# Jaunt to Alaska



## Briar Patch (Feb 1, 2010)

Wilford and I took a self-guided fishing trip to Alaska looking for Silvers. I had never been to Alaska before and I found it absolutely amazing! :-o 
We stayed at a place called SilverKing Lodge near Ketchikan. It was a great place to stay and the food was spectacular! I've never eaten better in my life. :EAT: 
We received some excellent advice from Troutsman, DallanC, Nor-tah and PBH. They were very helpful!

Here's the gist,
Beautiful Sunrises
[attachment=132218a6l]Alaska 2010 Sunrise_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Nice ocean views
[attachment=112218a6l]Alaska 2010 Ocean_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Lotsa rain and a rainbow or two
[attachment=122218a6l]Alaska 2010 Rainbow_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Evenings were nice too
[attachment=102218a6l]Alaska 2010 North_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Evergreen trees up the wazoo
[attachment=92218a6l]Alaska 2010 Trees_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Once you walked into the trees, this is what you were met with
[attachment=82218a6l]Alaska 2010 Foilage_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

They have birds up there
[attachment=72218a6l]Alaska 2010 Eagles_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Oh .. and they have Starfish, who'da thunk?
[attachment=62218a6l]Alaska 2010 Starfish_640x480_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Troutsman suggested we get a few of these
[attachment=52218a6l]Alaska 2010 Rockfish_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

We caught several Pinks and several Silvers,
This is the first Pink I caught
[attachment=42218a6l]Alaska 2010 1st Pink_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

This is the largest Silver I caught - 14 lbs. 14 oz.
[attachment=32218a6l]Alaska 2010 BP Silver 15_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Here's a Pink Wilford caught
[attachment=22218a6l]Alaska 2010 Wilf Pink_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

Here's a Silver Wilford caught
[attachment=12218a6l]Alaska 2010 Wilf Silver_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

..and, here's the plane we flew out on
[attachment=02218a6l]Alaska 2010 Float Plane_320x240.jpg[/attachment2218a6l]

We had a great time! The Silvers were really good fighters, a real ball to catch! The Pinks were fun too, but they weren't the acrobats the Silvers were! We brought home just a tad under 150 lbs. of fish. Oh yeah! Hopefully it's enough fish to last us until we can save enough pennies to go again. :mrgreen:

If you ever have the opportunity to go to Alaska on a fishing trip - or any other trip for that matter - take it! :!:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Wow, I'm jealous. I had to cancel for this year.

Nice pics and report.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Nice report Briar Patch!

Nothing compares to Alaska, IMHO.

A fishermans paradise and a place I hope to visit again soon!!

I'm glad you guys had a good time. Thanks for sharing your experience and thanks for refreshing some good Alaskan memories for me! 8)


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

It looks like you had a great time thanks for the report and photos. 8)


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Very nice photos. Sounds like a lot of fun.


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

I'm jealous! Looks like a good time.


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

I love Silver King Lodge. I've been there and it is gorgeous! Did you try fishing on the backside of Grant Island? (the island the lodge is on). That was the ticket for us when we were up there, as well as Survey Point.


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## Troutsman (Aug 13, 2010)

Looks like you guys had a great time.. Were you able to spot any bears in the morning or late at night on the shoreline? Did you hook into any lingcod or other species? I am glad that you guys had a great trip. I will never miss a year in Alaska. Next year I will be going after Caribou, Moose, and Northern pike above Fairbanks. It has been 5 years since I have been after the 20# pike in my honey hole


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Congratulations, looks like a terrific trip. Man that one pink is *HUGE*


-DallanC


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## Briar Patch (Feb 1, 2010)

We caught several fish on the backside of Grant island, we also caught a fair amount in the Naha bay area. We also did very well around Betton island.

No lingcod, but we did catch a few different kinds of rockfish - copper, quillback and dusky. We did not see any bears. Apparently at the back of Naha Bay there is a trail you can hike up a few miles to get to a Baptist Youth Camp area. It is supposed to be very pretty and there are usually several bears catching spawning salmon in the river there. My Uncle and one of his buddies hiked up there and thought it was great. Wilford and I spent all available time fishing. Next time, I'll go check out the bears. =)

As for that *HUGE* pink, well, it's just an illusion caused by the way Wilford was holding it. It only weighed about a pound and a half. Right Wilford?


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I went to that lodge for my first trip to Alaska now 12 years ago. What a cool place with great fishing and the price can't be beat. Figure out how to cut the head off of a herring at an angle and you're into hot silvers all day! That hike into the Naha is unbelievable.


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

Awesome report!! Glad it all worked out for you. I swear I gain 10 pounds every trip to AK, everyone know how to cook!!!

I'm going for Kings this coming June. Cant wait!!


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## Wilford (Mar 31, 2009)

Briar,
You generally got the story correct. It was a great, food, fishing, scenery and the company wasn't bad either(Ha). However to reduce "My Pink" to one pound is a bit of bad- timed poetic license with my fish.
Seriously, six days passed so rapidly I couldn't believe it. This was my second trip to Silver King. Many of the groups that go there return each year. I haven't been able to convince my wife that I should be able to do that, so I'll go when I can. Everyone ought to make that trip sometime. There is nothing like the first time you boat a silver. They are a beautiful fish and fight like an oversized Rainbow, jumping out of the water, tail walking etc. From my picture you can judge that I haven't missed many meals. I guarantee that I missed "none" at the Silver King Lodge. They have an unbelivable cook, they actually have food available twenty- four hours per day, if your figure could stand it. In life there are the"aha" moments and the ones where you see a new "vista" This was definitely one of those.


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

Wow, Silverking huh? I worked up there a few years back, two of my brothers have worked up there, and my good friend Bret and his wife Kendra are woking up there now. I have been going to Silverking for 13 years now, this is the first year I wasn't able to make it though...
Looking at those pictures is like a solid kick to the gonads. -)O(- Man I miss that place. Goin back next year though. -()/-


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

sawsman said:


> Nothing compares to Alaska, IMHO.


Canada does. Cheaper too.

Sounds like a great trip.


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

Although I haven't fished Canada myself, I have lots of friends that have. They all came back to Alaska...


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

The Naha trail is beautiful. We went up there during a run and it was a blast catching the spawners on a fly rod. Tons of bears up there, I'd highly recommend it.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Awesome trip BP! One day it will be my turn!


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

I'll bet if we got a few (20+) guys together off of this forum we could get a good deal up at Silverking Lodge. I'm not guaranteeing anything, but last time we did this the lodge owner dropped our price by 25%!!!! Depending on availability, he may do that again if we got a big enough group. Anybody interested?


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Uh.. Yea..


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## kochanut (Jan 10, 2010)

there is also seward lodge that gives an amazing rate to folks in uniform, FYI.

im torn. after this report to either go to AK again, or keep the savings up for a Kamtchak Pen trip to russia next fall.


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

I'll call the owner of Silverking about available dates next season. When I hear from him, I'll post a new topic under "General Fishing & Questions" to see what kind of group we can get together.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

UtahHuntingDirect said:


> Although I haven't fished Canada myself, I have lots of friends that have. They all came back to Alaska...


Please understand that I am not trying to say anything negative about SilverKing Lodge, or anywhere else in Alaska.

I did just opposite of your friends. I spent 5 months in Alaska. My dad and brothers have done numerous float trips in Alaska -- and all were very good trips. Alaska is a wonderful place, and it is certainly a place that everyone should get a chance to visit.

But, when it comes to fishing for salmon, Canada offers much of the same thing that Alaska offers, at a cheaper price. I don't know how much SilverKing lodge charges -- but I did a 7 day float in Canada this year (11 days total trip time) and the entire thing cost me less than $1k. Beautiful scenery, solitude on the river, good fishing. My dad has now done this trip 7 years in a row.

It is somewhat strange that while in Canada, we run into relatively few people from the U.S. while fishing. We meet with a lot of Europeans (Germany, France, UK) and even some Russians. I guess that's a good thing for us. The more the U.S. ignores what Canada has to offer, the better for us!

Again, I'm not trying to take anything away from Alaska. I'd go fishing their too if I didn't spend all my money on Canada!


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

PBH said:


> UtahHuntingDirect said:
> 
> 
> > Although I haven't fished Canada myself, I have lots of friends that have. They all came back to Alaska...
> ...


No offense taken. I was just having fun with ya :O--O: 
I'm sure it really depends on where you go. Actually, Ketchikan and some of it's best fishing isn't too far from the Canadian border.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Headed to teh Silver King on MOnday, is there any lures or anything worth bringing that they might not have? Been planning for years and now it finally comes to pass; very excited.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Huge29 said:


> Headed to teh Silver King on MOnday, is there any lures or anything worth bringing that they might not have? Been planning for years and now it finally comes to pass; very excited.


 Good for you Huge!!Have fun,be safe,and bring me some fresh halibut!!:mrgreen:


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Good luck, have fun and pictures, pictures, pictures!!!


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## gnfishn (Sep 25, 2007)

So approximately how much did your trip to the silver king lodge cost? I would also like to learn more details about the Canadian trip. It was mentioned that it was a "float" trip, so are you camping on the ground? How do you keep your fish cold, big coolers? I would live to hear more.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

gnfishn said:


> So approximately how much did your trip to the silver king lodge cost? I would also like to learn more details about the Canadian trip. It was mentioned that it was a "float" trip, so are you camping on the ground? How do you keep your fish cold, big coolers? I would live to hear more.


Here is teh report with all of teh answers to questions you posed. http://utahwildlife.net/forum/7-fis...ketchikan-ak-silver-king-lodge-8-17-22-a.html


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## gnfishn (Sep 25, 2007)

Thank you Huge, and congratulations on a great trip! Would still like to hear more from pbh about how you do the Canada trip.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

gnfishn said:


> Thank you Huge, and congratulations on a great trip! Would still like to hear more from pbh about how you do the Canada trip.


You bring up a good point; I almost wonder if it wouldnt be a good subforum to have an out of state section to more easily find this type of info. It wouldnt have tons of traffic, but expedite the process in finding the info when one is ready to plan such a trip. I had good info from another forum member on Soldotna too via PM, he may want to chime in too possibly.


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