Ketchikan Creek
Fly fishing in Alaska · Beginner · Best seasons: Summer, Fall
Target Species
King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Pink Salmon
About This Water
Urban creek in Ketchikan with salmon runs. Watch fish from downtown boardwalks.
Fishing Recommendations
Welcome to the "Salmon Capital of the World." Fishing Ketchikan Creek is a unique experience that blends wild Alaska with an urban setting. As a guide, I can tell you that there are few places on earth where you can hook into a 30-pound King Salmon while tourists watch you from a historic boardwalk just ten feet away.
Here is your comprehensive guide to fly fishing Ketchikan Creek.
🎣 Location Overview
Ketchikan Creek is a short, productive coastal stream that flows directly through the heart of downtown Ketchikan. What makes it special is the sheer volume of fish packed into a relatively small, accessible area. The creek is characterized by a mix of deep, dark pools, rocky pocket water, and a significant fish ladder near the Deer Mountain Hatchery.
Anglers love it for the "Creek Street" atmosphere—fishing beneath the historic stilted buildings—and the convenience. You don't need a bush plane to get here; you can literally walk to the best holes from the cruise ship docks. It is a high-energy environment where the fish are concentrated and the action is fast-paced.
🐟 Target Species & Behavior
King Salmon (Chinook)
- Behavior: The heavyweights. They enter the creek with a purpose and usually head for the deepest, coolest holes. They are notoriously territorial and aggressive when fresh from the salt.
- Holding: Look for them in the "City Pool" or deep depressions near the mouth. They stay low in the water column.
Pink Salmon (Humpies)
- Behavior: By far the most numerous. They are aggressive, somewhat "dumb" biters, making them perfect for beginners. They will move out of their way to strike a fly.
- Holding: They fill every available inch of the creek in August. Look for them in the tailouts of pools and shallower runs.
Silver Salmon (Coho)
- Behavior: The prized fly-rod target. Silvers are acrobatic and highly reactive to movement. They prefer "froggy" water (slower moving) or the edges of the main current.
- Holding: They often hold behind large boulders or in the slack water near the banks to rest before navigating the falls.
📅 Best Times to Fish
- King Salmon: Late June through mid-July. The peak is usually the first week of July.
- Pink Salmon: Mid-July through late August. This is the "Pink Tide" where the water turns black with fish.
- Silver Salmon: Mid-August through September. September is the prime month for fresh, chrome Silvers.
- Tide Influence: This is critical. Fish the incoming tide. Fresh fish push into the creek with the rising water. As the tide drops, fish become more concentrated in the deeper pools but can also become more "spooky."
🪰 Recommended Flies & Techniques
Recommended Patterns
- Kings: Large, flashy Comets (orange/pink), Intruders, and the classic Egg-Sucking Leech (purple/black with a pink head).
- Pinks: Anything pink. Pink Humpy Specials, Pink Charters, and small Pink Comets.
- Silvers: Dolly Vardens, Hare’s Ear Nymphs (weighted), and Flash Flies. Chartreuse, pink, and silver are the "money" colors.
Techniques
- The "Ketchikan Twitch": When fishing for Silvers or Pinks in slow water, don't just dead drift. Give your fly short, erratic strips to trigger an aggression strike.
- Swing & Strip: For Kings, use a sink-tip line to get the fly deep. Swing it through the pool and, at the end of the swing, give it a few slow strips.
- Indicator Nymphing: Using beads (8mm or 10mm in mottled orange) under an indicator is deadly for all species, as they are often focused on the eggs of the fish spawning above them.
💡 Pro Tips & Local Knowledge
- Focus on the Bridges: The areas around the Harris Street Bridge and the Park Avenue Bridge offer great vantage points to spot fish before you even make a cast.
- The Hatchery Influence: The fish congregate heavily near the Deer Mountain Hatchery and the fish ladder. While certain areas right at the ladder are closed, the pools immediately downstream are "fish barrels."
- Aggression vs. Hunger: Once salmon enter freshwater, they stop feeding. You are fishing for an aggression response or a reflexive snap. If a fish ignores your fly, change colors. Sometimes switching from bright pink to dark purple is the key.
- The "Secret" Morning: If you want to avoid the cruise ship crowds, fish at dawn. The light is better, the fish are less pressured, and the streets are quiet.
⚠️ Important Information
- Access: Most of the creek is public access. You can walk the "Creed Side Discovery Fly Shop" area or use the platforms near the City Park.
- Regulations:
- Snagging: Snagging is strictly prohibited in the fresh water of Ketchikan Creek. You must hook the fish in the mouth.
- Licensing: You need an Alaska State Fishing License. If you are targeting Kings, you must also have a King Salmon Stamp.
- Closures: Pay close attention to markers near the fish ladder. There are strict "No Fishing" zones within a certain distance of the ladder to allow fish to spawn.
- Gear:
- Kings/Silvers: 8wt or 9wt rod. These fish are powerful and the current is strong.
- Pinks: 6wt or 7wt rod is plenty of fun.
- Leaders: Use 12lb to 20lb fluorocarbon. These fish aren't particularly leader-shy, and the rocks are sharp.
- Bears: Even though you are in town, black bears frequently roam the creek looking for a salmon snack. Give them plenty of space—they have the right of way!
Tight lines, and enjoy the rush of a Ketchikan screamer!
Bug Hatches & Matching Flies
| Hatch | Type | Peak months | Time of day | Hook sizes | Matching flies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chironomids Chironomidae | midge | April, May, September | All Day | #18-24 | Zebra Midge #18-22, Griffith's Gnat #20-22 |
| Blue Winged Olive Baetis spp. | mayfly | May, September, October | Afternoon | #16-20 | RS2 #18-20, Parachute Adams #16-20 |
| Golden Stonefly Hesperoperla pacifica | stonefly | June, July | Morning/Evening | #6-10 | 20-Incher Stone #8-10, Golden Rogue Foam Stone #8-10 |
| March Brown Rhithrogena morrisoni | mayfly | April, May | Afternoon | #12-14 | March Brown Wet #12-14, Western March Brown #14 |
| Saddlecase Caddis Glossosoma spp. | caddis | June, July, August | All Day | #14-18 | Peeking Caddis #14-16, Elk Hair Caddis #14-18 |
| Little Brown Stonefly Nemouridae | stonefly | March, April | Afternoon | #14-16 | Copper John (Copper/Brown) #14-16, Little Brown Stone #16 |
| Spotted Sedge Hydropsyche | caddis | July, August, September | Evening | #12-16 | Hydropsyche Larva #12-14, Goddard Caddis #14-16 |
| Black Carpenter Ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus | terrestrial | July, August | Afternoon | #12-16 | Black Foam Ant #12-16, Carpenter Ant #14 |