Headed to the brooks again this Aug, last time we weren't near a river to fish. If we are this year what is everyone's go to flies or lures and what's the target fish up there? Grayling and Char? Thanks
I can't speak to Char, but for grayling... darn near any spinner will work, bronze if it's sunny and silver if it's dark/overcast... at least that has worked for me. Love some grayling over the fire
Grayling will eat anything. If you currently have any spinners, dry flies(stimulators, chernobyls) or small streamers/buggers, you will catch Grayling with them.
Grayling are voracious eaters. Almost anything will work- I've seen one caught on a bent paper clip, stripped out paracord and a gummy worm on a tent pole.
In fall, egg patterns work when nothing else will...but that's rare. Muddlers, mosquitos patterns, bead head nymphs, and any spinners will work great.
bring a couple clip on bobbers and some flies. that way you can cast out a fly with a open face set up if you want to. I went on a trip with my inlaws and didnt bring fishing gear on purpose to try and not think about it. well i found a couple flies in my back pack stripped out some elastic bands from my boxers tied it all to a piece of alder branch and pulled out a few greyling one morning. Inlaws were real impressed.
Dolly Llama flies are great for char and dolly varden. Black and white combos. Black gnats for grayling.
If you need a fly shop to put together a selection, call Alaska Fly Fishing Goods in Juneau. They are very helpful and tell them you are going to the Brooks Range for grayling and char and they will help you out on the fly tackle. We are using them again for our trip in September.