# Alaska



## Sawbillslayer (Oct 24, 2013)

I graduate next spring and my great friend has put in my mind that we need to save up for Alaska and do a salmon and halibut combo. Have any of you done this? If so can you tell me your experiences and what guide/charter services you have used to help me plan my trip. Thanks.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I used Baranof in Ketchikan in June 2012 for a half day trip (from a cruise ship; dock located about 100 yards from cruise ship dock) just for salmon. We only caught a 16" Coho and a small rockfish. I must say that I was very disappointed. We went in the third week of June when the King's spawn was supposed to peak. It was still a neat experience, but we were treated like your typical idiot tourist not allowed to do anything but finish reeling them in.


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## riptheirlips (Jun 30, 2008)

I went to Anlerslodge in Soldotna. It was great right on the Keini and when your not out in the boat fishing you can fish right at the lodge catching reds. They have a website. Food was great and so was the fishing. Did halibut one day a fly in another day and fished the Kasiloff river.


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## bass2muskie (Nov 5, 2013)

I have been the last 4 years and only do a charter for the halibut out of homer. For salmon we just get a tent and camp out so we're not paying expensive hotels. There are a few places in Anchorage that will rent you gear that you need and point you in the right direction of where and how to fish. I guess it all depends on what kind of salmon you are wanting though. Big bear halibut out of Homer does great for us and we have landed fish over 160lbs the last two years. They will take you out further to land the big fish where others will not.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I have used these guys twice, http://www.gonefishinlodge.com/
Had a great time, they have set packages but will let you customize how you want it. Ralph is a great guy and guide, he lives in Salt Lake area they will be at the sportsmans shows

"Fishin with the Griz, Halibut take, and one of our taxi's coming to pick us up.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Drive to Canada and save money...then, fish the rivers for salmon without a guide. You can do this very easily and can learn some of the tricks of the trade by just speaking to people in fly and tackle shops. I suggest driving to the Prince Rupert area and checking out the Scheena River drainage. From Prince Rupert, you can find a local guide to take you out halibut fishing. My first year out of college I did this with a friend and had a blast! Neither of us had a clue exactly where we were heading other than to catch salmon and we ended up having the time of our lives. Our only mistake was to go out on a guided charter where we really didn't catch a **** thing. Most of our fishing success was on our own without paying for someone else to screw us up!


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## captain (Nov 18, 2007)

I guess it depends what your looking for. I have been twice, and they were completely different experiences each time. The first time we did a full week with allalaska lodge in soldatna. we fly fished for silvers and reds with supercubs and had two chartered sea fishing trips. It was a riot, and we got to see parts of Alaska most people don't get to see. It ended up costing about $4,500 a person for 7 days of fishing with airfare food and a rental vehicle. I went to Ketchikan this last summer and 12 of us rented a house right on the ocean and caught kings, rockfish, and all the crab you could eat for four days out of boats that we rented from the local bar. It only costed me $1,200 with everything. Both trips were a blast, but much different. When you plan your trip you need to figure out what kind of salmon you want to fish for because they all run at different times. You should also ask what kind of fishing you want to do as well. techniques range from fly fishing, spinner fishing, bait fishing, or snagging. Some lodges specialize in these different techniques. Make sure you understand what your going to be doing when you book your trip. I'd be happy to give you any advice you want.


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## mightybowhunter (Jul 14, 2008)

Fishing in Alaska is awesome and a great experience. I have been three times and can't wait to go again. Over the years, we have fished for Kinds, Silvers, Reds, Halibut, and Rockfish.

The great thing about Alaska is you can do anything. For instance, you can have the executive vacation where someone cooks, cleans, guides, fillets, and tells you what to do. You can stay at a lodge that coordinates fishing and gives you a place to stay. Alternatively, you can also just rent a car and get either guides daily (or even do it yourself if you are river fishing). In the times that I have went, we have chosen to rent a car, stay at cheap hotels, get guides, freeze the fish, and have a blast. 

If you are checking out charters in the Homer area, I would encourage you to check out Bob's Trophy Charters and Brooks Alaskan Adventures. Josh Brooks on the Huntress was awesome for me!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

captain said:


> You should also ask what kind of fishing you want to do as well. techniques range from fly fishing, spinner fishing, bait fishing, or snagging.


On an episode of Wild Justice they were busting people left and right for snagging; is that legal and maybe this was just one area or time of year when it was not allowed? Just curious.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

*On an episode of Wild Justice they were busting people left and right for snagging; is that legal and maybe this was just one area or time of year when it was not allowed? Just curious.*

When fishing for Reds (sockeye) that are in the river you use a technique called lining, Since Reds do not bite, (they are plankton eaters in the ocean), you can not really catch them, you have to "snag" them. But they do not like the term snag. Or at least they separate the word snag from legal catch.

The typical way they catch them is a large hook that has to have a indicator on it, so sometimes it is a large fly, or just a piece of yarn on the hook. This is on a long leader 3 to 6 foot long, then you have a heavy weight to keep it bouncing just off the bottom of the river, how heavy the weight is depends on the current.

You have out about 12 to 15 feet of line and flip it up stream and as it comes past you, you drag it toward shore so it makes a straight line coming across the river, you are hoping your line goes through the open mouth of a red swimming up stream and you hook the fish in the side of the mouth as you pull the line toward shore. You can do this with a good swift draw on the line, but a lot of people as they draw the line toward shore really have a hard jerking and that is what is illegal, they are trying to "SNAG" the fish and that is what is illegal. If you hook the fish in the belly or top of the fish or in the tail, that is an illegal catch and you must release the fish, if you keep it that is illegal. That happens a lot especially if you use the strong jerk at the end of your draw.

Here is a 4 min video that is typical Red fishing. At .29 it shows fishing on the Russian, at 2.10 it shows the Russian coming into and joining the Kenai, at 2.11 it shows "combat fishing" on the Kenai just after the Russian confluence, at 3.40 it shows the "snagging" method and this guy should get a ticket.


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## torowy (Jun 19, 2008)

I used to work for these guys, they are a good outfit. http://www.caldermountainlodge.com/


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

My son use to guide for Bill and his dad too. I would go up before the season and help set the place up for the summer. I would highly recommend him also.


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## Jeff Bringhurst (May 20, 2009)

I have wanted to go to Alaska for the last 30+ years. Last summer I finally made the trip and stayed at Pybus Point Lodge. The expectations that I had for this trip really weren't realistic and unfair to those that were hosting me. If you have never been to Alaska and are looking for the entire Alaska experience, I would highly recommend Pypus for your trip. From the float plane ride in, to catching multiple species of salmon (some on the fly), halibut, rock fish and we even caught an octopus. My trip exceeded my expectations and I am looking forward to going back up there this next summer. www.pybus.com


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Oooooor, you could come up to Kitoi Bay on Afognak island and stay with my wife and me. Honest! We have free use of six skiffs, one on each of our two lakes and four out on our dock in the bay. Our lakes are NEVER fished by anyone but us and they hold dolly varden, trout and salmon. The ocean fishing is awesome for halibut, yellow eye, rockfish and ling cod. If you come up after August 1st you can kill three Sitka blacktails while you're here.
Airfare to Kodiak, licenses and a seat-fare ($95) on the mail plane to Afognak. Sounds pretty cheap to me!

The only draw backs are you have to sleep on my couch, I don't have extra fishing gear and from July - November you'll see multiple grizzlies every day.


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