• The vast Alaskan bush offers anglers solitude when trout fishing.mt mckinley (denali) in alaska image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com
  
  Alaska offers anglers remote fishing opportunities for trophy-size rainbow trout. Alaska trout are commonly caught over 20 inches with trophy fish over 30 inches being common. Roadside fisheries are available in places like the Kenai Peninsula, but most of the trout fisheries require a boat or plane to access the best water. The trout can be caught with spinning or fly-fishing tackle, and most of the trout fishing takes place between the late spring and early fall.
  
  

Mice

• The trout in Alaska feed heavily on mice when salmon eggs and salmon flesh are not available. Mice or lemmings will fall in the rivers and make a large, easy meal for hungry trout. Deer hair mouse flies and top water lures are effective during the spring and summer months before the salmon begin running through the river systems. Fish the flies and lures in flat water areas with grassy banks and foliage overhangs. Twitch the fly or lure with intermittent pausing and expect aggressive strikes from hungry rainbow trout.
  
  

Eggs

• Trout in Alaska will follow the salmon and feed on the eggs. Look for spawning salmon and drift salmon egg imitations or real salmon eggs behind the spawning beds. Fly fisherman should use yarn eggs under a strike indicator or painted beads designed to imitate specific salmon eggs. Painted beads use specific colors to imitate king salmon eggs and the more common sockeye salmon eggs. Use a toothpick or a nail knot to peg the bead several inches above a bare hook. When the trout strikes, the bead will slip and the hook will be set. Conventional tackle anglers should use real salmon eggs and drift the eggs beneath a bubble. The angler can also use the egg behind split shot by bumping the bottom of the stream bed and felling the strike.
  
  

Spawning

• Some of the largest trout in Alaska are caught during the spring spawning season. The giant lake-dwelling rainbow trout leave the lakes and migrate to spawning grounds in rivers and streams. Use a jet boat to travel the edge of the lakes and fish the mouth of each tributary before the spawning season. Once the fish begin moving in the river system you can follow with the boat and sight fish to trout over 30 inches. Lake Iliamna is one of the top places for targeting large trout, but the lake is remote and your best option is to hire a guide familiar with the large water.