Here are a few pertinent fly suggestions for Rainbow Trout in Alaska.

1. 8 Must-Have Flies For
Alaskan Rainbow Trout
Trident Fly Fishing

2. So you want to travel thousands of miles to go fly fishing in Alaska, home to giant flesh-eating Rainbow
Trout, float planes, and remote wilderness. A trip to remote Alaska from the lower 48 is no logistical
slouch; a lodge must be chosen, flights booked, and fishing packages decided on, often years in advance.
Timing is important; fish behavior changes throughout the season and is drastically different in June than
it is in July, August, and September (the summer angling season is usually limited to these four months). It
is important to prioritize desired fishing tactics, species, and weather patterns before planning your fishy
getaway. It is also important to arrive with a thorough fly selection. Fly patterns can make or break a trip to
Alaska, and having the right patterns in your fly box is paramount. Here are a few pertinent fly suggestions
for Alaskan Rainbow Trout and when/how to use them.

3. Stimulator
A Stimulator can be a killer pattern for Alaskan Rainbows during the month of June. Many rivers in the
Bristol Bay Region see hatches of Stoneflies, Caddis, and other insects in the early summer season.
Alaskan Rainbows act similarly to western Rainbows during this part of the season (think Montana
freestone rivers like the Yellowstone); if you see fish rising, chances are pretty good they’ll eat a
stimulator. Stimulators are a great point fly for a dry-dropper setup, too (although some rivers in the Bristol
Bay Region are single fly only). The Stimulator is a simple pattern but can be very effective when fished
for post-spawn trout before Salmon crowd the rivers.

4. Dolly Llama
The Dolly Llama is an Alaskan staple. If I had to choose one fly for Alaska, it would be the Dolly. Dolly
Llama patterns are tied to imitate leeches. That being said, the fly also imitates a sculpin, a small baitfish,
and other swimming Rainbow meals. The Dolly is most effective when fished with a swing technique and
a sink tip depending on river depth. Rainbow Trout find this pattern particularly appetizing during the
post-spawn weeks (June). Alaskan Rainbows expend a lot of energy and consume very little during the
spawn. Therefore, in the weeks that follow, appetites ramp up to ravenous, and every trout is looking for a
big meal. Similarly, during the last few weeks of the season (end of September), trout are bulking up for a
cold, dark winter. Again, trout become partial to a large meal, and a well-presented Dolly Llama is sure to
trigger a strike.

5. Bead Head Prince Nymph
The Prince Nymph is arguably an attractor nymph; it doesn’t imitate one specific
insect. Alaskan Rainbows eat the Prince Nymph as a Caddis Nymph, Stonefly
Nymph, and sometimes even as a small baitfish (or a fry). Fishing the Prince
Nymph under an indicator can be quite productive in late June and early July
when bugs start popping on Alaskan rivers.

6. Tungsten Head Flashback Pheasant Tail
This nymph is fished just like the aforementioned BH Prince Nymph. These
nymphs are most productive in shallow riffles where insects are likely found rolling
over rocks or gravel, carried by the river’s current. I often find fish holding both in
riffles and just downstream where the riffle dumps into a run or a pool. Tungsten
helps sink the nymph quickly so you can maximize the time your fly spends on the
river bottom.

7. Pat’s Rubber Legs
This pattern is hugely popular in the Western U.S., especially on freestone rivers
with prolific Stonefly hatches. Rubber Legs patterns are meant to be fished under
an indicator or at the end of a tight line and imitate Stonefly nymphs. Lead wire
wrapping adds weight to sink these flies quickly into a trout’s feeding zone.

8. Micro Flesh Fly
Micro Flesh is technically not a ‘fly’. After Sockeye Salmon enter the river, spawn,
and begin to die, Rainbows key in on Salmon flesh. Flesh offers the trout a
protein-filled meal, and protein provided by the Salmon is part of the reason
Alaskan Rainbows are so large. Flesh flies can be swung or dead-drifted, although
I prefer a dead drift. After all, I’ve never seen swimming flesh. Flesh flies are most
productive during the month of September.

9. Morrish Mouse
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the famed mouse pattern. We’ve talked about big-eyed Rainbows looking
for large, protein-filled meals. Well, the mouse is a large (pun intended) part of that protein-rich diet. I
prefer the Morrish Mouse. The foam on the Morrish Mouse helps create a life-like wake in the water when
fished properly and draws a nearby trout’s attention to the surface. These patterns are most effective
when fished in the early and late season with a slow swing and/or stripping technique. Start by throwing a
mouse pattern at the river bank and working out; when mice fall into the river it’s almost always off a bank.
Fishing a mouse pattern in Alaska is insanely thrilling and eats are nearly always explosive. Don’t get too
jumpy; let the fish eat the mouse pattern before setting the hook.

10. Fry Pattern
Fry patterns are an essential fly for Rainbow Trout in Alaska. In the early season, trout key in on schooling
baitfish, or fry. Rainbows often work together to push schooling fry to the surface where the trout capitalize
on an easy meal. This occurrence is, most times, visual for an angler. Sometimes it looks like the
Rainbows are feeding on insects just below the surface; don’t be fooled. A small fry pattern stripped
quickly just under the surface can be hugely efficient at fooling these hungry Rainbows. Sometimes
getting the fry pattern right is tough; these trout are often more particular when eating fry than they are
when eating insects, so bring a few different patterns with you.

11. Beads
You may have noticed that most of these patterns are productive in June-July.
What flies should I fish in August and early September, you might ask? Well, if you
know anything about Alaska, you know that August and September bring
spawning Salmon, and when there are eggs in the river, the Rainbow Trout focus
on little else. “Beading”, or fishing a bead to imitate a Salmon egg, is most
effective during these months (although many don’t consider a bead a fly). Varying
bead colors and sizes imitate the different stages of Salmon eggs throughout the
spawn.

12. See you in Alaska!
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Plenty of patterns fool Alaskan Rainbow
Trout and every guide has his/her favorites.
Already looking forward to the Alaskan summer fly fishing season? Yeah, me too. I
hope to see you up there.