I am heading to Kodiak next month for the first time and I am gearing up my flies for the trip. I have seen some good Salmon assortments at various sites, but no salmon egg bead boxes. Does anyone know where to get a bead box, or have tips on making your own? Now I know the topic of using just beads can be debated, so let's save that for another thread!

I read that 6 and 8mm beads work the best, but don't know what hook size. Any other tips you have on good fly selection would be appreciated.

Btw, I am taking 6,8, and 10 wt rods to cover all classes of fish.

Come on old timers, I know some of you have some advice for me! I should note that I won't be fishing with a guide and won't be within 2 hours of a shop, so I have to take all my own stuff.

For Bows I plan on throwing egg patters. For the Kings, I heard leeches work really well. I hear Silvers will eat anything.

This is my first time up and fishing for Salmon, so again, any tips are appreciated.

Darth MY MAN!!

Don't suppose you need anybody to go with you and carry your equipment????? Dream trip of a lifetime....have a super great time. Contact Mike Mercer at Flyshop of Redding CA and ask for advise. Mike is the man....he can give you straight answers without asking to go along. He has taken more trips to the 49th than anybody I can think of....plus he ties a mean fly....plus he is one hell of a nice young man....plus he can put most of us down casting....plus he is younger than me....PLUS????? That is at last count...5 for 5.....Mike wins!!!! Seriously...contact him to assure that you have a great trip.

Have a great safe trip....and please, please let us know how you did.

Sageman

Darth,

Just curious as to what, if any,thought you have given to the bears? Are you going to carry a weapon? Pepper spray?

Steve

BD,

I have never been to Alaska and have never seen a Grizzly in person, other than with one on the other side of very strong steel bars. I don't have any personal wreckem mandations other than it better be big! I would think that a better option than any handgun would be a short barreled 12 gauge loaded up with slugs? I do know that any reasonable handgun caliber is WAY under powered for anything even approaching the size of a bear. I think it was Jeff Cooper who said "The only thing a handgun is good for is to fight your way to your rifle"

I was just curious as to what thoughts Darth had on the subject.

Steve

I guess insekt repellent or anything with deet in it wouldn't be too bad idea to take along?

Hi Darth...

One (of many) good reason(s) to go out with a guide/local is so you can learn how to avoid becoming bear chow. As for the handgun... if you get in bear trouble you aren't going to save yourself with it. Please reread the previous sentence. Best defense against bears is knowledge combined with vigilance. In fact, short of a 12ga. semi-auto loaded to the gills with single-0 Buck, it's the only defense. And in the unlikely event you actually kill a bear while fishing you still have to prove sekf-defense to the Authorities. And dead bears make decidedly poor witnesses.
In short - give up any idea of doing battle (defensive or otherwise) with Ursa. Simply plan on keeping yourself always in a position to make a successful retreat.

HTH

I'm also going to Alaska in a couple of weeks. Will be fishing a number of streams along the Glen and Parks Highways and on the Kenai Peninsula.

From what I understand, anything short of a cannon will not help against bears. I plan on getting some bear spray and trying to stay out of their way. I'll also have my wife along for added protection.

Dunfly

If you run up against a bear....give him your lunch....give him your catch.....give him your beer and teach him to double haul. That should do it. Guides carry all the bear protection you will need. Don't worry for a second. You do the fishing...they cover your back.

Sageman

I'm fishing the Kenai River with a guide, however, I plan to fish some streams along the Glen and Parks Highways on my own. Some of the ones I plan to hit are Tolsona Creek, Willow Creek, Montana Creek and Fish Creek. Do you know anything about any of them? Hopefully I won't catch any bears (or get caught by any ) , though I would like to see a few .

Was in Kodiak once and saw the salmon run. These were in a narrow creek so thick that you could almost walk across and keep your feet dry. They were cohos, I was told. Kodiac Island has the Kodiak bear and they dwarf the grizzly. They are immense and irascible............like 5/0.
Nimrod

Hi Nimrod....

Curt, you UnReconstructed Bounder! There is hardly a kernal of Truth in your semi-outlandish accusation of me! And anyway, though I did, in fact, get into a wrestling ring with a 650-lb. Black Bear once several years ago, it is irrelevent because the Kodiak flavor is way more immenser than even I am irrational enough to rascille!


5/0

Have had good luck with Black Teeny Nymphs and Natural/Ginger backed Teeny Flash Flies for Kings usually 1/0s, haven't seen the need for anything less than a #2. E-mail Jim and he'll be happy to make recommendations. Coho like pink shrimp patterns and I'd bring a Pink Wog or two for some topwater takes.
I've had better luck with beads on the resident trout and Dollies, have had better luck with multi hued beads like you'll see in Cabela's, they look more like real eggs.
If you want to have a good trip worry more about the stuff you bring to wear, and keep all food stuffs way away from where you sleep.
If the bears want your fish let them have it. Flare pistols work about as good as pepper spray and pistols according to the guides I've fished with, they carry shotguns with slugs and OO buck.
Oh, and watch the Bald Eagles they'll rob you blind if you get to far from your fish.

My father in-law knows the area real good and has done many Alaska trips, so he knows how to handle the bears. He has guided hunts to Alaska and has lived there. I agree, hand guns won't do much if you come across a big sow. The best thing is awareness. We will be there during the run, so hopefully the bears will be occupied.

I'll post some pics when I get back. We will be there for 10 days, so my arms should be really sore coming back. Thanks for the fly advice.