Fishing Alaska

[DesertBull]

Looking to do a 2015 trip.

 

Anyone make a recommendation as far as a town or area? I've been to Ketchikan a few times. Looking to see something different this time.

 

Would like to do at least one full day charter for Halibut / Lings

 

Would like to do some shore / steam / river fishing - DIY

 

Not interested in "combat" fishing.

 

My research so far as lead to Kodiak Island - lots of roadside fishing - and Seward. Seward is on the Russian River, which gets crowded but it looks like you can hike a few miles up stream to get away from the biggest crowd.

 

 

[PRDATR]

Check with some of the folks over here. I remember recently reading about some changes to the Halibut Regs.

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/forumdisplay.php/23-Alaska-Fishing-Forums

[SWDesertRat]

Finding a day charter for deep sea (ling, rock and halibut) is as easy as showing up the day of or day before and walking on, places like Homer, Whittier and Seward are all good group and private charter locations, and a few hours from Anchorage.

I think that per day, public charter (walk on or book the day before) is one of the more expensive ways to go, it's combat fishing on a boat, with strangers. Not sure what your budget is, If it were me I'd recruit some friends to go with you, share travel and charter expenses and look into a multi day charter (can point you to some outfits I know) and get your money's worth, less people, less pressure (further out than 1/2 and full day charters) and way more individual attention from the Captain.

The Kenai on the way to Seward can be combat fishing but you can pick locations and times of the week where you don't have to worry about it as much, though any time close to the opener could be crowded. If you go in the area of the Kenai/Russian confluence you can break away and fish for trout and char in Russian and then go back for silvers in Kenai. I'm not sure what time of year you are looking to go and if you want to get into the Kings as well.

PM me if you want more info, I can give you a call too.

[DesertBull]

There will be at least 4 of us. Looking to go in late July or early August. Main goal is coolers full of fillets. Thanks for the info.

 

I was thinking if we hit up Kodiak I could sneak in a deer hunt.

 

are there any roadside spots on the drive between Anchorage and Homer?

[SWDesertRat]

Road to Homer actually goes through Kenai/Soldotna and past/along Kenai River. Great drive but you could get the same experience in Seward or Whittier for less miles.

Depending on what salmon runs you'd like to get, either of those months would work. King and silvers run in July, even mid late June. Really depends on when Fish and Game opens the seasons.

Kodiak would be a blast; not sure if you'd want the extra airline fees to get to Kodiak. Lots to see and experience there, just as much as the mainland, a blacktail would be a bonus. You could also get a deer in Prince William Sound, and get dropped off by a charter for a few solo days in a forest service back country cabin.

Sounds like a great trip in the making.

[DesertBull]

I have 100,000 miles on Alaska Airlines so airfare is of no concern. I can go anywhere Alaska Air flies into, RT, for 25,000 miles per ticket.

[Rombo]

I have fished with Brian Peterson several times in Ugak Bay on Kodiak Island (www.ugakbay.com). He has a great lodge and operation for Halibut and sea-run salmon to fifty pounds. A buddy of mine landed a 450 lb halibut a season or two ago and my personal best of 255 came with him. Great trip for four guys and quite inexpensive. Awesome lodge.

[Sam]

Check out this website. I have known the owners for many years. They are retired and live down here in Phoenix and head up to Alaska every May to October. They have a beautiful place along the Kenai River. It would be a great place to spend a few nights away from the crowds. Easy to get to get to also.

 

http://www.jamminsalmonalaska.com/index.htm

[DesertBull]

Thanks I will check all of these out.

[Sneaker]

This is where we went on Kodiak, one of the small neighboring islands actually. http://www.whalepasslodge.com/ It was awesome. There were four of us and it was perfect. We killed three deer archery, fished one deep sea day and caught several halibut, and one salmon run river day. The owners were awesome. Whatever you want to fish for or catch, he'll make it happen. You take a cab from Kodiak to a doc somewhere, and he pics you up in his boat and takes you to their island. We went in August.

[pwrguy]

Most places you can drive to there have people fishing everywhere when the salmon are running. I agree with SWdesertrat, as far as filling up coolers with fish I have had the best luck with the small charter boats out of Seward or Homer. The most fun I had fishing there in AK was when we took a small float plane to a place where the fish were running. I have never done it but I have heard you can pay/charter someone to drop you off with a boat or plane somewhere and fish in a "non-combat" style of fishing. Never been to Kodiak but that sounds like a blast as well.

 

By the way, make sure you buy your plane tickets as early as you can. I have had lots of trouble getting tickets that time of year with air miles, and they are seldom available for the advertised 25,000. good luck!!

[FB67]

Did this in 2012 check Sure Strike out they were great.

[muddskippa]

There are lots of places to stop and fish between ANC and Homer. Pretty much any river that you cross will hold fish. I like the town of Coopers Landing for a base camp, its small and right on the Kenai (does get a lot of tourists traveling up and down the highway) and easy to head N or S to hit different areas for fishing. Check out the Russian river, kasilof, anchor, ninilchik and deep creek, if your going out to Seward hit the resurrection. I lived up there for 8 years and fished all over the state message me if you have any questions. If your looking at hitting the salt to put fish in a cooler talk to the charter about doing an over night trip, you can go out limit out before midnight and drop lines again for another limit @ 0001 and then head in.

[Coach]

I'm planning a trip back there too, probably next summer. I really love the Russian. Last time I was there it was in between runs of the reds, but there were still plenty to be caught. And the rainbows in that river are amazing. It's fun to fish 'bows on light rigs, then go after the reds. The limit then was 5 reds per day and there was definitely a technique to catching them. Once you figured it out, it was pretty easy, but it took some time to master. Same with the rainbows - 4-5 pounders on a 3 wt fly rod makes for some really fun fishing.

 

The downside of the Russian is that it can become shoulder-to-shoulder "combat fishing" if you happen to be there in the middle of a run, and the locals tend to get pretty ticked off if you try and play your fish at all. They just want you to land it as quick a possible so you aren't in the way.

 

Halibut fishing out of Seward is a ton of fun too. My uncle ran a halibut and silver boat out of Seward for years but now he's retired. He took us out and we caught lots of halibut in the 30-40 pound range and one that went 119 pounds and his boat has landed some over 400 pounds. We caught a few ling cod too - ugly but good eating.