Middle Fork Confluenceon Goodnews River
Chilly fall conditions (39°F
- 01Chilly fall conditions (39°F, light drizzle, 7 mph SW wind).
- 02Anticipate seasonally high water levels.
- 03Primary food sources are salmon eggs, flesh, baitfish, and leeches.
- 04Target Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden with egg patterns.
- 05Target Sheefish and Pike with streamers.
- 06Focus fishing efforts on sloughs and back eddies.
- 07Employ slow, deliberate retrieves for streamers and leeches.
- 08Use indicator rigs with egg patterns dead drift near the bottom.
What to tie on at Middle Fork Confluence
Picked from recent reports for this stretch.
Clouser Minnow (Chartreuse/White)
A highly effective baitfish imitation for predatory species like Sheefish, Pike, and aggressive salmon. The current good water clarity and anticipated lower clarity with rain make a versatile baitfish pattern essential.
Micro Egg
With multiple salmon species present and spawning, resident Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden will actively feed on loose eggs, making this a prime imitation.
Buy at AmazonGlo Bug (Orange)
Dolly Varden and Rainbow Trout will be heavily keyed into salmon eggs during August, and this pattern is highly effective for mimicking this crucial food source. Also effective for salmon themselves.
Black Woolly Bugger
A go-to leech and baitfish imitation, effective for swinging for Kings and generally enticing strikes from all predatory species in the river. Fits the 'black' pattern suggestion for Kings.
Orange Flash Streamer
A proven attractor for Dolly Varden, Rainbow Trout, and various salmon species in Alaskan waters, especially in varying water clarity.
Pine Squirrel Leech (Black/Olive)
Mimics sluggish baitfish and annelids, effective for predatory species like Sheefish, Pike, Dolly Varden, and Rainbow Trout, particularly in the current cool water temperatures.
Woolly Bugger (Olive)
A versatile leech and baitfish pattern, effective for all salmon species, Dolly Varden, Rainbows, Sheefish, and Pike, especially as water conditions change.
Crappie Jig Fly
While often used for crappie, this jig fly's profile and movement can effectively imitate small baitfish or invertebrates, making it a viable option for opportunistic Pike in early spring.
Buy at AmazonWoolly Bugger (Black)
A classic and versatile streamer, effective for imitating leeches and sculpins, which are active in colder fall waters and a key food source for predatory Sheefish, Pike, Rainbows, and Dolly Varden.
Alaska season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.