By Mark Conway, for the Redoubt Reporter
Photo courtesy of Mark Conway. Dale Jordan, of Kasilof, shows off a king salmon he caught fly-fishing on the Kasilof River last June.
1. Thou shalt not go fishing without sleeping the night before.
2. Thou shalt double-check before leaving home that you have a net big enough for the fish you seek.
3. Thou shalt not allow a stranger to net your fish.
4. Thou shalt not use old fishing line.
5. Thou shalt not use old tackle or gear that has not been cleaned and tested for performance.
6. Thou shalt never use a dull hook.
7. Thou shalt know the best fishing knots and use them religiously.
8. Thou shalt not tighten your reel drag while your fish is running.
9. Thou shalt keep your rod tip high and at a 45-degree angle from the body when fighting a fish.
10. Thou shalt not horse your fish in too quickly.
These are the basic 10 commandments fishermen must follow to catch and land trophy fish in Alaska. There are other great suggestions, no doubt, but these are the top 10 in my fishing bible to put big kings or the like in your net, in your boat or on the bank.
No. 1. Getting sleep the night before can help avoid a lot of problems the next day. Even if it’s only a little shut-eye, any sleep is better than none.
No. 2. Make sure you have a net that’s good quality and has the right size net basket for the trophies for which you fish. If you are fishing from a boat, a long handle is advisable. Double-check your equipment and make sure you don’t forget your net before leaving to go fishing.
No. 3. If you are fishing on the bank and have fought a big king or sockeye until it comes to you, do not allow a complete stranger to net it for you. If it’s a keeper fish for sure, pull it steadily out of the water on to the bank if you don’t have someone you can trust to land it in a good net. And never allow a fish to be netted tail first. Fish only have a forward swimming gear, which is head first.
No. 4. Do not trust last year’s old used fishing line. Buy a new spool of fishing line of the appropriate test and have it professionally put on your reel. Old line will break when put to the test on a big fish — usually just as you get it to the net.
No. 5. Check all of your fishing gear and make sure it is all working properly, prior to the night before you go fishing. If it’s not up to par, buy all new gear you can trust with confidence. Test your reel drag to make sure it is tuned properly and the drag works smoothly. Keep your reel clean inside and out. Sometime during the winter, not the week before going fishing, oil your reel handle, grease the gears regularly and have a reel mechanic check over your big gear to make sure it will hold up to those Kenai trophy salmon. Make sure your rod and reel handles are strong and fit your hand properly and that all your rod guides are in great shape, not worn down where the line will cut or tear with a trophy fish on.
No. 6. The reason for losing a big fish right at the hookup is usually a dull hook point. Before you go fishing, sharpen all your hook points to make sure they’re razor sharp, or buy the best hooks on the market that are laser-sharpened. It’s worth the cost not to lose that monster king or red because the hook was dull.
No. 7. Tie only the best fishing knots. I have a couple of knots that never fail me. The improved clinch knot is good for keeping the hook on your leader. Google it for a diagram. If you don’t know the great knots and don’t want to go online to learn them, ask a fishing tech at a good tackle shop to demonstrate. There also are knot books at most tackle shops and bookstores.
No. 8. Do not reach down and tighten your drag while a hooked-up fish is running from you. You take the chance of tightening your drag too much and losing the fish. When the line is going out, the drag is heating up inside the reel from the rapid spooling. By tightening the drag, you will tighten it too much against the heat expansion going on inside the drag system. Wait until the fish stops before tightening the drag, and only tighten it a short turn. It’s best to have your drag set before fishing. Remember, the more line a fish takes off the spool, the more drag the line puts on the fish against the water current.
No. 9. Always keep your rod tip high and at a 45-degree angle from your body. You need the rod and guides to keep tension on the fish, but most important is to allow the bend of the rod to act as a spring or shock absorber for when your fish pulls or shakes its head against the line. This allows the line to “stretch,” as opposed to a straight rod where the line snaps. There is a lot of give built into the right-sized rod, so make sure you have a large and long-enough rod for the hoped-for size of your fish.
No. 10. Anxiety is your worst enemy when you hook a big fish. Take a deep breath and keep your wits about you. Focus on the fish and its position to you. If you keep your rod tip bent and the tension going away from the fish as it swims in the opposite direction, you will keep the hook in the mouth where it will slide to the corner and sink into the jaw bone.
If you want to bring the fish in and your drag is set so it’s not too loose and not too tight and your knots are good and your line is new, you most likely will land your biggest fish yet.
Mark Conway is a master fly-fishing guide and has been a professional fishing guide and fly-fishing instructor since 1984. He and his wife, Maryna, own Alaska Fly Fishing Adventures and Outfitting in Sterling. Conway attended the Kenai River Guide Academy and has been fishing in Alaska since 1983. Visit Alaskaflyfishingadventures.net or contact Conway at alaskaflyfishingadventures@msn.com.
