Caribou Hunt with 40 Mile Air - River Drop

[robie]

Anyone that has been dropped on a river for a caribou hunt can you tell me what you took or wish you had?

What was the fishing like? I was told most of the river have Grayling, Char and Dolyvarden. Would a 5wt fly rod do the trick? What flys worked?

Hip waders, full waders or just knee high mud boots?

My plan is to have an extra bag for a river hunt with fishing gear, waders etc and just leave it at the hanger if they are taking me ridge top. We are doing an extra gear load so should have plenty of room to bring some creature comforts.

 

[VernAK]

You'll encounter mostly grayling and any dark dry fly will work fine as they aren't very sophisticated. A 5wt is plenty.
I would consider waist high waders or hip boots when rafting.

Are you starting from Joseph?

 

[robie]

We are flying out of TOK with 40mile air.

Their caribou hunt will either be ridge top or a river drop and we won't know until the day before.

So no rafting involved just camped near the river for a week if they take us that route.

 

[AKducks]

Never been on the 40 mile but I'm pretty sure it will be mostly be grayling.

for flies I would go with:
Elk hair caddis,
Griffith Gnat
Stimulator
Chernobyl ant
Mouse (yes! use a small trailing hook it works great!)
Stonefly Nympth
Pheasant tail Nymph
Copper John
Brassie
Egg sucking leach


I would bring waders, would hate to be dropped off to find out that you can't cross the river because its too deep!

 

[robie]

Never been on the 40 mile but I'm pretty sure it will be mostly be grayling.

for flies I would go with:
Elk hair caddis,
Griffith Gnat
Stimulator
Chernobyl ant
Mouse (yes! use a small trailing hook it works great!)
Stonefly Nympth
Pheasant tail Nymph
Copper John
Brassie
Egg sucking leach


I would bring waders, would hate to be dropped off to find out that you can't cross the river because its too deep!

Thank you for the flies. That should get me started.

It won't be on the 40 mile itself but a small tributary i'm sure. Somewhere between TOK and the Yukon River.

 

[Murphy]

Wear hip boots on the flight in. We went with Tok air last fall on a small river and wished for hip boots. River was higher than expected and very cold crossing back and forth multiple times every day.

 

[Hughiam]

My brother used a fly rod and I used a spinning rod with a black rooster tail. I literally caught 10 greyling for every one he caught. That little spinner was magic.

 

[Gznokes]

I'll propose a different idea: Leave the fishing gear home. I've done a few hunts where I thought it would be cool to get in a little fishing and have never been able to do enough to justify hauling the stuff even if space isn't an issue. Put all your emphasis and planning into the caribou hunt. If you have extra time in camp because you are successful you can spend more time prepping the meat or cooking. I doubt you'll catch anything bigger than 12" up where you are hunting caribou. Are grayling really that exciting anyway? Forgetting the fishing equipment will also save you money because you don't have to buy a fishing license. It sounds like there is a 50/50 chance you'll even be camped on the river. I'm not being a naysayer, I'm just throwing out an alternative. I wouldn't take it. It's just more stuff to futz with.

 

[VernAK]

I'll propose a different idea: Leave the fishing gear home. I've done a few hunts where I thought it would be cool to get in a little fishing and have never been able to do enough to justify hauling the stuff even if space isn't an issue. Put all your emphasis and planning into the caribou hunt. If you have extra time in camp because you are successful you can spend more time prepping the meat or cooking. I doubt you'll catch anything bigger than 12" up where you are hunting caribou. Are grayling really that exciting anyway? Forgetting the fishing equipment will also save you money because you don't have to buy a fishing license. It sounds like there is a 50/50 chance you'll even be camped on the river. I'm not being a naysayer, I'm just throwing out an alternative. I wouldn't take it. It's just more stuff to futz with.

^^^^^^^^YUP!^^^^^^^^^

 

[robie]

Thanks guys. I hadn't thought of it from this perspective. I was really just trying to be prepared for any situation.

 

[bmrfish]

My brother used a fly rod and I used a spinning rod with a black rooster tail. I literally caught 10 greyling for every one he caught. That little spinner was magic.

We had the same experience. Small spinners were the bomb.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[robie]

We had the same experience. Small spinners were the bomb.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice! How did they taste?

 

[Tod osier]

Thanks guys. I hadn't thought of it from this perspective. I was really just trying to be prepared for any situation.

If you haven't caught them and you are the kind of a fisherman that values new experiences, you owe it to yourself to catch a couple. They are beautiful fish and great in the pan, white like a trout.

 

[robie]

If you haven't caught them and you are the kind of a fisherman that values new experiences, you owe it to yourself to catch a couple. They are beautiful fish and great in the pan, white like a trout.

I never have caught one and love catching fish on a dry fly. I will bring the rod/reel along even if it is to catch a fish. Spinners are great just not sure if I will want to pack one.

 

[Tod osier]

I never have caught one and love catching fish on a dry fly. I will bring the rod/reel along even if it is to catch a fish. Spinners are great just not sure if I will want to pack one.

Fish the way you like. In my understanding small and black drys (mosquito or black flies) are pretty standard prey for them.

Find out from the transporter if the likely transfer strips are on a river too. Would give you something to do when waiting.

 

[Murphy]

First take your fly rod. If you like to fish then you will enjoy grayling fishing. We were in 40 mile country lastSept. Hunting was slow and the grayling kept me busy. Some on spinners but a tiny black midge fly was the ticket. And I mean tiny. And yes they tasted great especially after eating mountain house for a few days.

 

[robie]

First take your fly rod. If you like to fish then you will enjoy grayling fishing. We were in 40 mile country lastSept. Hunting was slow and the grayling kept me busy. Some on spinners but a tiny black midge fly was the ticket. And I mean tiny. And yes they tasted great especially after eating mountain house for a few days.

OK good deal. I think its a really cool looking fish and I figure it would be a fun fight on a 5wt fly rod.

 

[Tod osier]

This is also Alaska you are talking about, you could bring some size 0 or 1 spinners to fish on your fly rod - they are big on mixing and matching spinning rods with flies and vice versa.

If you don't get them on top they can be really aggressive with small and black flies subsurface.

 

[VernAK]

"0" Mepps is hard to beat!

A rod and reel are not really required as a length of fine mono and a willow pole will work.

 

[KJH]

Grayling are usually plenty once you figure out where to cast. Small Mepps or Blue Fox spinners from a collapsible spinning rod are the most productive. Hip waders are good enough for my experiences.

I've wished I'd had a small bag or charcoal and a bigger bottle or whiskey. A few times a small raft would have been awesome. I've wished I brought a few more cheap tarps. I also have almost always wished I would have brought fewer clothes. Don't skimp on propane if you have an extra gear flight. Plan for a fish fry a few times.

That's a few things that come to mind, but I've never used 40 Mile Air.