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Salmon Surge in Bristol Bay: Massive Sockeye Run, Mixed Bag Fly Fishing Frenzy
Good morning, folks, Artificial Lure here with your fresh August 13th fishing report for Bristol Bay, Alaska—coming at you straight from the heart of salmon country.
We woke up to calm and cool air with sunrise at 6:44 AM and sunset coming late at 10:23 PM, giving us that long summer daylight that makes anyone wish they could cast just one more time. Expect the skies to remain mostly overcast today with mild temps in the mid-50s, a little drizzle likely around midday—so pack the rain gear, but don’t let it dampen your spirits.
Let’s talk water: The tide in Nushagak Bay crested with a high at 5:47 AM and will run out to low at 10:09 PM, while over at Egegik River, high tide arrived at 5:13 AM before dropping for a 12:44 PM low. That morning push is prime time for salmon moving upriver, and it’s got the locals and guides excited for another action-packed day.
The salmon story here is just bananas. According to Seafood News, Bristol Bay has already seen its first landings of a forecasted 35 million sockeye this season, and as of last weekend, over 392,000 were landed in one go—plus a whopping 393,000 sockeye caught just yesterday in the Nushagak District. The fish are thick in the water right now. TikTok clips out of Brooks Falls are showing rivers packed so tight with reds the bears barely have to move to grab a meal.
Down on the river banks and in the drift boats, not just sockeye are being brought in. Silver salmon (coho) are starting to show in solid numbers as well, especially near the river mouths and deeper sloughs, along with a good mix of chum and the occasional king still hanging in cold, shaded waters. An Instagram post from yesterday highlights guides running multi-species fly-outs with clients nabbing sockeye, chum, and even Arctic char on the fly.
It’s a fly angler’s paradise right now—chartreuse and pink Clouser Minnows, marabou streamers, and chartreuse or hot pink egg-sucking leeches have been killing it for sockeye and silvers. If you’re spinning or drifting, hard to beat Blue Fox Vibrax spinners in size 4–5 (silver or pink blades), or a 1/2-ounce Pixee spoon in fluorescent orange or chartreuse. For bait fishermen, cured salmon roe or fresh shrimp chunks are classics, especially during that outgoing tide.
Hot spots today: The lower Nushagak River, just up from the bay entrance, is putting up numbers for both sockeye and coho—local guides are focusing around the Wood River confluence for mixed bags and big fish. Egegik River mouth is also red hot now, packed both with fish and bear activity, but worth it for the catch rates. If you want a quieter bite, the Kvichak River near its tide-influenced stretches is holding nice char and late kings for those willing to throw a little farther from the crowds.
Be bear-wise out there; with this much salmon traffic, every set of paws in the region is lining up for a snack. Fish in pairs, keep your camp clean, and make a little noise on those trail walks down to the bank.
That wraps it up for today from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for more local fishing knowledge and trip planning tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
We woke up to calm and cool air with sunrise at 6:44 AM and sunset coming late at 10:23 PM, giving us that long summer daylight that makes anyone wish they could cast just one more time. Expect the skies to remain mostly overcast today with mild temps in the mid-50s, a little drizzle likely around midday—so pack the rain gear, but don’t let it dampen your spirits.
Let’s talk water: The tide in Nushagak Bay crested with a high at 5:47 AM and will run out to low at 10:09 PM, while over at Egegik River, high tide arrived at 5:13 AM before dropping for a 12:44 PM low. That morning push is prime time for salmon moving upriver, and it’s got the locals and guides excited for another action-packed day.
The salmon story here is just bananas. According to Seafood News, Bristol Bay has already seen its first landings of a forecasted 35 million sockeye this season, and as of last weekend, over 392,000 were landed in one go—plus a whopping 393,000 sockeye caught just yesterday in the Nushagak District. The fish are thick in the water right now. TikTok clips out of Brooks Falls are showing rivers packed so tight with reds the bears barely have to move to grab a meal.
Down on the river banks and in the drift boats, not just sockeye are being brought in. Silver salmon (coho) are starting to show in solid numbers as well, especially near the river mouths and deeper sloughs, along with a good mix of chum and the occasional king still hanging in cold, shaded waters. An Instagram post from yesterday highlights guides running multi-species fly-outs with clients nabbing sockeye, chum, and even Arctic char on the fly.
It’s a fly angler’s paradise right now—chartreuse and pink Clouser Minnows, marabou streamers, and chartreuse or hot pink egg-sucking leeches have been killing it for sockeye and silvers. If you’re spinning or drifting, hard to beat Blue Fox Vibrax spinners in size 4–5 (silver or pink blades), or a 1/2-ounce Pixee spoon in fluorescent orange or chartreuse. For bait fishermen, cured salmon roe or fresh shrimp chunks are classics, especially during that outgoing tide.
Hot spots today: The lower Nushagak River, just up from the bay entrance, is putting up numbers for both sockeye and coho—local guides are focusing around the Wood River confluence for mixed bags and big fish. Egegik River mouth is also red hot now, packed both with fish and bear activity, but worth it for the catch rates. If you want a quieter bite, the Kvichak River near its tide-influenced stretches is holding nice char and late kings for those willing to throw a little farther from the crowds.
Be bear-wise out there; with this much salmon traffic, every set of paws in the region is lining up for a snack. Fish in pairs, keep your camp clean, and make a little noise on those trail walks down to the bank.
That wraps it up for today from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for more local fishing knowledge and trip planning tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning, folks, Artificial Lure here with your fresh August 13th fishing report for Bristol Bay, Alaska—coming at you straight from the heart of salmon country.
We woke up to calm and cool air with sunrise at 6:44 AM and sunset coming late at 10:23 PM, giving us that long summer daylight that makes anyone wish they could cast just one more time. Expect the skies to remain mostly overcast today with mild temps in the mid-50s, a little drizzle likely around midday—so pack the rain gear, but don’t let it dampen your spirits.
Let’s talk water: The tide in Nushagak Bay crested with a high at 5:47 AM and will run out to low at 10:09 PM, while over at Egegik River, high tide arrived at 5:13 AM before dropping for a 12:44 PM low. That morning push is prime time for salmon moving upriver, and it’s got the locals and guides excited for another action-packed day.
The salmon story here is just bananas. According to Seafood News, Bristol Bay has already seen its first landings of a forecasted 35 million sockeye this season, and as of last weekend, over 392,000 were landed in one go—plus a whopping 393,000 sockeye caught just yesterday in the Nushagak District. The fish are thick in the water right now. TikTok clips out of Brooks Falls are showing rivers packed so tight with reds the bears barely have to move to grab a meal.
Down on the river banks and in the drift boats, not just sockeye are being brought in. Silver salmon (coho) are starting to show in solid numbers as well, especially near the river mouths and deeper sloughs, along with a good mix of chum and the occasional king still hanging in cold, shaded waters. An Instagram post from yesterday highlights guides running multi-species fly-outs with clients nabbing sockeye, chum, and even Arctic char on the fly.
It’s a fly angler’s paradise right now—chartreuse and pink Clouser Minnows, marabou streamers, and chartreuse or hot pink egg-sucking leeches have been killing it for sockeye and silvers. If you’re spinning or drifting, hard to beat Blue Fox Vibrax spinners in size 4–5 (silver or pink blades), or a 1/2-ounce Pixee spoon in fluorescent orange or chartreuse. For bait fishermen, cured salmon roe or fresh shrimp chunks are classics, especially during that outgoing tide.
Hot spots today: The lower Nushagak River, just up from the bay entrance, is putting up numbers for both sockeye and coho—local guides are focusing around the Wood River confluence for mixed bags and big fish. Egegik River mouth is also red hot now, packed both with fish and bear activity, but worth it for the catch rates. If you want a quieter bite, the Kvichak River near its tide-influenced stretches is holding nice char and late kings for those willing to throw a little farther from the crowds.
Be bear-wise out there; with this much salmon traffic, every set of paws in the region is lining up for a snack. Fish in pairs, keep your camp clean, and make a little noise on those trail walks down to the bank.
That wraps it up for today from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for more local fishing knowledge and trip planning tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
We woke up to calm and cool air with sunrise at 6:44 AM and sunset coming late at 10:23 PM, giving us that long summer daylight that makes anyone wish they could cast just one more time. Expect the skies to remain mostly overcast today with mild temps in the mid-50s, a little drizzle likely around midday—so pack the rain gear, but don’t let it dampen your spirits.
Let’s talk water: The tide in Nushagak Bay crested with a high at 5:47 AM and will run out to low at 10:09 PM, while over at Egegik River, high tide arrived at 5:13 AM before dropping for a 12:44 PM low. That morning push is prime time for salmon moving upriver, and it’s got the locals and guides excited for another action-packed day.
The salmon story here is just bananas. According to Seafood News, Bristol Bay has already seen its first landings of a forecasted 35 million sockeye this season, and as of last weekend, over 392,000 were landed in one go—plus a whopping 393,000 sockeye caught just yesterday in the Nushagak District. The fish are thick in the water right now. TikTok clips out of Brooks Falls are showing rivers packed so tight with reds the bears barely have to move to grab a meal.
Down on the river banks and in the drift boats, not just sockeye are being brought in. Silver salmon (coho) are starting to show in solid numbers as well, especially near the river mouths and deeper sloughs, along with a good mix of chum and the occasional king still hanging in cold, shaded waters. An Instagram post from yesterday highlights guides running multi-species fly-outs with clients nabbing sockeye, chum, and even Arctic char on the fly.
It’s a fly angler’s paradise right now—chartreuse and pink Clouser Minnows, marabou streamers, and chartreuse or hot pink egg-sucking leeches have been killing it for sockeye and silvers. If you’re spinning or drifting, hard to beat Blue Fox Vibrax spinners in size 4–5 (silver or pink blades), or a 1/2-ounce Pixee spoon in fluorescent orange or chartreuse. For bait fishermen, cured salmon roe or fresh shrimp chunks are classics, especially during that outgoing tide.
Hot spots today: The lower Nushagak River, just up from the bay entrance, is putting up numbers for both sockeye and coho—local guides are focusing around the Wood River confluence for mixed bags and big fish. Egegik River mouth is also red hot now, packed both with fish and bear activity, but worth it for the catch rates. If you want a quieter bite, the Kvichak River near its tide-influenced stretches is holding nice char and late kings for those willing to throw a little farther from the crowds.
Be bear-wise out there; with this much salmon traffic, every set of paws in the region is lining up for a snack. Fish in pairs, keep your camp clean, and make a little noise on those trail walks down to the bank.
That wraps it up for today from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for more local fishing knowledge and trip planning tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn