Alaskan rainbow brought to hand. Photo credit wirestock/Envato.
The ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’ has a narrower geographic origin than all-consuming ‘Alaska’; it still rings true to most as such.
Henry Clement, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, August 2023.
By Henry Clement
Rainbows and steelhead trout
Within the geographic confines of the United States of America, the Alaskan rainbow trout is, in some circles, the preferred target for more traditional anglers. There are many reasons why this is true.
Yes, both rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon have scientific classifications. Rainbow trout belong to the genus Oncorhynchus within the family Salmonidae. Atlantic salmon belong to the genus Salmo and are also part of the Salmonidae family.
The question of why is simple
It gets a nod for being the most aggressive of the trouts. It is the largemouth bass of trout. Show them food or movement, and they generally respond with an eat. It is also the only trout that can become another form of itself, like an ordinary riverine residing in Ochorinchius mykiss, but genetically wired to become a steelhead. As such, being so powerful with its runs and fight, an angler could be compared to a bonefish (Albula vulpes) of equal size.
Yet to be denied, the Atlantic salmon
No one I have met in my 70-odd years of angling has said they were prepared for the run of an adult steelhead trout’s explosive speed and almost tireless power.
Anglers often refer to the steelhead trout as a salmon, attempting to complement its extraordinary power. Paradoxically, the adjective ‘measured’ should refer to some Pacific salmon, equalling the defiance of the rainbow.
Adult Steelhead illustration by Thom Glace. The freshwater form of the steelhead is the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The difference between these forms of the species is that steelhead migrate to the ocean and return to freshwater tributaries to spawn. In contrast, non-anadromous rainbow trout do not leave freshwater. Steelhead are also larger and less colorful than rainbow trout. Steelhead can weigh up to 55 lb (25 kg) and reach 45 in (110 cm) in length. They can live up to 11 years and spawn multiple times. Click here to visit Thom Glace’s website.
Adult Atlantic Salmon by Thom Glace, award-winning watercolorist, dedicated fly fisher, and conservationist. See the above link to Thom’s website.
Notable
The Atlantic salmon is a leaper, fighting above any equally ranked Pacific salmon for its weight. A plausible argument for a powerful Pacific salmon equivalent to the Atlantic salmon or steelhead trout would be the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), the only species of Pacific salmon that is a true leaper. However, it occasionally leaps when hooked or forges its way up during spawning runs. Thus, all Pacific salmon leap, but not like Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, or steelhead trout.
Considered the best flies for Alaskan Rainbows
Dolly Llama:
This articulated streamer, known for its flash and rabbit strips, is a staple in Alaska fly fishing. It imitates various prey and is effective when swung or stripped in deep, fast-moving pools.
Clouser Minnow:
With its deer hair and belly material, this fly provides a good profile and action, making it irresistible to Alaskan trout or salmon when stripped.
The Morrish Mouse fly tied on the tube – The Morrish Mouse is a famous Canadian surface fly on rainbow trout rivers. The Morrish Mouse pattern was initially devised by the master fly tier and manager of Fly Water Travel. Mr Ken Morrish
Morrish Mouse:
This large, bulky mouse pattern displaces a lot of water, creating a strong wake and action that triggers the predatory instincts of large rainbows.
Mr. Hankey Mouse:
Fish this mouse pattern close to the bank with small strips and watch aggressive rainbows take it on the swing or strip.
Morrish Medusa:
This steelhead fly is deadly in Alaska and is fished on the swing.
Clown Egg:
Eggs are a critical food source for trout in Alaska, and the clown egg pattern works well when fished off the bottom or near the surface.
Carcass Fly (flesh fly):
These flies imitate decaying salmon flesh, which can be effective when fished upstream and allowed to drift.
The origin of the Bomber Fly, the current most popular dry
The Bomber was designed in the 1960s by Reverend Elmer Smith for use on the Miramichi River in New Brunswick, Canada. Angling fly tiers can be successful in every imaginable combination of colors. They are the most widely used dry flies for Atlantic salmon.
Here is the link to McPhail tying the original Bomber Fly. Click here.
NOTE: ‘In an interview with the late fly-tying great Warren Duncan, of Saint John, New Brunswick, Reverend Smith said he got the idea for the Bomber while watching a young boy catching sea-run brown trout using a deer-hair mouse on Maine’s York River.’ —- Davie McPhail
McPhail’s Recipe for the original Bomber
Materials Hook: Partridge CS42 size 6
Thread: Black
Tail: White Calf
Body: Natural or dyed Grey Deer Hair Body
Hackle: Natural or Dyed Brown Cock Hackle
Wing: White Calf
Sources:
NOAA, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Google AI Search, Tim Flagler, Davie McPhail, Flylifemagazine.com archives, past experiences, and travel companions.
Video Tim Flagler is tying the Dirty Bomber
Sponsored
