# I just earned a trip to Alaska, so???



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I just earned a prize trip of an 8 day cruise to Alaska in mid June. The itinerary includes the following ports and time free to possibly charter a boat:
9 hours in Ketchikan
7-1/2 hours in Juneau
11 hours in Skagway
I see many options in Ketchikan for as low as $130 for four hours, but I have never been there before and therefore plan to make the most of the trip. What is the best bang for the buck as far as location? I would more appreciate Skagway in that we have more time available to go all day kind of deal, but where would you recommend? I plan to book my own and maybe group up with a couple of others on the cruise rather than pay nearly double to do it through the cruise line. Any specific charter companies to use? The biggest problem being that if you book your own and miss the ship you are found in a sitcheeation, whereas when booked with the cruise line they will have you back in time or the ship will wait allegedly. I don't necessarily want to keep any fish, but I assume that C&R doesn't exist with halibut??
Thanks for the help!


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Congratulations on the trip, you will have a great time.

Don't know about the charters from the cruise but to answer one question, yes you can catch and release Halibut. When I went we let everything under 30 lbs go.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice! Let me know what you end up doing. My family and I are planning on taking a trip up there next year.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Not the best halibut waters, though some around Ketchikan. They'll be smaller compared to what you'd get out in Homer. I've spent time in Ketchikan, but it was for work so I didn't do the fishing/tourist stuff. Neat little town though. The local charters deal with the cruise ships all the time though, and will get you back in time. If they didn't, they wouldn't be in business. From the Alaska cruises I've looked in to, you have about twice the time in the ports compared to what I've looked at. I've got some back issues of both Alaska and Fish Alaska magazine I'd gladly share. Seems like Alaska Magazine did a whole issue on cruise stuff in Southeast just a couple of months back.


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## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

What month are you going? That will make a difference on what fishing is available. Halibut fishing can be really good in certain areas, although the ones closest to ketchikan get hit every day. I did a charter out of ketchikan - when I was there on a cruise. We went out for 4 hours, and didn't catch much. If you have time to do an 8 or 6 hour deal, I would do that as you can run further from town. 

I don't have any recommendations for charters, I dont remember who we went with and wasn't all that impressed. I've spent most of my time on POW (Prince of Wales Island) and not fished much around ketchikan. I'm sure skagway has some decent fishing as well. It's all inside passage stuff, so you should get into fish wherever you go. Of course that depends on the day as well.

I also agree that you should book yourself, save the money and let your captain know beforehand that you are on the cruise ship. He will get you back on time. I heard some cruise ships allow you to bring your fish on board and the chef will prepare it for you. I'd look into that, as fresh, unfozen halibut or salmon is the best IMO. 

Good luck!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

June 15-22 is the cruise. The more I read about Skagway the more I like. No commercial fishing there almost solely tourists so supposedly less pressure. Thanks for the input guys, and Gary I would be very interested in those articles: are they available online?


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Have you thought about trolling off of the cruise ship? Just a thought...  

Have a good time and take lots of pictures.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Stop in at the ISE this weekend to see if there is an outfitter from any of those areas. They may get you a good deal if you book now, at the show. Plus you could talk to them face to face about your options.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Chaser said:


> Stop in at the ISE this weekend to see if there is an outfitter from any of those areas. They may get you a good deal if you book now, at the show. Plus you could talk to them face to face about your options.


There is a thought!

I will definitely be trolling off of the ship; I spotted a pretty nice little perch on the back deck:


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

C&R is about all you'll be doing for halibut in SE Alaska. Anglers on charters can only keep 1 fish under something like 34 inches. It's a new reg from the International Halibut Commission based in Canada that went into effect last year, and has put a lot of guides and lodges out of business. However, June is a great time for King salmon. One of the longest running lodges in Ketchikan that also does individual charters is The Cedars Lodge. I don't really do the guided thing, but I have worked for them in the past and know they can definitely point you in the right direction.
http://www.cedarslodge.com

I've done self-guided fishing around Ketchikan for about 13 years now, and I still feel like a kid on Christmas Eve every time I go. It's incredible up there.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

I have fished around Ketchikan 4 times, mostly DIY, in 14-16" aluminum skiffs. There is some decent halibut fishing there, in fact a few 200# + fish were caught in the area during our trips. The straight between the City and the Lighthouse can be productive. All the contacts I had for the area are gone, but you should be able to have a good time fishing there.

I went on one cruise (in Aug) which hit the same general areas. I took a rod and gear with me, which we used on our own- but I had been to 3 of the stops multiple times. You can even fish off the docks near the Cruise Ship dock. Our last cruise through there (12 years ago) we fished and caught salmon off the dock at the mouth of the creek. For June, the Kings should be running up to the Hatchery and should be staging at the mouth of the river.

Fished Juneau 3 times. It will take longer to get to some of the better fishing, but you can find a halibut and salmon. There is a hatchery near town and the fish stage there and can be caught from the dock/shore.

Fished Skagway once, there is a staging pool on the river, between the dock and the town, which holds salmon. We caught some chum and pinks in there, but I am not sure if Kings use it.

Ketchikan is a fun place to see, so I'd probably sight see more there and fish while in Juneau. But a 4 hour trip around Ketichikan would allow some sightseeing also. Or take your own rod and fish in all of them.

I can give you some other ideas, if you are interested. You can rent a car in Ketchikan and Juneau to sight see.

Large halibut are caught in Ketchikan --
http://peninsulaclarion.com/stories/061 ... 0001.shtml --off the dock
http://www.oldpostcards.com/f/fis001542.html
http://www.weguidealaska.com/fishing/fishing.html ---scroll down


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

Packout said:


> Large halibut are caught in Ketchikan --
> http://peninsulaclarion.com/stories/061 ... 0001.shtml --off the dock
> http://www.oldpostcards.com/f/fis001542.html
> http://www.weguidealaska.com/fishing/fishing.html ---scroll down


Good point too. We've caught multiple halibut breaking the #100 mark off the docks at Clover Pass Resort and Silverking Lodge, both of which are a few miles North of town.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Thanks for the info packout! Very helpful! Being a newby I think I will stick with the chartered deal, but that is tempting to bring my own stuff.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Thanks again for all of the input; I just returned on Friday and here are a few of the pics from the trip. The salmon had not moved in yet even though it was the week that is normally the very best of the year for the kings. Fishing in Ketchikan. 4 of us ended up with two fish total, a silver and a dusky rock fish. Pretty disappointing, but a cool experience (and better than most other going out that day) to have the eagles all around us including one that caught a herring that the guide threw up to him.


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## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

Huge, sorry the fishing and weather were not great. Kings are getting shut down all over the state this year. At least there a lot of reds headed up the copper.

Come back someday and tip over one of those goats, except you gotta be guided and they run about 10k. :roll: Maybe a caribou.


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