Alaska: day two captions

Second day we split our group of four; DF and I flew to a braided river some 60-70 minutes from the lodge.  Main quarry here is big rainbows; upwards of 30" fish logged each year.

The joinery of the planes, boats and gear was remarkable.  Very little time spent in transition pieces; focus on fishing.

This was the only day we ran into anglers in any meaningful way; and it was quite an extreme: popular river and so boats were common.  

Third cast of the day was a hookup.  Not a rainbow because no leaping and no big fight...   immediate intrigue wondering on the fish...    turned out to be first chum salmon in my logbook.  Caught two more later on.

We started out stripping streamers.  And it was hot right away - many rainbows, number of salmon (mostly sockeye).  We were juiced up swearing and hooting up and down the boat and I think our guide for the day BK got some good chuckles at our enthusiasm.  Morning was just on fire though, fish after fish ripping streamers.  We taped this one at 25.5 inches.  Chromey.  Leapt approximately six times; pretty dramatic.  Photo by DF. 

It didn't seem like good nymphing water but there were so many small side channels, BK had us drift some eggs for a short time.  Interesting change in that we just started hammering fish after fish in seams.  Bunch of rainbows and grayling.  

Big wide water.

Fly of the day was Dalai Lama.  What we fished probably 85% of the time.

Sockeye tooth.

At start of day I wanted to get a sockeye; by end of day we were spouting "effing sockeye."

Lunch minute.

Salmon going back to dirt and flesh bits to be consumed.

DF big of day, which I believe we taped at 24 inches; he got it quartering down and swinging at our last stop.

Flight home; more lessons.