink. And how many know about the work that is being done to ensure these fisheries are around for generations to come? Together, the waters of the Yakutat Forelands have ideal habitat for incredible fish productivity and species diversity. At that moment, a large steelhead moved up from the pool below and found a place to hold in the riffle. The Situk is world renowned, but it is just one of the rivers that make Yakutat so special. To break out of that cycle, plan to launch in early afternoon. Whether you are fly fishing, drift fishing, or spin casting, we will put you on the fish!This unique early season trip puts you on a slow moving wilderness stream, ideal for fly or spin fishing for NativeRainbow and Cutthroat Trout. The spring steelhead season extends through the end of May, during which, the saltwater fishing halibut . As soon as it was gone, I fired a cast into the same run, hooked one and lost it. Click "OK" to continue. Fish that spot till dark, make a warm dinner, watch the embers burn down and the stars turn around the sky. About a third of the run arrives in late October through November and December. Information, Mailing Tie into a long egg loop knot then dunk it and wring it out and trim it up to a smooth round ball. The process to implement this new strategy is ongoing. The Situk drains a gentle plain of muskeg and trackless forest, as well as a lake fed by melting snows. When steelhead are in the best lies, dollies tend to bunch up in soft water adjacent to current seams. And we can arrange the shuttles. That was good enough for us. Fishing on six fabulous river systems of the Yakutat Alaska area is just a short flight with our air taxi partner, Yakutat Coastal Airlines. It was a portent of things to come. My brother-in-law caught one that day and lost a couple of others. Dave nodded. I suspect our best numbers were put up by the lone angler in our group who stuck with beads. During peak migrations the catch rates of steelhead on the Situk River are often in excess of 10 fish per day, per angler, especially on guided trips. I called my friend Gary Davis over to see the fish. I turned the handle of the reel, felt the slow thump of the blade in the soft rod tip, felt it load up. Prior to our trip we watched the temperatures in Yakutat and inside the 10-day forecast, we began to anticipate each days float. As the day's first sunshine hit the water, I began wading downriver in search of fresh fish and indelible memories. Pro-tip:Fish Alaskasfavorite fishing lodges to visit. Glacier Bear is an excellent home base as it is centrally located and offers nice rooms, hot showers, good food, and a bar. Use of bait is prohibited. There are multiple bank access fishing spots along the Situk River Trail, beginning at the Nine Mile bridge. Pull over and get out! Log jams can actually fence boaters out of good water. Another large fish, well over 20 pounds followed it up out of the deep water. Board of Fisheries and Game: Actions & Activities, Threatened, Endangered, and Diversity Program, Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS), About the Division of Commercial Fisheries, Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP), Online General Season & Registration Permits, Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Permits, CSIS Community Subsistence Information System, The Technical Papers and Special Publications Series. (0011 800 4 RVBD TAC) 1300 007 823 (RVBD) (3) Nice report, always looking for new steelhead areas! Along the way a spur trail leads . The next days would be clear and warm. Upstream habitat is critical for highly migratory fish like salmon. Hello, I am writing from Spain, we will go in April 2020, I am surprised about fishing alone, I thought that many people fish in Situk at that time! It was written in April 2017. Work on the Situk River Lower Landing boat launch is continuing but should be done by this weekend.