Sustinence trout fishing

[Antler Daddy]

My heart beats faster everytime I watch a float trip in Alaska.

 

[megalomaniac]

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

Saw that video last week

No way I'm getting lucky enough for a shooter to walk right into camp. Mine's gonna be a least a 1.5 mile pack

 

[megalomaniac]

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!!!

Cool trick on the ptarmagin!
We have water filters down to however many microns small to filter out giardia, plus I'm carrying enough metronidazole for two full courses. Planning on getting a lot of rainwater from the tarp also.

 

[megalomaniac]

Looks like a bear's wet dream.

Strangely enough, I'm really not worried about the bears.... plus we will be sleeping behind an electric fence.

Other than the fact I'm a bit nervous if I have to shoot one charging. If you do that, you have to completely cape out the animal, remove skull, claws (basically anything considered a trophy), haul all that out of the bush, pay to fly the cape and skull back to the local F&G office, file a report, then turn over all the stuff you hauled out to F&G. Then they investigate and determine whether you get fined and go to jail or it was a legit self defense kill.

But these bears are fat and lazy as stink after eating fish all summer.

 

[megalomaniac]

Have some decent size hooks and split shot so you can throw some belly strips like you do for flounder. Most of those fish are used to eating flesh as it floats by.

Talked to a guy at lunch today who was up there fishing the sockeye run a couple years ago. Their guide told them to throw all the trout back because they were feasting on dead sockeye and the trout tastes like rotten fish and not worth eating. Any idea if this is true? Would certainly throw a wrench in my meal plans

 

[scn]

I would think there is some truth to it during the height of the salmon run. If the salmon stuff is pretty much over by the time you get there, then I wouldn't worry about it too much. They will have transitioned back to more normal aquatic foods. But, I suspect they will still hit a belly strip or a flesh fly.

I would certainly go with what 7mm08 suggested and have a .22 cal pistol ready for the ptarmigan. There is a .22 cal Glock in my gun safe you are welcome to borrow if you find yourself up this way before your trip.

 

[poorhunter]

Saw that video last week

No way I'm getting lucky enough for a shooter to walk right into camp. Mine's gonna be a least a 1.5 mile pack

That was totally crazy good to have it fall in camp!

 

[scn]

Strangely enough, I'm really not worried about the bears.... plus we will be sleeping behind an electric fence.

Other than the fact I'm a bit nervous if I have to shoot one charging. If you do that, you have to completely cape out the animal, remove skull, claws (basically anything considered a trophy), haul all that out of the bush, pay to fly the cape and skull back to the local F&G office, file a report, then turn over all the stuff you hauled out to F&G. Then they investigate and determine whether you get fined and go to jail or it was a legit self defense kill.

But these bears are fat and lazy as stink after eating fish all summer.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I don't know if the electric fence would bring me a lot of comfort. I had a friend that did a 6 day fishing float trip last summer up there. He said he didn't sleep the entire week. They had the bear fence (operational every night) as well. But, on more than one night he had a bear pushing on the tent fabric about 6 inches from his head. It was close enough that he could smell their breath.

He basically catnapped a little with a large bore pistol in his hand.

 

[7mm08]

Just add garlic & butter!

 

[WTM]

good luck on the hunt.

id rather eat bear turds than salmon. id be looking for some birds or small game.

 

[BigCityBubba]

You better be good with the pistol if you bring one. If you got room, I would take either a scoped 22 or a shotgun or both. I went up a few years back to hunt moose and black bear with a buddy that lives there. He insisted on bringing a 22 pistol when there was room for his 22 rifle. We shot at allot of grouse and did not hit a one. You might get a chance at a rabbit or even sandhill crane depending where you are.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

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

I may have missed it, but I'm curious as why you're going this route over just packing freeze dried meals and tortilla wraps.

 

[7mm08]

You better be good with the pistol if you bring one. If you got room, I would take either a scoped 22 or a shotgun or both. I went up a few years back to hunt moose and black bear with a buddy that lives there. He insisted on bringing a 22 pistol when there was room for his 22 rifle. We shot at allot of grouse and did not hit a one. You might get a chance at a rabbit or even sandhill crane depending where you are.

.22 pistol is a life saving tool around a charging bear!!!! Cap your buddy in the knee and run like hell!!!

 

[megalomaniac]

I may have missed it, but I'm curious as why you're going this route over just packing freeze dried meals and tortilla wraps.

Part of the experience... trying to 'live off the land' for 10 days. A moose would just be a bonus.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Part of the experience... trying to 'live off the land' for 10 days. A moose would just be a bonus.

That makes sense to me. Hopefully, the moose comes early in the hunt and it's campfire tenderloins the rest of the trip.

Good luck with the trip. I'll be looking forward to one of your summaries.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I don't know if the electric fence would bring me a lot of comfort. I had a friend that did a 6 day fishing float trip last summer up there. He said he didn't sleep the entire week. They had the bear fence (operational every night) as well. But, on more than one night he had a bear pushing on the tent fabric about 6 inches from his head. It was close enough that he could smell their breath.

He basically catnapped a little with a large bore pistol in his hand.

Give me a hammock 20ft. in the air

 

[agelessssone]

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

Rattlin Rogue from Smithwick lures.
We tear up the trout on the Caney Fork river, below Center Hill dam in Tennessee

 

[Lt.Dan]

Rattlin Rogue from Smithwick lures.
We tear up the trout on the Caney Fork river, below Center Hill dam in Tennessee

One of my favorites

 

[woodsman04]

I don't know a lot about it, but it's hard to beat rooster tails and the trout magnets.

Breaking off is not good, but also you need to he able to get bites. Trout are very finicky. Use a 15 pound braid to 6-8 pounds flouroeader, and stikk you may loose some natural bait movement with that.
I'm a light line guy with lowering the drag. You can do it, just be patient