JimJimmers
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Has anyone ever fished it? (...for Steelhead /Kings?)
Arhnklin River?
- Thread starter JimJimmers
- Start date
NickofTime
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Outside of Yakutat, right?
ak_powder_monkey
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I'd contact the fly shop in Yakutat
Alaskan Salmon Sith
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I've done the Situk a couple of times, so if you want some help with that river, I can provide some info. I've only fished it for Steelhead.
JimJimmers
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I've fished the Situk too (many times)...however, the Ahrnklin is a few miles away. From what I hear, it's crystal clear but accessing it is restricted to high tide only, otherwise you're gonna' be stuck in the sand.
Apparently, they get all 5 species of salmon, plus a small steelhead run.
Just curious if anyone has any personal experience fishing it-?
Apparently, they get all 5 species of salmon, plus a small steelhead run.
Just curious if anyone has any personal experience fishing it-?
capt.k
New member
People fish it for Silvers, it's past 9 Mile so durring Steelhead its not uncommon for the road to be snowed in, plus I don't think there are steelhead in it. The Situk has the Steelhead and Kings. King fishin in the Situk is nonexistant. The last few years it was against the law to target them. The Akwe and Italio have Kings to fish and keep. Alsek Air or Yakutat Costal can fly you down.
I've floated The Arhnklin several times. Put in at the bridge, drifted down to the Situk estuary. Did it in a sport canoe (wide beam, square stern), and when we got down to the estuary we bolted on a 6 hp motor to take us back to the Situk parking lot.
The river is glacial. It's probably fishable, but we didn't try; instead, we targeted cohos and Dollies that are found where clear tribs enter the Arhnklin. One of the best holes is where the Antlen River enters.
Steelhead? Probably a handful, but I doubt if it's worth the trip unless you were more into a day of adventure and exploratoration, rather than actual fish pounding. If I were to look for steelhead on the Arhnklin, I would again concentrate efforts at the clear water tribs.
Chinook? I doubt it. Almost certainly not fishable numbers. Skip it.
The river is glacial. It's probably fishable, but we didn't try; instead, we targeted cohos and Dollies that are found where clear tribs enter the Arhnklin. One of the best holes is where the Antlen River enters.
Steelhead? Probably a handful, but I doubt if it's worth the trip unless you were more into a day of adventure and exploratoration, rather than actual fish pounding. If I were to look for steelhead on the Arhnklin, I would again concentrate efforts at the clear water tribs.
Chinook? I doubt it. Almost certainly not fishable numbers. Skip it.
ak_powder_monkey
New member
it is the drainage with the only native pike south of the Alaska range and west of the rockies in the world, some kind of freak event didn't cover those like 4 lakes with glaciers allowing that population to remain in isolation for the last 60,000 years. Kinda a cool fact...
JimJimmers
New member
Not sure how this random obscure factoid benefits my inquiry, but uh, ok-????
ak_powder_monkey
New member
Not sure how this random obscure factoid benefits my inquiry, but uh, ok-????
Nothing like an obscure factoid to lighten your day
JimJimmers
New member
Do you stay up late at night watching infomercials or something?
JimJimmers (and anyone else so inclined),
ak_powder_monkey is a just a young kid, with no real knowledge, whose posts are almost exclusively limited to bad information, off-topic drivel, and (in his imagination) smart remarks. He’s been banned from another Alaska fishing website for this reason. His posts are a perfect example of why the "Ignore List" function on this bulletin board is a good idea.
ak_powder_monkey is a just a young kid, with no real knowledge, whose posts are almost exclusively limited to bad information, off-topic drivel, and (in his imagination) smart remarks. He’s been banned from another Alaska fishing website for this reason. His posts are a perfect example of why the "Ignore List" function on this bulletin board is a good idea.
capt.k
New member
I thought I was just intolerant! Seems to be a common theme, its not just me.
I used to live in Yakutat in the late 70's and early 80's, and I have fished the Situk and surrounding rivers ever year since then. The Arhnklin River is a glacial river most of the year, but it does run fairly clear during the winter. It does have a small steelhead run, and of course cohos and dollies. I have never fished it for sockeye or kings though, and since it does not headwater in a lake per se, I wouldn't think it would hold very big runs for either of these fish.
I know guide Frank Devereau pretty well, and he has taken his clients up the Arhnklin for steelhead in the fall, but he has never done all that well, or at least not that he tells me about. I've never seen any steelhead in the Antlen, even though it is clear year round. I think what might be happening is some fish (steelhead and kings) go up the Arhnklin from the estuary connecting it with the Situk, turn around and then go back out til they find the Situk. Bottom line - I don't know anyone who targets this river for steelhead. Pretty spotty. Also, without boat access, the Arhnklin is often unreachable during the spring because of snow on the access road.
The other rivers in the area are also spotty for steelhead. The Akwe has a run, but I have no idea how big it is. The Italio does not have one, which seems strange, but according to the Yakutat fish biologist the ambient water temperature is too low up near Italio Lake.
I know guide Frank Devereau pretty well, and he has taken his clients up the Arhnklin for steelhead in the fall, but he has never done all that well, or at least not that he tells me about. I've never seen any steelhead in the Antlen, even though it is clear year round. I think what might be happening is some fish (steelhead and kings) go up the Arhnklin from the estuary connecting it with the Situk, turn around and then go back out til they find the Situk. Bottom line - I don't know anyone who targets this river for steelhead. Pretty spotty. Also, without boat access, the Arhnklin is often unreachable during the spring because of snow on the access road.
The other rivers in the area are also spotty for steelhead. The Akwe has a run, but I have no idea how big it is. The Italio does not have one, which seems strange, but according to the Yakutat fish biologist the ambient water temperature is too low up near Italio Lake.
