Alaska Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye Salmon are also refered to as Reds or Red Salmon. They are a very beautiful fish with a dark blue-black back and silvery sides. They have no distinct spots on their back, dorsal fin, or tail like coho has. Spawning adults develop dull green heads and red bodies. This is the stage that you will be catching them and the time that they are the most beautiful.

Red salmon or sockeye are one of the most numerous species of salmon to populate streams and rivers on the Kenai Peninsula. Many people swear that no salmon tops the Alaska red salmon for taste. The red salmon is by far the State of Alaska’s most valuable commercial salmon species.

Sockeye salmon generally spends 2-3 years in the ocean before it returns to its spawning waterways in large schools.

The driving force that brings the sockeye salmon to migrate to its spawning bed is legendary. You need only watch them leap waterfalls and speed through fast currents to see the force and will to survive that the red salmon possesses. Pound for pound the sockeye, is the strongest and most demanding sport fish in Alaska. The State of Alaska sportfishing record for this salmon is 16 pounds.

From late May to mid August red salmon can be found in the Kenai, Kasilof and Russian Rivers. Red salmon will travel along the river banks on their migration upstream and will school up in slack water areas to rest. Sockeye will splash and roll on the journey so keep an eye out for those splashes.

There is definitely a technique to catching this salmon by fly fishing or using conventional gear. The sockeye salmon is a plankton feeder which is unlike the other Alaska salmon species and they are very passive toward lures.The red salmon swims with its mouth in a continual open and close motion, so the technique involves getting the attractor as close to the mouth of the fish as possible, which can be a little tricky. In shallow water and particularly over gravel bars a pair of polarized sunglasses is very helpful. These are a must for any fishing situation that you need to cut the glare and see in the water.

Whether you use a spin fishing or conventional tackle or a fly rod the most effective attractors are a Coho, Streamer or Russian River fly or some variation of these patterns with a #3 or #4 hook with just enough weight ahead of the fly to get to fish depth. When casting, begin at an angle upstream of the spot you are fishing and try to keep the attractor broadside to the fish. when you feel a slight hesitation or bump you must set the hook immedately or you will miss it. Sockeye generally lightly mouth the fly and let go.

Once you begin to perfect this technique and hook one of these beauties, you are in for a battle of wild leaps and reel smoking up and downstream runs. Once you master the technique you will find it also useful for catching the Alaska king salmon particularly on the Kasilof and Ninilchik Rivers.

Sockeye salmon are a very hard fighting fish and are the thrill you've been looking for. You will enjoy catching these beautiful fish and eating them also. We have some salmon recipes on our fish recipe page for you to use and enjoy.

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