Alaska is one of our favorite destinations for a number of reasons. Aside from the world-class fishing – home to everything from rainbow trout to salmon – the Alaska experience includes fly-outs over the beautiful wilderness to remote fisheries where chances of seeing some of the local wildlife are very good.
To make sure you get the most out of your Alaska fishing trip, a little preparation is highly advised. Knowing what flies to pack for which species is essential and valuable for any trip. Remember though that if you are unable to bring your own, more than likely, guides will have the correct flies.
Flies for Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, and Char
Alaska’s resident species are opportunists. After months of cold, dark water, trout, char, and grayling feed aggressively when the buffet opens. Early in the summer, they key on smolt and leeches; by midsummer, eggs and flesh dominate; and by fall, they’ll crush anything that moves.
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Dolly Llama (White/Black, Olive/White) – The most productive streamer in Alaska. Its articulated rabbit strips breathe life in heavy water, and the profile imitates both sculpin and salmon fry. Fish it on the swing or strip it back -- it all works!
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Flesh Fly - When the salmon runs wind down and carcasses begin to line the banks, Alaska’s rainbows shift gears. The water becomes thick with drifting fragments of decaying salmon, and trout gorge on this protein-rich “flesh hatch” until the rivers freeze. A pale tan or white flesh fly mimics these decomposing bits perfectly. The trick is a natural dead-drift near the bottom—use split shot or a short sink-tip to keep it in the zone, and let it tumble through the soft seams behind spawning beds or carcass piles. Big trout often won’t chase during this phase; instead, they hold in slower water and sip flesh like lazy brown bears cleaning up leftovers. On some rivers, especially in late August and September, it can out-fish every other pattern in your box.
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Clouser Minnow – Few patterns have earned global respect like the Clouser Minnow, and it’s every bit as effective in Alaska as it is in the tropics. Originally designed for smallmouth bass, this simple bucktail fly imitates everything from salmon smolt to sculpin and juvenile grayling—key food sources for Alaska’s rainbows, char, and even salmon. Its weighted dumbbell eyes give it a jigging, up-and-down motion that triggers reaction strikes from fish holding deep, while the inverted hook ride helps it slip through structure without snagging.
Strip it aggressively like a baitfish, swing it on a light sink-tip, or drift it slow through deep pools—there’s no wrong way to fish it. When trout or char are keyed in on smolt or fry, few flies can match the results.
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Mr. Hankey Mouse – Fish mouse patterns close to the bank with small strips and watch aggressive rainbows take this partially submerged pattern on the swing or strip.
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Morrish Mouse – This large-bodied fly’s strength is how much water it displaces. The action and wake on this fly is second to none and brings out the predatory instincts of any large rainbow trout. The Morrish Mouse 2.0 is also a killer mouse pattern!
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Eggs – Eggs are a critical food source for trout in Alaska. When salmon are actively spawning, the entire river ecosystem revolves around eggs. Everything from rainbow trout and Arctic char to grayling and even juvenile salmon gorge themselves on drifting roe. It’s one of the most dependable food sources in the Alaskan calendar and a cornerstone of every angler’s fly box. The key is matching bead color and size to the life cycle of the salmon eggs: bright orange or hot pink early in the spawn, when the eggs are fresh and vibrant; soft peach, tangerine, or opaque “washed” tones later as they age and lose color.
Most guides in Alaska have their own secret sauce when it comes to bead imitations for pegging, but having some standard egg imitations like glo bugs or clown eggs will get the job done. Presentation matters—dead-drift them naturally through seams and behind spawning salmon where trout sit stacked up, waiting for eggs to roll by. On a good day, it can feel almost unfair: one perfect drift and you’ll watch your indicator disappear under the weight of a trout that’s been parked there all season.
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Leeches - In Alaska, leeches are a year-round meal ticket. They inhabit nearly every system—from silty tundra creeks to deep, glacial lakes—and trout, char, and grayling feed on them throughout the season. When conditions are cold or flows are high, leech patterns become the ultimate confidence fly. They move with a natural, sinuous pulse that’s impossible for fish to ignore, and their versatility means they can be swung, stripped, or dead-drifted depending on water type.
Leech flies also bridge the gap between the early-season smolt bite and the late-season flesh drift, keeping fish engaged when the primary food sources shift. They’re a must-have for any Alaska trip, no matter the time of year.
Salmon and Steelhead Flies for Alaska Rivers
- Hareball Leech (Pink, Purple) – This fly will naturally sink to the bottom where you can fish deep runs, pools, and sinks. The rabbit fur provides a lot of action.
- Dolly Llama (White/Black, Olive/White) – The same fly for a trout, the Dali Lama is a must-have in every Alaskan angler’s fly box for both trout and salmon.
- Popsicle – This tried and true fly has been around the 1980’s and originally designed by George Cook who was a guide in Bristol Bay Alaska. Fish this on the swing and watch as the fly’s action make it irresistible for every fish.
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Intruder style steamers (Pink, Purple, Egg Sucking Leech, Etc.) – This is a classic streamer pattern on any river and fishing these with a little action or on the swing has proven incredibly productive.
Northern Pike Flies
Northern pike occupy the weedy bays and back channels of interior and western Alaska—places of still water, explosions, and adrenaline. These fish are ambush predators built for violence. Think brightly colored streamers that make noise and push water. Surface flies such as frog and mouse patterns work well.
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Barry's Pike Fly – A classic for good reason. The long zonker tail and rabbit-strip body breathe with every pause, mimicking a wounded baitfish or small burbot. Weighted or unweighted, it’s a reliable producer in stained or tannic water where movement and profile matter most. Olive, black, and white are staples.
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Flashtail Whistler – Designed for flash, vibration, and profile. The combination of bucktail, Flashabou, and a flared collar pushes water and demands attention, even in murky conditions. Fish it on an intermediate or sink-tip line with long, sweeping strips and pauses to let the fly “hover” in the strike zone.
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Pike Snake – A Bob Lemay pattern, the pike snake is a long-standing workhorse pike fly. Roughly 6 inches in length and tied most entirely with natural featheres, the pike snake is a great crossover pattern that is known to work on peacock bass, musky, and tarpon as well.
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Gen-X Bunny – A pronounced rabbit strip is the defining feature of the Gen-X Bunny, similar in may ways to it's little brother, Barry's Pike Fly. The Gen X is a modern take on its predecessor, but with more flash and color variation. Most notable, the bunny strip on the Gen-X Bunny is foul-proof -- a great characteristic when targeting pike in weed beds where they tend to hang.
- Pole Dancer – A topwater fly for the brave. Designed by Charlie Bisharat, the Pole Dancer walks side-to-side like a Zara Spook, producing explosive surface eats. Use a floating line, short heavy leader, and sharp rod twitches to keep it darting just under the surface. Best on calm mornings or evenings when pike are hunting shallow.
For additional information, check out this article about our favorite all-around pike flies.
Get Ready For Your Next Alaska Trip
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