George Anderson's suggestions on

Flies, Tackle, Equipment

and Clothing for

ENCHANTED LAKE LODGE, ALASKA

Sept. 18-25, 2011

Rods | Reels | Lines & Leaders | Flies | Wading Gear

Clothing & Rainwear | Miscellaneous Gear

The right rods for big rainbows

At Enchanted Lake Lodge we will be fishing primarily for big rainbows. My favorite rod for the fall fishing for these fat and powerful Alaska rainbows is a 9 foot #8 line rod. You can fish a 9 foot #7 and even a 9 foot #6 on some waters where the fish run smaller but the 9 foot #8 is by far the best all around rod.  The 8 line rods are easy to cast yet have the power needed to handle the largest fish, often in big water.  We'll be fishing floating lines with egg imitations (beads), weight and big indicators and an 8-weight rod will cast this kind of a rig easily.  On other rivers we'll be throwing 15-25 foot sinking tip lines and big streamers. These 8-weight rods all have shot extension butts that are a big help in playing large fish.   These same rods also serve double duty as ideal rods for bonefish, redfish and even bass.

My favorite rods are the new G. Loomis NRX series,  The Loomis Native Run GLX, and the new Hardy Proaxis rods, all in 9 foot 4-pc. models.  

My all time favorite is the Loomis 9 foot NRX.  This rod replaced our 8-weight shootout winner, the CrossCurrent GLX.   The NRX is much lighter than the old rod and feels like a 6-weight in my hand!  This rod is very light, yet has good butt and mid section power to play and quickly land the hot 5-12 pound rainbows we'll tackle in the streams and rivers of the Katmai area.

The NRX is also designed with oversize, unbreakable nickel-titanium guides, which I think are a real advantage and also perfect for saltwater use.  The 9 foot #9 NRX is $760 at list.    Another great rod from Loomis is their Native Run GLX, which is more of a freshwater rod, designed with slightly smaller one-foot guides. The Native Run GLX is not quite as powerful as the NRX - about a half line size less powerful, but a very pleasant rod to fish.   These run $685.      

Hardy has come out with some new rods called the Proaxis, that use similar technology as the Loomis NRX- combining the graphite fibers with a new nano silica resin system developed by 3M.   These rods are very light and also very strong.   They tell us that the Proaxis rods are up to 60% stronger than their previous rods. Hardy has done a lot of field testing on the Proaxis rods with Andy Mill in Florida on bonefish, permit and even big tarpon.  Andy couldn't believe how much abuse these new Proaxis rods would take.  The Proaxis 9 foot #8 rods list for $695.00

On our Alaska trip this past fall I was able to take along a Loomis NRX and was delighted with the performance,  Never had I used a rod this light that cast so well, with this kind of power.    I loved the fact that it was so accurate, when casting a floating line and beads to sighted fish in 2 feet of water, that were no more than 25-40 feet away.    I could put the fly exactly where I needed it, time after time.  Loomis claims that their NRX rods are 20% lighter and 20% stronger than the CrossCurrent GLX rods and I believe it!    I played a lot of big 7-9 lb bows and just punished the NRX, thinking there was no way it was going to survive the kinds of bends I was putting in the rod, but it came through in perfect shape!

We also have several less expensive rods that are impressive like the new TFO BVK 9 foot #8 for $249.95, or the St. Croix Imperial 9 foot #8 for $210.00   

All the airlines are now accepting rod cases as your second "personal" bag so I suggest that people try to hand carry all their rods on this trip, at least on the way in.   Sage makes a perfect multi -rod travel case and we have these for two, 3 and 4 piece rods.  You can pack 4-5 rods in their cloth bags and these are perfect  for hand carrying on the planes as we travel, especially the 4 piece version that is less than 36" long.    We stock these cases and they are in the $70-80 range.

It is always a good idea to bring a back up rod. More than once I've broken a rod in Alaska on the first day or two of the trip and had to go with my backup the rest of the week! I've found that in Alaska there are innumerable ways to break rods—usually in boats, rafts or planes, but sometimes on big fish too! Each party of 4 anglers should designate someone to bring a back up rod for that day, or make sure that your guide will bring along his own rod that someone can use if a rod gets broken. Enchanted Lake Lodge does have a stock of extra rods, reels and waders and they will lend these out to people in need.

Reels

Big Alaska rainbows can peel line off a reel in a hurry! I've had fish make first runs of over 100 yards, especially in some of the larger rivers like Moraine Creek. You'll want to have a reel with a strong, yet smooth drag, and the capacity to hold 125-150 yards of 30 pound backing plus your fly line. The 30-pound backing is important as we are often using tippets in the 12-15 lb. class.

There are many excellent reels on the market for fishing Alaska. All of the reels I'm going to recommend double as top bonefish reels. All of these reels utilize a large arbor design, allowing the angler to retrieve in line at a very fast pace. For the saltwater fishing we reload with 200 yd. of 20 lb. backing and a stiffer monofilament core line that is better in tropical climates.

My picks for the best Alaska reel are the Tibor Everglades Quick Change and the new Tibor Signature Series 7-8 Reel. 

Both of these reels are perfect for 7-8 weight lines with 150-200 yards of 20 lb. micron backing.  Both of these reels utilize the quick-change spool design and you want to have one spool loaded with a floating line, and another spool loaded with a 15-24 foot sinking tip.

The Everglades does hold slightly more backing - 200 yd. with an 8-weight line  The Signature Series reel is a bit narrower and holds 150 yd. of 20 lb. in addition to a WF-8-F line, and 180 yd. of backing with a sink tip.   The Tibor reels are available in black or champagne gold, with several other colors available at a 10% surcharge.    

The Tibor Signature Series reels utilize a totally sealed drag.  These are very attractive reels and totally bulletproof in our experience.    The Everglades QC reel is $746 and extra spools are $365.   The Signature series reel is $775 an extra spools are $380.   You can also get a standard Tibor Everglades withouth the quick-change feature for $640 and those extra spools are $305.00.

The Abel reels have also proven to be winners for the Alaska fishing, and the best size is their Super 8.   Like Tibor, Abel is now making these same reels with a quick change spool.  Even though more expensive, this is the way to go.  No more hassling with nuts and reel parts that can fall in the drink or get lost.  

The standard Super 7/8N reel is $700 with the Large arbor spool, which will hold a WF-8-F and 200 yd of 20 lb. backing.   The Quick-Change 7/8N is $760 and extra spools run $345.  The Abel reels are available in either black or a variety of wild and beautiful anodized finishes. Other colors as well as some beautiful artistic and fish graphics.  These new graphics finishes do add 100-200 to the basic cost of the reel though, but they are spectacular.   If you get the 7/8N with a standard arbor spool, now you have a reel that will hold a 10 weight line and 200 yards of 30 lb. backing!  So this makes it a very versitale reel.    The only kick I have with the Abel reels vs the tibor reels is that the Abel reels are heavier, especially the quick change version.

For a less expensive Alaska reel, there are several that we recommend.  The new Ross Momentum LT  #4 is a great reel which is a large arbor reel with a very good drag system. The #4 takes a #8 line and 200 yd of backing. These sell for $445.   I have fished these on bonefish and for big 'bows in Alaska, and they have performed beautifully.   Other fine reels are the Loomis Current 7/8 for $290 and the TFO #375 for $289.00.   Extra spools for these reels run about $150. Nothing we have seen comes close to beating the TFO Large Arbor 375 for the money.  This reel is so good it should sell for $500.00  

Fly Lines

For our Alaska fishing in September, we'll need two basic lines. When we are fishing egg patterns (beads), we'll use only a floating line along with a long leader and yarn style indicator. My favorite floating line for Alaska is SA's Mastery GPX which puts more weight forward in the line, making it turn over better in the wind and when you are forced to chuck split shot and an indicator along with the beads.  Remember you need a cold water line, so bonefish lines won't work. 

On other rivers, we'll fish streamers like sculpin and leech patterns. For this kind of fishing it is critical  to have a sinking tip line to get the streamers down  Most of the time a 15 foot type 4-6 sink tip will work perfectly, and we usually go up one line size, to WF-9-F/S.   On larger rivers and in higher water, where we need to get down deep and fast, the best bet is one of the new RIO 24 foot Density Compensated sink tips, which is about a type 5. You will want this in a 200-250 grain weight, depending on your rod. The ingenious design that RIO is using allows the tip to sink faster than the belly, and it seems to get the fly down a little faster and hold it down there longer on the swing. Both of these lines really get the fly down in a hurry and cast beautifully—like a shooting head with an attached small diameter running line.   

When putting together outfits for clients going to Alaska, we splice loops into the end of your fly line and also the backing to give you 100% knot strength between your line and backing. This also makes it far easier for you to change a line while in the field without having to buy more extra spools for your reel.

Leaders

When fishing with a floating line, using egg patterns, I have developed a special leader, similar to the ones that the guides at Enchanted Lake have used themselves. We are tying these leaders with Maxima butts and using new Seaguar GrandMAX fluorocarbon for mid sections and tippets. GrandMAX has proven to be is extremely strong and far less visible to the fish. The tippet size we use on this leader is 2X, and this tests out 12.5 lb. test! For the sinking lines, you'll want short 4-6 foot tapered leaders with 12 lb. tippets.

Most big bows are not leader shy. By using heavy tippet materials like 1X or 2X that break at 12-14 lb. test, you can apply a lot of pressure while playing these big fish. The more pressure you apply, the quicker these rainbows tire, and you'll be able to land and release the fish while it is still strong, decreasing the likelihood of fish mortality.

The guides at the lodge will help you rig up these leaders, and have leader material there for you to use. Still, I like to bring along this Seaguar GrandMAX fluorocarbon in a few sizes since it works so well. It can make the difference of catching the tough fish in these extremely clear waters.

Fly Patterns

Once the sockeye salmon arrive in the streams, rainbows key in on the salmon eggs and usually forget about all other insects, sculpins or other food available to them. On streams like Kulik, Battle, Moraine Creek, and the Brooks River, we'll have some outstanding visual fishing using a variety of beads as salmon egg imitations. The guides at Enchanted Lake have refined this "bead fishing" over the years, and there is just one word to describe it—deadly. A wide variety of bead colors and sizes are available at the lodge, and your guides will set you up with a box of beads for the water you'll be fishing.  As in past years, all the flies and beads you will use on our trip are supplied at no additional charge.

We'll use a variety of streamers, mostly sculpin and leech patterns. Again, the guides will pick out what you will need for each location the evening before, and check out the rest of your tackle to make sure that you are all set for the next day's fishing.

I normally do bring some of my own streamers. We have a few patterns like the orange, lead headed black rabbit leeches that have been deadly on big water. Also, our black and olive Rabbit Eels are killers up there. These are all tied on very stout hooks that won't bend or break, even on a huge fish.

Wading Gear

There is nothing like the comfort you get in good Gore-Tex waders, especially if you are walking miles in a day like we sometimes do in Alaska. These amazing new Gore-Tex waders actually breathe, letting perspiration and water vapor out but stop the water from coming through the fabric. I've often walked for miles without getting my underwear damp from perspiration! We stock a variety of breathable waders here in our shop, but the Simms Gore-Tex waders are head and shoulders above all the others for comfort, fit, and durability. We stock a complete selection of the Simms waders and they come in a wide selection of 25 sizes so that we can get a perfect fit just about anyone!

The Simms Gore-Tex Guide Model breathable stocking foot waders have proven to be one of the finest waders in existence. Virtually all the guides you see in Alaska are now wearing these moss green waders as well as most anglers.  Our favorites are the G-3 Guide stocking foot wader and these run $429.95.  The new G-3 Guide wader is 25% more breathable than the older guide model and best of all it has a great new hand warmer pocket in the front of the wader. It also has an inside pocket that flips out that holds tippet material with a Simms retractor. Just add your tippet spools and a clipper and you are in business!   

Another terrific wader is the Patagonia Guidewater wader.  These are the ones with the Marino wool on the inside of the neoprene foot.  I've been wearing these myself and they are super comfortable and very, very breathable, maybe even better than the Simms.    They have a unique suspension system with inside suspenders which allows the waders to be pulled down easily when you want to relieve yourself!  They are also very easy to wear folded down into a waist high wader, and far more comfortable, especially if you are hiking the tundra.  These run about $425.  

With all the hiking we do in Alaska, I think that the new Vibram soled Simms wading shoes are far superior to felt soled boots.  We have these in several different styles now and grip, even on slippery rocks is amazing.   In alaska the wading is mostly on smaller rocks so the Vibram style soles are better than anything. One of the best is the Simms Guide Boot and these run about $199.00.   You can also get removable carbide studs for these but we can't use studs in Alaska in the float planes. 

Korkers has a terrific new boot called the Chrome, which is very light, and uses a unique cable system to tighten the boot. Very easy and secure, with no laces to get caught on things.   The best thing is that you can change soles very easily.  Each pair of boots comes with both their rubber kling on soles and a set of felt soles, all for $179, which we think is a heck of a deal.   You can also get studded rubber soles if you like.  

Under your waders you'll want to bring two weights of underwear.  The best heavier weight we've found is Patagonia's R-1 pants and you will wear these most days.   Then also have a pair of Patagonia Capilene 2 for warmer days. 

For socks to wear under waders, The Simms Boot Socks or their heavier Ex-Strem Socks are perfect. 

On the rivers we fish, we are often using jet boats to get around, so little hiking is required. If you like to hike and fish, there are lots of good opportunities to get into water that is rarely fished. Wading conditions are very good on most of the rivers we'll fish—mostly smaller rocks and gravel and very few slippery boulders like we have here on the Yellowstone! Some rivers like Moraine Creek and the Brooks have numerous drop-offs, and these are the areas we find a lot of big fish. These drop offs can also be dangerous wading, especially in higher water levels.   A wading staff can be a big help

and also double as a good walking staff.

Clothing And Rainwear. 

Be prepared for a variety of weather conditions. Generally the weather in September is milder than you would expect with typical daytime highs in the high 40's to mid 50's. Like Montana, it can change in a big hurry! You need to be prepared for colder, nasty weather and rain. Layering your clothing so that you can peel some of it off as it gets warmer during the day is the way to go!

Patagonia's new R-1 tops are getting rave reviews from our clients and are perfect for everyday wear in Alaska. They have a waffle weave type of design, which is twice as breathable and twice as compressible but at half the weight of the more standard type of Capilene or fleece.  We have these in both zip tops and with a full length zipper.  In Alaska you want to have fast wicking underwear that will dry out quickly.  The Patagonia R-1 and all their capilene is perfect.   Simms has their Waderwick pants and these come in a mid weight that is 4-way stretch with wide foot stirrups. These are very comfortable too.

One note on underwear—I always bring 2 or 3 sets of bottoms and tops so that I can air one out while I'm wearing the other.

Layering for Comfort

One thing I found out this past September is how important it is to wear these new synthetic tops in conjunction with a good Gore-Tex jacket or Windstopper jacket. When you are landing big rainbows and taking pictures of them, this usually involves getting your arms from the elbow down wet. With the old cotton or canvas shirts, they stay wet the rest of the day, but with the new synthetic materials like Patagonia's R-1 tops, they dry right out, especially if you take the time to wring out the water.

My absolute best combo for comfort is to wear a Patagonia silk weight top, with one of the R-1 tops over this. I found that on cold mornings I'd start out with this underneath, followed by a Patagonia down or Micro fleece jacket and then my Simms Gore-Tex Guide G-3 Jacket over all this. When the weather warms up during the day, I'd peel off the layers and often end up fishing with the R-1 pullover as my outer garment and the silk weight top underneath.

All these new synthetic materials like R-1, R-2, Capilene, Synchilla and microfleece will keep you warm, don't retain water like cotton or wool, and dry out very quickly after getting wet.

Keeping dry is essential to staying warm and comfortable in Alaska! One of the best new garments to wear under your rain jacket is Patagonia's Nano Puff Pullover.  This uses a high loft insulation that feels almost like down but will not absorb water!  These run $150 and come in a variety of colors. 

Rain and drizzle are part of the fall fishing scene and you need to have a top-notch raincoat. Our best selling fishing raincoat is the new Simms "Packlite" full zip gore-tex jacket. I liked this jacket when it was just a zip up pullover but now it has a full length zipper it's perfect.   This jacket has a great hood but only one front zip pocket - no side pockets.  It will fold up easily to stick in the back of your vest. I've worn this jacket in the worst conditions possible in Alaska and have stayed dry and comfortable all day. These run about $249.

If you want a rain jacket with tons of features, look at the Simms G-3 guide jacket.  Lots of pockets with the new waterproof zippers, handwarmer pockets and two huge pockets on the front, with one in the back.   The hood is adjustable and fits perfectly.  This top of the line jacket runs $399. Another Simms jacket that is easy to pack in your vest is called the In-Vest jacket.  This is a shorter, waterproof but breathable wading jacket that comes with a nice hood, and one front zip pocket for $99.95, a real bargain.  

Patagonia also has two wonderful breathable fishing rain jackets. Their Deep Wading Jacket is our most popular, is very light and folds up easily with lots of featurs.   It runs $249.  Their top of the line SST that goes for $449 is a fantastic fishing rain jacket and had tons of really useful features.   Both of these are great choices.  We also stock the Patagonia Torrentshell which is only $119 but nicer than the Simms In-Vest.

The important things is to pick a jacket that will be comfortable to wear and fish in all day.   Even if it is not raining, you'll want it for wind and protetction from the cold.  All of these jackets breathe so well that they are wonderfully comfortable to wear all day, even when it is not raining. They provide total protection from both wind and driving rain.

Footwear around the lodge should be practical and casual. I do like to bring a pair of comfortable shoes for walking the paths around camp, and trekking down to the lake. After breakfast we'll return to our rooms and put on our waders, which will be worn in the floatplanes and the rest of the day until we return to camp at the end of the fishing day. Wearing waders all day was misery back in the day of neoprene waders, but with the new Simms Gore-Tex waders and wicking under wader garments, you stay dry and comfortable all day!

Remember to bring a warm hat. I'll wear a baseball cap when the weather is nice, but if it's cold and nasty my favorite hat is the Simms Ex-Stream Gore-tex hat.  This one has flaps that your can wear up or secure with velcro under your chin when it's nasty.  This hat has insulation and and a good bill to keep wind blown water off your glasses.  You won't ever get cold in this hat! These are $49.95 but worth every penny.   Simms also makes a good windstopper stocking cap that is very popular. We stock these in different sizes and colors.  

Fishing gloves are a godsend on colder days. We probably won't use them most days, but if it is cold and the wind is blowing they will be worth their weight in gold! The best solution seems to be the Simms fingerless Windstopper gloves.  These are not waterproof but the windstopper material keeps you warm in even the coldest wind and you can wring them out if they get wet.   Simms has another solution to really nasty conditions, called the Windproof Foldover Mitt. This is essentially their Windstopper fingerless glove, but it has a fold down mitten that you can pull over your fingers when it is really cold.   These work great and we

sell a lot of these her in Montana too for colder weather fishing.   The mitten folds back and velcros out of the way as do the fingers

to make these nearly as easy to use as the gloves.

Another trick I use to keep my hands warm is to take along a small towel, which I use to dry my hands off after releasing a fish. I also take along some "Warm Packs" which are soft hand warmers that last for 5-6 hours once opened, and stick them into my jacket pockets. Once my hands are dry, I stick them in my pockets with the "warm packs", warm them up and get back into action in a hurry.

Miscellaneous Items to Bring

Be sure to bring a good pair of sunglasses. I like the light brown shades, which work well on cloudy as well as sunny days. The best ones we've found lately are from Smith/Action Optics, Hobie, and Maui Jim. We stock a wide variety. All are polarized, and most utilize lightweight glass lenses. Some are photochromatic, having the ability to change to a darker shade with more sunlight. Side shields really help in the very flat light you get in Alaska in the fall. We have some good moldable ones we get from Orvis.

Don't forget a Flip Focal or some other optical aid like the new Orvis magnifying clip-ons to help you tie on your flies or work on leaders.

We also stock good polarized glasses in a variety of styles from Action Optics with small magnifiers built into the glasses. Serious anglers love these Action Optics glasses with the magnifiers, since the glass lenses provide optimum clarity over the long run and you don't have to fool around with reading glasses or other magnifying aids.

The best new fishing sunglasses we've seeen if you need help seeing close-up are the new Maui-Jim "Readers"  These come with thin magnification secetions on the lower portion of the lens and you can forget fumbling around with reading glasses.   These come in three different powers - 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5  The run about $200 and these are one of the very best things we have in the shop for avid anglers.

Bring a good daypack to tote your camera, rain jacket, clothing, and other gear while you are out on the stream.  Patagonia has come up with a fantastic waterproof fishing day pack they call their Stormfront pack.   This has a totally waterproof zipper as well as an inside compartment to protect your camersa and other gear.   It has proven to be very comfortable to wear and also provides a lot of flotation if you take a fall in one of the big rivers.  This could be a lifesaver for sure.  These are expensive at $279 but the best we've seen or used yet!     

Simms also has a good waterproof daypack called their Dry Creek roll-top for $149.95  with a splashproof zippered outside pocket, padded shoulder straps with lubar support. This is essential for carrying all the gear we'll need for a day in the wilds.   This comes in Simms orange or dark gray.   Having a totally waterproof daypack is a great advantage, especially when a lot of us are carrying digital cameras, video cameras and other expensive gear that cannot get wet.  This also doubles as a good waterproof boat bag.   

Roller luggage is the rage these days and for good reason. These bags make traveling a pleasure again! We carry a good selection of the finest roller bags from Pagtagonia, Sage and Fishpond.  Our Favorites though are the Patagonia Freewheeler Max and the Freewheeler for a roller carry-on. Both of these roller bags are loaded with features that are unique and sensible.  Both have a lower compartment that can be accessed by a zipper, where you can keep dirty or wet clothes away from your other gear. 

These bags zippered end compartments that make for easy access while you are

traveling.   They also both have

compression straps in addition to the normal carrying straps so that you can adjust the size of the bag very easily.   The roller wheels are the best in the business and roll along very easily without making any noise.   The handles fold down in differenet positions too, so that you can get just the right weight balance while you roll them along.   The Freewheeler Max is 29x17x15.5" and sells for $400.

The smaller one called the Freewheeler, and has almost the same features as the larger bag.  This one is 22x15x12.5  But I've been using this roller bag as a carry-on.  As long as you don't pack it too full it will pass for size.   Often I put my computer in the top but then take it out for security and then the bag will pass for size especially if you use the compressor straps.  You can actually carry a week's worth of clothes and gear in this smaller roller bag.   The Freewheeler sells for $350.  

When I'm traveling with both the Freightliner Max and the Freightliner as a carry-on, I've found that I can slip the folding handle of the smaller Freightliner into the upper strap of the Freightliner Max and then it rolls along perfectly behind the larger bag. What a great way to get all the way across big terminals like Houston, Atlanta or Minneapolis with a minimum of effort!

Most of the gear I've talked about can be found on our on-line catalog on our web site but many of these items are not on the site, so just call us and we can get you just the right set up and gear for your trip. 

George Anderson

georgea@yellowstoneangler.com