Gulkana River rainbow trout
exertion in your arms, the straining of the
fishing line or the balance you struggle to
maintain over submerged stones and the
sensation of fresh air filling your lungs.
Those brief moments of excitement will be
remembered with the sound of the river, the
warmth of the sunshine and the void left by
not hearing your phone.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Fishing licenses are required for anyone
15 years or older. For some lodges, it’s 16
years. Locations vary on whether licenses
are available for purchase before arrival or
at the lodges upon arrival. If you want to
buy a license onsite, bring cash. Booking
early is strongly encouraged, in addition to
dressing appropriately with a jacket, hat,
gloves, waterproof footwear, warm socks
and sunglasses. Fishing gear is provided at
all locations, while certain locations, such as
Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, provide
snacks, lunch and beverages.
THE MECHANICS OF
FLY FISHING
At the bare bones, there’s traditional rod
casting and fly casting. With traditional rod
casting, the lure is the heaviest part. You
cast it forward, and it pulls the line behind
it as it flies through the air. Then you pull it
backward, toward you.
For a fly rod and line, the line is the heaviest
part and when you cast forward, the line
carries the momentum and also the leader
and the fly with it. There’s a bit of detail
to the mechanics, but here’s the sweet and
short of it: a fly rod is composed of a rod, a
fly reel, a fly line and flies. In addition, you
have a leader and a tippet connecting the
line to the flies.
The first function of the leader and tippet
is to connect your thick, colored fly line to
the flies that you are trying to present to the
fish, with a material that won’t scare them
away. The second function of the leader and
tippet is to complete the transfer of energy
built up in the fly line: from the casting
stroke through the line and down to the
fly so that your line rolls over and out in a
fairly straight path.
LORD OF THE FLIES
The flies are imitations of insects that float
on the water, such as mayflies, caddis flies,
grasshoppers or the occasional ant. Then
you have the insects that live beneath the
water as well — nymphs, for example. You
can even use flies that don’t resemble insects
in the natural world but still catch the fish’s
attention. Flies can dress fabulously!
The flies are assembled using natural and
artificial materials: feathers from ducks,
pheasants or other birds; fur and hairs from
deer, elk and beavers; synthetic materials;
glass, brass or tungsten beads; tinsels, wires
and other ribbing materials. Crafting these
flies is an artform in and of itself. But for
us, this is an artform with a purpose — to
catch Alaskan fish.
Fly casting is like visual poetry with a
dash of physics, one of the most important
aspects of fly fishing. Your casting helps
you trick the fish into thinking you’re its
food. Speaking of which, let’s briefly discuss
the flies.
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