Sustinence trout fishing

[philsanchez76]

all I have to add is that the Dolly Varden was my absolute favorite fresh cooked catch ive ever eaten. im jealous man. have an absolutel blast!

 

[Lt.Dan]

3w till Alaska moose hunt. 10d floating 60 miles and most of our planned protein has to come from what we catch or kill.

Not trying to be a purist. Just want fish in the skillet to live on during the trip. Most salmon runs will be done by mid Sept, but there are plenty of resident rainbows, grayling, dolly varden, etc. I'm planning on throwing 1.5 to 3in Rapalas with spinning gear, but looks like the guided fishing folks fish this area with artificial salmon eggs in the summer months. Anything better than a trusty Rapala CD 3 or 5 in rainbow trout pattern? I've killed trout out west with this lure, but I HAVE to catch consistently to eat this trip. Sorry to offend the fly fishing purists... this IS some sport, but a full belly is more important

Trip sounds great. Best of luck to you.

 

[Antler Daddy]

The 1/2 mile portage will suck...especially the last one with any meat or horns.

Hope you have the time of your life!

 

[megalomaniac]

The 1/2 mile portage will suck...especially the last one with any meat or horns.

Hope you have the time of your life!

Yes... gonna suck REAL bad.

But not as bad as having to pay for a 2nd flight at $1300 a pop if we had to call in the pilot to relocate bc our first spot was a dud. Plus the fishing on the small lakes/ ponds is prob nonexistent, as they freeze solid during the winter.

Bucketlist trip... im 52 now... if I don't do it soon, I won't physically be able to do a trip like this DIY.... and I'm too cheap to pay the federally permitted guide in this area the $30,000 he charges.

Now up to 3.5 miles on the treadmill at 3mph with a 40lb pack on at 12% incline (25% of my body weight).... should be up to 50lbs by the time I leave. Did it in my wading boots yesterday, but had to pull them off after 2 miles bc I was rubbing my right ankle in them (boots too loose with just a cotton sock instead of the neoprene stockingfoot waders). Gonna bring some moleskin just in case tho.

 

[Hduke86]

There's a reason why some rivers are fly only out west. Not long ago I was on a river fishing and throwing in-line spinners like rooster tails, mepps and the like. Seriously no joke every cast was a great rainbow or brown trout. After about 75 trout I called it quits and went back to town and into a fly shop. I got to talking to the guys in there and they asked about how fishing was so I showed them some pictures. They were amazed that I had been catching them like that cause none of their guides for the day could. They asked what I was using and I told them…..yup sure enough fly only river and in-lines were illegal cause fish just hit them regardless

 

[Lt.Dan]

Yes... gonna suck REAL bad.

But not as bad as having to pay for a 2nd flight at $1300 a pop if we had to call in the pilot to relocate bc our first spot was a dud. Plus the fishing on the small lakes/ ponds is prob nonexistent, as they freeze solid during the winter.

Bucketlist trip... im 52 now... if I don't do it soon, I won't physically be able to do a trip like this DIY.... and I'm too cheap to pay the federally permitted guide in this area the $30,000 he charges.

Now up to 3.5 miles on the treadmill at 3mph with a 40lb pack on at 12% incline (25% of my body weight).... should be up to 50lbs by the time I leave. Did it in my wading boots yesterday, but had to pull them off after 2 miles bc I was rubbing my right ankle in them (boots too loose with just a cotton sock instead of the neoprene stockingfoot waders). Gonna bring some moleskin just in case tho.

You're doing it right. You will be in shape and have a great time because of it. Wish I had the willpower and the age (I'm 61 and not in shape).

 

[waterman]

wow. i couldnt imagine that at this point rite now. hope you guys have the time of your life! glad to hear you are prepping properly. could go south real quick if not properly prepared. look foward to the pics and stories when you get back

 

[gtk]

enjoy your hunt (on my bucket list). Nothing more to add, except in CO when I couldn't catch trout on anything(besides live-bait), i found kastmasters almost always caught some.

 

[megalomaniac]

wow. i couldnt imagine that at this point rite now. hope you guys have the time of your life! glad to hear you are prepping properly. could go south real quick if not properly prepared. look foward to the pics and stories when you get back

We are reaching analysis paralysis at this point over preparing (which is why I asked which lures will keep us fed during the trip )

Today, I picked up prescriptions for metronidazole (for giardia), cipro (for nasty gram neg infections), augmentin (for gram positive and anerobe infections), dexamethasone (for severe inflammation or tendonitis), prilosec, and nsaids. I also have lidocaine and suture materials to fix just about anything.

As long as we don't break a bone or get completely mauled by a bear (have electric bear fence to sleep behind at night), I should be able to bush fix anything human except cardiac to get us thru the 10 days. We are both healthy, on no medication, and in reasonable shape. If push comes to shove, we will have enough protein bars to ration out over the 10 days to survive, but it will be MISERABLE if we don't catch fish or kill a moose to fill up on.

 

[megalomaniac]

enjoy your hunt (on my bucket list). Nothing more to add, except in CO when I couldn't catch trout on anything(besides live-bait), i found kastmasters almost always caught some.

When I started out west fishing middle of the day during my elk hunts, I started out with tiny spoons and rooster tails in the small creeks in Central Colorado.

Caught TONS of 6 to 8in trout...

While reeling in a 6in trout in a 3ft wide stream, had a 23in brown come out from under the undercut bank and eat my trout.

Never seen anything like that, had no idea huge fish lived in those tiny creeks... then it dawned on me... they can be in those small creeks, but they aren't eating tiny baits. The next year I came back with Rapala cd5s and slayed 18 to 22in trout (legal lure on the creeks I was fishing).

They are expensive, but the lure I've had the most success with fishing Colorado.

No idea about Alaska tho. My buddy doesn't fish much, he prefers to hunt for ptarmagin and ducks.

 

[7mm08]

When I started out west fishing middle of the day during my elk hunts, I started out with tiny spoons and rooster tails in the small creeks in Central Colorado.

Caught TONS of 6 to 8in trout...

While reeling in a 6in trout in a 3ft wide stream, had a 23in brown come out from under the undercut bank and eat my trout.

Never seen anything like that, had no idea huge fish lived in those tiny creeks... then it dawned on me... they can be in those small creeks, but they aren't eating tiny baits. The next year I came back with Rapala cd5s and slayed 18 to 22in trout (legal lure on the creeks I was fishing).

They are expensive, but the lure I've had the most success with fishing Colorado.

No idea about Alaska tho. My buddy doesn't fish much, he prefers to hunt for ptarmagin and ducks.

.22 pistol for the ptarmigans. I walked within 5ft of those birds in AK. LOOK up how to breast them out in 5 seconds!

 

[megalomaniac]

.22 pistol for the ptarmigans. I walked within 5ft of those birds in AK. LOOK up how to breast them out in 5 seconds!

We are already packing 2 rifles, a .460 s&w, a .45 LC hotloaded with 285g flatnosed at 1200fps (the last 2 for brown bears) and a 12g. We are maxed out on firearms!!!

 

[OldFart]

Panther Martins in 1/8 ounce and larger should work. Work fine for me in CO.

 

[Antler Daddy]

.22 pistol for the ptarmigans. I walked within 5ft of those birds in AK. LOOK up how to breast them out in 5 seconds!

That's a good idea. We were already at weight limit so I just shot the heads off a couple with 30.06.

Please take lots of photos. Once you have time and are back...would love to learn more.

What area are you hunting? What air taxi?

 

[Creek bottoms]

I floated a couple of those rivers. Pace yourself. You'll cover 60 miles faster than you think.

 

[megalomaniac]

That's a good idea. We were already at weight limit so I just shot the heads off a couple with 30.06.

Please take lots of photos. Once you have time and are back...would love to learn more.

What area are you hunting? What air taxi?

I'm sworn to secrecy. Pilot is a local.

The logistics for a trip like this are just crazy ...

Kill a moose in the bush, pilot flies it back into the small departure town. Who's going to take 600lbs of moose meat plus head and cape from the landing strip to a freezer until we come out? Pilot isn't.

That's where lots of 1.75s of their preferred drink of choice come into play. No outfitter to handle little stuff like that. Have to make good friends with the locals with $100 bills and whiskey .. you do that, and they LOVE you throw in a few lbs of moose meat with the deal for good measure

 

[megalomaniac]

I floated a couple of those rivers. Pace yourself. You'll cover 60 miles faster than you think.

We figure around 30 miles per day if we paddle. Not going to be hauling butt unless we kill a moose early and need to get meat out.

Already picked put camp spots. First spot 2d, second spot 10m downstream 3d. 3rd spot another 10m downstream 3d. All that could go out the window depending on conditions on the ground.

We will be in an AIRE Cougar Cataraft.

 

[poorhunter]

Bush plane in to small lake. Portage about a half mile to the river. Blow up the catamaran raft, then float and hunt/fish 60 miles downstream over 10 days. Portage a half mile off the river to another lake for pick up by Bush pilot.

100% DIY, no guide, not even an outfitter providing supplies. It's a really good area. Expecting mid 60s bulls with a chance for a 70in er.

Just happened to watch this YouTube video today of a couple guys doing a diy like you describe. I really enjoyed this video.

 

[7mm08]

This on the ptarmigan


What are you doing about filters for drinking water. A guide I know just had to get hauled out of Katmai back to Anchorage for giardia…..

Thanks for dragging us along on this great trip of yours!!!

 

[Creek bottoms]

Looks like a bear's wet dream.