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During August breeding males develop a humped back and elongated, hooked jaws filled with sharp Canine teeth.
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Alaska Sockeye Salmon Fishing
(Oncorhynchus nerka)
The Sockeye Salmon is often referred as a Red salmon due to the bright red coloration during spawning. They are considered by native Alaskans to be there most important food source, Alaska Trophy Adventures support the same idea and consider the Sockeye as the most under rated of all the Salmon fisheries in Alaska. Reds remain an important mainstay of our Alagnak River fly fishing program. During July we get an annual run of 3-4 million fresh ocean run Sockeye Salmon returning to the river. The reds start running in the Alagnak river around June27th and fresh run fish enter until late July. Our Sockeye run has been one of the most stable in all of Bristol Bay Alaska. Due to the fact of our consistent runs we are one of the few rivers in all of Alaska that can still offers anglers a 5 fish per day harvest limit.
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A beautiful example of a Sockeye.
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Alaska Anglers
Anglers fishing with us average 20-30 Sockeye Salmon hooked per day and 15-20 landed & released each day. This makes for non stop action. Our anglers battle these fresh Chrome 7-9lb fish on 7-8wt rods and 12 lb tippets with small estez flies all day long and if your tired of them we will go catch some Trout, Char or Kings to round out your day I can't stress enough how much fun fishing these Sockeye Salmon really are. P:S there is some bad information circulating between inexperienced fisherman that these fish do not bite once in the rivers, We will teach anyone our 100% proven fly fishing technique for catching Sockeye salmon, and you will be amazed as 95% of it is location!Location!Location! all rivers weren't created equal and we have one of the best. We do not Snag Sockeyes like many people. We teach you to catch them with traditional flyfishing gear. Read a recent article in Fish Alaska Magazine about our Alagnak Sockeyes
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Sockeye Salmon are metallic green blue on the back and top of the head, iridescent silver on the sides, and white or silvery on the belly.
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Distinguishing Sockeye Salmon
Sockeye Salmon can be distinguished from Chinook, Coho, and Pink Salmon by the lack of large, black spots they are metallic green blue on the back and top of the head, iridescent silver on the sides, and white or silvery on the belly. Some fine black speckling may occur on the back, but large spots are absent. Juveniles, while in fresh water, have the same general coloration as immature sockeye salmon in the ocean, but are less iridescent. During August breeding males develop a humped back and elongated, hooked jaws filled with sharp Canine teeth. Both sexes turn brilliant to dark red on the back and sides, pale to olive-green on the head and upper jaw, and white on the lower jaw. Juvenile sockeye salmon may spend up to four years in fresh water before migrating to sea as silvery smolts weighing only a few ounces. They grow quickly in the sea, usually reaching a size of 4 to 8 pounds after one to four years. Mature sockeye salmon travel thousands of miles from ocean feeding areas to spawn in the same freshwater system where they were born. Little is known about the navigation on the high seas, although they may be able to use cues from the earth's magnetic field. Once near their natal freshwater system, sockeye salmon use olfactory cues to guide them home. Like all Pacific salmon, sockeye salmon die within a few weeks after spawning.
Spawning Sockeye Salmon
Sockeye salmon Spawning usually occurs in rivers, streams, and upwelling areas along Kukaklek and Nonvianuk lakes beaches and its tributaries to include Moraine Creek and Kulik River. The female Sockeye salmon selects the spawning site, digs a nest (red) with her tail, and deposits eggs in the downstream portion of the redd as one or more males swim beside her and fertilize the eggs as they are extruded.
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