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| Yukon Launch to Ray River |
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| Dall River by our Camp |
We spent about twenty minutes casting around the clear Ray waters and I only hooked into one pike which I lost (I did see him and he wasn't worth much of anything). We weren't in too much a mood to fish around since it was raining and we had a long night so we broke camp and skipped out on exploring the Ray River with the boat. We headed up past the launch and underthe dalton highway bridge. We buzzed up probably ten miles before my hands were straight up numb from the wind and rain so I pulled off the river 
and walked around a bit to warm up. After a good ten minutes, off we went and covered another ten miles up stream into some braids. It was coffee time. We had been running up stream for about an hour now. We pulled off again in a braid on a little sand bar and cooked up some eggs and side pork and sipped a cup of coffee. We had no idea exactly where we were. We didn't have a map but we knew if we stayed left for two braids, we would hit the Big Dall River and by Doug's account we were in the second braid so we were close. Sure enough, 
another ten minutes of running and we popped around the corner and saw the Dall River. We buzzed right in and as soon as we got up into the clear water the fishing began! We hooked into a decent pike over 30 inches in about 15 minutes of trolling up stream. The water was pretty high and people had told me not to bother with the Dall if the water was high. its best low and clear. But what the hell, we are already here, the fish are still here, its just a bit more water to fish. We fished all afternoon and hooked several more but it was pretty slow. We finally stopped and set up a camp several miles up into the Dall and cooked up some dinner and crashed. I was glad the rain had given up by about the time we had stopped for breakfast, it made the rest of the day enjoyable. I slept hard and woke up ready to catch some fish! We trolled all day back and forth exploring the east fork for a couple miles and then up the Dall further to the west fork. We landed one pike just under 40" and had a couple huge hits but missed them. Probably landed about 20 or so Pike. We settled in for another dinner and curled up in our sleeping bags for night two on the Dall. We awoke to rain again and with no signs of letting up we opted out of trolling around for the morning and just topped of the gas tank and hit the Yukon downstream back to the launch. The ride down was a lot smoother with less wind. We made good time as expected and before long we were enjoying coffee and breakfast at the Yukon River Lodge. All in all we caught far less than I was expecting but, like people told me, its probably magnitudes better with lower water. I'm a believer of the Dall River pike. I have zero doubts that there are 50 and even 60 inch pike in that river. I hope to go back for another round with better water levels. I did learn another valuable Dalton trick, cover your boat with a tarp or you'll have to spend a half hour with a pressure washer just to see the paint again!!
and walked around a bit to warm up. After a good ten minutes, off we went and covered another ten miles up stream into some braids. It was coffee time. We had been running up stream for about an hour now. We pulled off again in a braid on a little sand bar and cooked up some eggs and side pork and sipped a cup of coffee. We had no idea exactly where we were. We didn't have a map but we knew if we stayed left for two braids, we would hit the Big Dall River and by Doug's account we were in the second braid so we were close. Sure enough, 
another ten minutes of running and we popped around the corner and saw the Dall River. We buzzed right in and as soon as we got up into the clear water the fishing began! We hooked into a decent pike over 30 inches in about 15 minutes of trolling up stream. The water was pretty high and people had told me not to bother with the Dall if the water was high. its best low and clear. But what the hell, we are already here, the fish are still here, its just a bit more water to fish. We fished all afternoon and hooked several more but it was pretty slow. We finally stopped and set up a camp several miles up into the Dall and cooked up some dinner and crashed. I was glad the rain had given up by about the time we had stopped for breakfast, it made the rest of the day enjoyable. I slept hard and woke up ready to catch some fish! We trolled all day back and forth exploring the east fork for a couple miles and then up the Dall further to the west fork. We landed one pike just under 40" and had a couple huge hits but missed them. Probably landed about 20 or so Pike. We settled in for another dinner and curled up in our sleeping bags for night two on the Dall. We awoke to rain again and with no signs of letting up we opted out of trolling around for the morning and just topped of the gas tank and hit the Yukon downstream back to the launch. The ride down was a lot smoother with less wind. We made good time as expected and before long we were enjoying coffee and breakfast at the Yukon River Lodge. All in all we caught far less than I was expecting but, like people told me, its probably magnitudes better with lower water. I'm a believer of the Dall River pike. I have zero doubts that there are 50 and even 60 inch pike in that river. I hope to go back for another round with better water levels. I did learn another valuable Dalton trick, cover your boat with a tarp or you'll have to spend a half hour with a pressure washer just to see the paint again!!
Overall, its about 25 miles up the Yukon and 25 back with some room to play in the Dall say 20 or so miles so plan for AT LEAST 70 miles worth of gas!
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