Fly Tying Patterns for Salmon and Chum [cross-posted]

I am looking for some really good fly tying recipes for Salmon and Chum. We're headed to Unalakleet, Alaska, and our target species are Cohos, Chum, Grayling, and Dolly Vardens. Regarding the Salmon flies, I'm not talking about ones like Dutch's masterpieces that would personally kill me to tye on my line; I'm talking about flies that the fish will destroy and I won't be crying about it.

Thanks in advance!

Streamer flies in pink & purple; egg sucking leech patterns; flesh flies; Clouser minnows; mouse patterns; peach egg patterns; yellow articulated streamers are all good patterns for Coho & Chum.

Fishing for grayling is pretty similar to nymphing for rainbows. Prince nymphs; hare's ear; yellow stimulator and caddis fly patterns work well. Midges are good, but don't be shy to tie them in 12 and 14 sizes. The mosquitos there are HUGE!

Arctic char are also similar to fishing for rainbows and browns. Woolly buggers work well. The Deena would be a pattern I would try.

JR

Thank you, split cane rod!

I've been fishing southeast Alaska every summer for the last few years. As a matter of fact, I leave tomorrow for Craig (YAHOO!) the rivers I fish have mostly pinks and chums with a few places having early run silvers. I do catch the occasional rainbow and cutthroat on my salmon flies but I don't fish for the specifically. My go to fly has been a simple pink pattern with a Maribou tail barbell eyes and flashy chenille body.




They can be pretty easy to catch when you encounter this.

Thank you, Jaustin.

We did catch several nice silvers on a similar pattern. We also used articulated streamers and some other patterns that Cody tied while at BPS, Grapevine. When the water clarity was really nice, cranberry/magenta patterns worked really well for us.

We were fishing the Unalakleet and North Rivers and caught Silvers, Pinks, Chums, Dolly Vardens, and Cody even caught a Sockeye on our last day. We never could find a King for Cody to attempt the Alaska Grand Slam, and it's too far north for Rainbows.

We had a great return trip to the Unalakleet River Lodge.