Arctic Char Fishing
Arctic char fishing in Katmai National Park
Best time for Char fishing in Katmai
Widely present through the Bristol Bay region, char have proven to be one of our favorite fish! Dolly varden and Arctic char are common in the sub-arctic waters accessible from King Salmon.
Double-digit fish days are possible on some of our favorite streams, and anglers can catch dozens of char in the 18-28 inch range during a single day of fishing. But char afford our guests much more than a high-volume angling opportunity; they symbolize the far north and a memorable part of the Alaska fishing experience.
Like their cousin, the brook trout, Arctic char, and dolly varden are eager takers and strong fighters, but their physical appearance sets them apart. By nature, the char is an aggressive, strong, and colorful fish congregating in the region’s smaller streams. The overall coloration of the char varies based on what they have been eating and the time of year, though dolly varden tends to be lighter and more silvered than Arctic char. Both species take on remarkable spawning color as fall returns and become Alaska’s most colorful game fish.
Arctic Char and Dolly Varden eat various insects, baitfish, and smaller fish. The char fishing program is usually light-tackle fly fishing at Katmai Fishing Guides. Dry fly fishing for Char can be excellent during the first half of the season, and they can be caught alongside some large grayling (up to 20 inches) in several streams near King salmon. The Arctic char is the larger of the two represented char species, and colorful specimens topping 30 inches can be targeted by sight fishing in the latter half of the season. Generally, char fishing is a walk-and-wade through beautiful, remote country, where bears and eagles are the only other anglers on the water. Char water is often shallow, gravel-bottomed, and easily waded. When dry fly fishing turns off, streamers and egg patterns round out the char angler’s fly box and fly rods in the 3-5 wt. range is the norm. A heavy char will make a believer of any six wt. Angler and appropriate reels are necessary for managing the bigger specimens.
Memories are made with Katmai Fishing Guides, but a day or more of char fishing will give those memories color. Take advantage of our unique access to these remarkable fish and the untamed places in which they live.
If you have any questions or are ready to book your Alaskan fishing trip book online below or contact us at your convenience.
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