# Best Week for Alaska



## Billy Mumphrey (Sep 5, 2012)

I'm putting together a fishing trip to a lodge up by Craig, Alaska for next year. I'm just trying to decide which week would be the best to go. We're looking at one of the first 3 weeks in August 2016. Any opinions?

I know every year is a little different and the salmon run can shift from week to week. The past 2 times I have been have been lat July and the first week in August, I had a lot of fun on those.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Traditionally those are great weeks for Silvers .
Though I have heard many Alaskans say that it was a week in 2006 that was Alaska's best week when Sarah Palin was elected. I have also heard that it was a week in 2009 when resigned. Sorry couldn't resist.

But again those weeks you listed are tough to beat.


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## SidVicious (Aug 19, 2014)

I was up in Alaska last year, and went the last week of July, and had great success for silvers, pinks, halibut, and even a couple kings. I'd say that is the best time for overall good fishing. If you're looking for kings, go earlier. If you're good with silvers, that is a great time to be up there.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

I like the first week of Sept. Usually can pick some late run silvers, but I don't really care about a 5lb pink when I can catch 55"+ ling or 3-6 lb black bass as fast as you can get a jig in the water. Also, the halibut are fat and the crowds have lessened. Lodge and flight prices are usually cheaper too. In the end, anytime from May to Sept is a good time to be in Alaska.


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## DocEsox (May 12, 2008)

Having lived in Alaska for 20 odd years the best bet would be the first or second week of August.....if you are ocean trolling I would go the first week of August. The silvers are great that time of year. Be sure you head out for some big ling cod fishing....I like them as well as halibut....plus I believe you can only keep one halibut a day down there.

Have a great time.

Brian


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Guess where I am headed 2nd week of August this year? 
From my research in the Ketchikan area early september is usually teh best there evidenced by those being the ones the first to be reserved. I went Mid june a few years ago when Kings peak-------total crap of an experience....


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## dadams41 (Jul 9, 2013)

When my brothers and i go it is always at the end of July. We did the first week of July once and didn't catch a single silver until our last day. The halibut was great though.


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## Wasatch (Nov 22, 2009)

Has anyone ever been up the last part of June targeting Kings and Halibut? Is it worth going that time of year? My Dad booked a trip for the last week of June next year and reading everyone's posts is making me wonder if he shouldn't push the dates back by a month.


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## dadams41 (Jul 9, 2013)

Wasatch said:


> Has anyone ever been up the last part of June targeting Kings and Halibut? Is it worth going that time of year? My Dad booked a trip for the last week of June next year and reading everyone's posts is making me wonder if he shouldn't push the dates back by a month.


where are you going? I have fished Juno, Seward and Telkeetna. My first time every was Telkeetna and we got some good kings there the last few days of June and into July. Not many Silvers though. Halibut you shouldn't have any problem.

Next year I am going to Doc Warners with my brothers, they have a great setup. We have done it once before and I would definitely recommend their place. I beleive on their website they tell you when the good runs for different species are.


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## dadams41 (Jul 9, 2013)

sorry, i meant Juneau not Juno in the last comment.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

Go during the summer solstice, June 20-22.....the sun doesn't set for three days. Then you can tell your wife "Gone fishin'....be back at sundown!"


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Wasatch, it all depends on where you are going to be. Personally, in the saltwater (if it is open to kings) the cook inlet can be great at that time for both 'buts and kings, plus you can fish reds in several rivers.


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## Mtnbeer (Jul 15, 2012)

Wasatch said:


> Has anyone ever been up the last part of June targeting Kings and Halibut? Is it worth going that time of year? My Dad booked a trip for the last week of June next year and reading everyone's posts is making me wonder if he shouldn't push the dates back by a month.


Unless things start going better with the king runs, I would not go during that time of year for those fish. In southcentral AK, the end of June is the end of the early King run and if they are projecting poor runs like the last few years, you won't be fishing for kings at all. Instead, I would recommend the late July to September timeframe others have mentioned and chase silvers and 'buts.


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## Mtnbeer (Jul 15, 2012)

Jedidiah said:


> Go during the summer solstice, June 20-22.....the sun doesn't set for three days. Then you can tell your wife "Gone fishin'....be back at sundown!"


Only in the northern third of the state does the sun not set around the solstice. However, for much of the state, it doesn't get dark, so you could apply the same joke as follows:
"Gone fishin'....be back when it gets dark!":mrgreen:


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

So a good day fishing Kings is one or two fish per person for the whole day. A great day fishing Kings is 3+ per person- even though you can usually only keep 1 or 2. An average day fishing Kings is less than one per person per day on the boat. I'd rather catch a 10-14lb silver (best fighting salmon) over a 20-25lb King. Slivers also eat better than Kings (IMO) and you can catch pinks and chum too while fishing silvers. That is if you like salmon. No doubt, salmon are fun to catch, but many times a 6-8 hour trip yields 4-8 fish per person-- caught on heavy trolling rods. 

I'd rather be catching 4-6 lb rockfish on light-weight rods-- like 20+ an hour. And while fishing those you can catch 20-40 lb ling cod or 12-20lb yellow eye. Then you can catch halibut, cod, and other various fish. The rockfish are extremely good table fare. Then you can take a day or two and fish salmon in the rivers on fly rods or light spinning rods. That is why I choose Sept- otherwise if you are just going once then mid August and you can do a little of everything.

I like high-quality lodges, with guided trips, that are less to just a bit more money than the self-guided operations-- which look like a great time too. Be aware than Alaska Game and Fish have made it illegal for non-guided operations to give their fishermen waypoints to fishing holes.


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## Wasatch (Nov 22, 2009)

We are booked through Pybus Point Lodge on Admiralty Island. Has anyone else ever booked through them before? What was your experience? Any feedback?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Wasatch said:


> We are booked through Pybus Point Lodge on Admiralty Island. Has anyone else ever booked through them before? What was your experience? Any feedback?


That is the that used to be featured, maybe still is, on KSL outdoors and seem to do pretty well. I know some guys who go annually and do really well. However, I looked into it and they are over double the price for where we are going, Silver King Lodge that many people recommended on here. Pybus is just west of Ketchikan on Admiralty while Silver King is just barely north of Ketchikan. I think Pybus does put you much closer to Halibut areas if that is what you are after. We went with silver King based on having the most recomendations and especially from people I know well who go every year. If you can afford it sounds like you cant go wrong.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Wasatch, I can not see how you can't love Pybus. And it is fully guided, which comes at a cost, but worth it for people who do not go to AK multiple times. Pybus is way north of Ketchikan- you fly into Juneau. The owners are stand up people too. You'll have a ball and eat some of the best food. Have fun picking crab and shrimp pots, then eating it minutes later. My suggestion would be to go on every adventure opportunity they allow. I hope you have a great time. If you have any questions just PM me. 

Huge- I've fished by Silver King back before there was a lodge there. Pretty scenery for sure and some decent fishing too. I'm sure you'll enjoy your trip.


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