Small stream suggestions??

[baseball_junkie]

Howdy all,

A regular member of WFF and a guy over there pointed me here. I Live in WA but work on a tug and fuel barge in AK ferrying JET and Diesel from Valdez to Anchorage. I have befriended one of the dock operators in Vdz and ge has offered to take me fishing if I can get off the boat. He mentioned a healthy Dolly population in a couple local creek/streams. Wanna spend the next few days tying some flies to take with. Nothing TOO complex. Thanks guys.

BJ

 

[Ard]

Hi,

I use streamers for Dollies and they are not too fussy at all. Please tell me what your capabilities are at fly tying and I can point you in the right direction. PM if you wish I'll check mail as the day goes on.

Ard

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Junkie,

Welcome to the forum. I am glad you stopped by and hope to see you often.

If you are talking Dollies in Valdez he may be thinking Robe Lake and the connecting streams. Robe Lake gets a bunch of Dollies every year. They flock in behind Salmon to feed on any wayward eggs.

The flies I would want would be flesh flies, eggs (size and color to match the Salmon running at the time), black egg sucking leech, egg sucking crystal bugger. This early in the year the flesh fly may not be a good producer just yet. There is also a chance that the Dollies are feeding on fry of Pink Salmon. I don't know what would be a good fry imitation.

Frank

 

[caseywise]

try some pink and red glo bugs in a 10 or 12, its still early but ill bet they go after them! also, as ard mentioned, a small streamer such as a mickey finn would work as well. basic nymph patterns such as the gold ribbed hairs ear or prince nymph will be productive as also. good luck man. if you find a school of active DV, theres nothing better! make sure to pack your bug spray

casey

 

[nerka]

I am not sure I will offer much that hasnt already been offered, but definately pack some egg sucking leeches. Plus some other egg patterns. I think some alevins are good for early season. If you are going later in the summer, flesh flies are killer.

Speaking of ESLs, I have been tying some with an actual egg pattern at the head of the hook. Then tying the leech pattern behind rather than just the normal chenile wrapping in front of the leech. I have high hopes and will report back once I have the chance to use it.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Kerka,

Back in the 70's you could buy egg sucking leeches from the Anchorage fly shops with a tied egg and not just Chenille. I just assumed that everyone tied them that way. I use to buy them at McAfee's Fly Shop. Dennis use to tie a lot of the flies he sold and maybe that is why they were tied with an egg.

I wonder how others tie their egg sucking leeches?

Frank

 

[nerka]

Hi Frank,
Most of the ESL's I come across are tied with a chenile egg. They work alright and are a bit less time to tie, but dont look quite as good IMHO.

As for McAfee's Shop, it has been replaced by Mossy's. I am under the impression the previous owner(Dennis) retired. The place is now run by Mike who is a nice guy and I think either worked for or knew Dennis well. It is in the same location off Dimond Blvd(at least since I have grew up) I dont know where it was in the 70s. Back then Dimond was a gravel road and a long ways from "town".
Mossy is my favorite fly shop in Anchorage. Small, quaint but with high quality staff. Just last week I picked up a Galvan T-8 with Rio Streamertip 400grn line from there. Mike was great with me.

As for the ESL's being sold there and other places, since I tie my own I ESL's I dont spend much time looking at them, but I am thinking that most are tied with chenile.

Tight lines...

Chris

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Chris,

I moved to Anchorage in May of 1974. I was working in Fairbanks in 1976 and moved there in 1977. It was about 1976/77 that Diamond Blvd was paved and the Diamond shopping center built. I found McAfee's soon after the shopping center was finished.

Dennis was a great fly shop owner. I flew in from Fairbanks frequently for meetings and always visited McAlfee's. I could call Dennis and order anything he didn't have in stock and when I got to town he would have it waiting for me. He shared fishing spots and was just a good guy. Later in the 80's his daughter was working in the shop helping out. McAlfee's was the small shop that anyone would want in their home town.

Thanks for the information about the egg sucking leech. A great Alaska pattern no matter how it is tied.

Frank

 

[mcnerney]

I am not sure I will offer much that hasnt already been offered, but definately pack some egg sucking leeches. Plus some other egg patterns. I think some alevins are good for early season. If you are going later in the summer, flesh flies are killer.

Speaking of ESLs, I have been tying some with an actual egg pattern at the head of the hook. Then tying the leech pattern behind rather than just the normal chenile wrapping in front of the leech. I have high hopes and will report back once I have the chance to use it.

Nerka: That is an interesting concept, keep us posted on your modification fishes, I'm guessing it would be better than the chenile wrap, but who knows for sure. I've always tied my ESLs with the chenile.

Larry

 

[nerka]

Larry when I have some time I will post a recipe and pics. Keep an eye out. I have them in black, purple, chart., barred green with pink eggs. Mine are different than the more traditional versions. I use a bit more flash, as much lead I can wrap on the shank as possible and generally running it in a size 2, but a few size 4s and 1s. I also tie in an upside down bunny strip tail that I glue into the traditional right side up tail. I think I should just start a thread on the subject rather than hijacking this thread.
Frank,
I think the tradition is continuing to what McAfees was. It is still a good local fly shop. I dont know how long it has been since you have been back to Anchorage, or AK in general since then, but things have changed. When I moved back after 10 years of only visiting the southcentral region of AK, it has blown up. Fairbanks has also grown much since those days. The biggest changes have been in the Valley. Wasilla would be unrecognizable.

 

[Ard]

Hi Nerka,

We have a sticky in the Flies For Alaska forums called The Egg Box. This would be a good place for the Egg Leech's. Matter of fact I'll move the bunny one I make into that thread. It would be great to have more there.

Ard

 

[rrarods]

Any fly tips and spots in the fairbanks areas? Ill be there first two weeks of july.

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