Alaska Fishing Guide

Alaska Fly Fishing Lodges

2007-12-07T23:49:00.001-08:00

Alaska is well known for its incredible fly fishing, but it's also a great place to go for a fly fishing vacation in a rustic lodge setting. You can find all kinds of lodges in the rustic country of Alaska that can make your fly fishing vacation a real adventure. This article will outline a few of these great destinations.

The Alaska Rainbow Lodge is located in Bristol Bay Area.It claims to have the finest, most centrally located accommodations in Alaska. A short flight from Anchorage will put you in the middle of prime fly fishing territory. You can fish for rainbow trout and salmon and stay in a gorgeous lodge with all the amenities. They offer float planes to their guests that will take them to some of the most remote fishing areas where you will find quality fishing in any season.

Wilderness Place Lodge offers some excellent fly fishing accommodations along with some terrific amenities. They have personal guides that will lead you to the best place to fly fish for salmon or trout and boast riverside cabins. With each guide there will only be 2-3 people so the fishing experience becomes highly personalised. They have 1:1 customer/guest ratio to insure excellent service during your stay there. They also offer classes to their guests on topics like fly tying and effective casting.

The Lake Marie Lodge is another option for your fly fishing vacation. They offer fly fishing and spin fishing in remote areas of Alaska for Salmon and Rainbow Trout. They specialize in rainbow trout and salmon fly fishing as well as sight fishing and surface fishing. Their experts offer fly fishers the opportunity to catch huge salmon and they fish all sorts of rivers and streams that are accessible to them only. They average about 14 guests at a time which allows them to provide the utmost in service.

The Alagnak River is known for its excellent fly fishing, and if you're looking for a quality lodge located on the river, you may want to look at the Katmai Lodge. They have single, double, or private cabins that adjoin a common area where you can gather to share "fish stories" after a day of angling. They also offer Orvis sanctioned fishing expeditions that are led by some of the most experienced guides in the area.

When you are considering an Alaskan fly fishing vacation, you will want to find a lodge that can comfortably accommodate those in your party. The choices are many but you do not want to plan or book your Fly Fishing holiday before reading the book which i have written about Fly Fishing. Most of these Alaskan lodges are committed to making your fly fishing trip the best you've ever had.

But you would enjoy much more if you were an expert at Fly Fishing like wouldn't it be wonderful if you go on a Fly Fishing holiday and you catch more fishes than the guide who is accompanying you ? Check out my course (free) where i reveal 101 untold Fly Fishing Secrets.

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FISHING Great Alaska Fish Camp Seward Fishing Talkeetna Fishing

2007-10-30T01:29:00.001-07:00

Enjoy world-class fishing at a deluxe lodge
in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula.Fish
for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, sockeye,
silver and king salmon.Special 2- and 3-day
packages include transfers to the lodge in
Sterling, all meals, guided boats, tackle and
your fish boxed for your trip home.(Fish
processing is an additional charge.)

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Commercial Fishing Seasons in Alaska

2007-10-30T01:22:00.001-07:00

Commercial Fishing. Seasons in Alaska. Alaska Department of Fish and Game ... this summary is intended as a general guide only and is non-binding

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Alaska Department of Fish and Game - Briefing paper

2007-10-30T01:19:00.001-07:00

Background: Alaska has some of the most known sport fisheries in the world. The sport fish
guide industry provides Alaskans and visitors to our state opportunities to participate in Alaskan
sport fisheries. These opportunities result in anglers being able to feed their families as well as
contribute to the economies of Alaska’s many coastal communities. They also result in
numerous job opportunities, both directly as owners of guide businesses and their employed
guides and deckhands and indirectly as hotel owners tackle stores, and packaging services

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Sail the Seven Seas in Style - Go Cruising!

2006-09-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to go cruising already know what a wonderful experience a cruise can be. Indeed, it's more than likely that you probably rate every vacation you take now against the standard set by your cruise.

Even if you've never been on a cruise the chances are that you've thought of taking one. Unfortunately, deciding to go on a cruise is the easy part. After that you will have a number of important decisions to make to ensure that you pick the perfect cruise for you. So what is my perfect cruise?

The most important decision you will face after you decide to go on a cruise is where you want to go. When people think of cruises they usually think of the big cruise ships in the Caribbean. Just imagine all that deep blue water and the sun shining down while you sit on the deck and enjoy cocktails. Ahhhh nice, and while that can be a lot of fun, you should keep in mind that you can go on cruises to almost any part of the world. Take a cruise through the Panama Canal, around the Indian Ocean, or follow the western coast of Africa into the Mediterranean.

Keep in mind that you are not just picking which part of the ocean you'd like to see. Almost all cruises will allow you to make side trips inland when the ship stops at a port of call. This can be either on your own or as part of an organized tour group. If you have always wanted to visit Australia try combining a trip to Australia with a cruise around the Pacific Ocean.

You should also make sure that you can find a cruise that will give you the experience you want. Obviously, a small cruise ship touring around the coast of Alaska will result in a very different experience from a large cruise ship meandering leisurely around the Mediterranean. While there are major differences in the cruising experience, this is not just about picking the right kind of climate for your trip. If you are looking for all night parties and poolside drinks, go on the Mediterranean cruise. If you want a more relaxed trip, curled up under blankets and whale watching, go on the Alaskan cruise.

You should also remember that certain cruise lines focus on different types of customers. There are cruise ships that will cater to those who want to spend all night drinking and dancing, there are cruise ships that focus on retirees and there are cruise ships that cater to a variety of tastes. Families should look for family-friendly cruises. These family-friendly cruises will have children's activities and places for teenagers to hang out. The Disney Cruise line specializes in family style cruising.

How much will my ideal cruise cost?

The level of service you will receive is the biggest factor in your final price. If you are on a tight budget, avoid the high end luxury cruise. Instead go with a premium or even mainstream cruise. The location and size of your cabin will also make a difference. If you are really tight for cash, take a small cabin on the inside of the ship. While your food and cabin may not be as grand as fellow passengers on the exclusive decks, you will at least still be able to afford the airfare home. And you will have the same experiences as the higher paying passengers.

If you can afford it feel free to treat yourself with a luxury cruise and enjoy all the amenities that come along with staying at a fancy hotel. Except this hotel goes to many different and exotic places!!

What do I need to do before I leave on my cruise?

While cruises are often all-inclusive, there are a number of things you should confirm before leaving home. First make sure that the cruise ship is aware of any special dietary or smoking restrictions. If your cruise ship will be coming into port, inquire if you need to book any shore excursions in advance. And most importantly, ensure that you have a way to get to the starting point and back again when the cruise is over. Some cruises do not end at the same port that they departed from. Ending a wonderful cruise by being stranded at the ships last port of call is not the best way to enjoy your holiday! Spending a few days in the last port of call before returning home will top off the perfect end to the perfect vacation. Happy cruising!!!

by Steve Dolan

Salmon Trips in Alaska

2006-09-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

by Rick Chapo

Think of Alaska and you picture cold winters, stunning summers and salmon angling. Okay, you probably think of other things as well, but Alaska angling is all about salmon.

Salmon Trips in Alaska

When you think of salmon, the first place you think of is Alaska. This northernmost state is nearly synonymous with salmon, both the catching of the fish and the smoking/eating of it. When you want to have some really spectacular fish, you'll order the Alaskan salmon - and when you want to have a really spectacular angling trip, you can go to Alaska to fish for salmon. Alaska angling salmon trips are a great way to explore this most unusual of the US states.

Salmon is the name of several species of fish, all coming from the same family: Salmonidae (curiously, some of the other species in this family are named trout). Salmon are unique in that they are born in freshwater, but migrate to salt water later in life; only to return to the freshwater to spawn (reproduce). This type of water migration is known as being anadromous. Salmon levels in the oceans are slowly dwindling due to massive amounts of angling, however in the Pacific Ocean off of Alaska and British Columbia, these fish are still quite populous. Salmon is one of the healthiest of fish to eat, with high levels of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids which are good for lowering your cholesterol. Of course, another benefit to eating salmon is its taste - and this fish is served in many different preparations, from smoked to fresh to cured in brine.

Alaska angling salmon is still very legal and pretty much unrestricted for the sport fisherman, as the salmon population here is not in danger. The Kenai River, a river located on the Kenai Peninsula, is a perfect tourist and recreational area in which to fish for king salmon. Many different angling guide companies offer trips to their own favorite or reserved areas, so you are not stuck battling many other people for the perfect salmon angling spot. Silver and sockeye salmon are also available in this angling area, and angling packages including such amenities as guided boat trips, cabins, meals and even fish packaging and shipping are available to fishermen looking for a vacation here.

Alaska is the perfect place to find abundant salmon to satisfy your angling desires, as well as a great place for your next relaxing angling trip. Plan to spend a week or two here, enjoying the great outdoors and the angling fun and the action of your dreams.

Silver Salmon , Guided Silver Salmon Information

2006-07-18T02:20:00.000-07:00

Guided Silver Salmon Information

Silver Salmon (Coho): Average 8 to 14 lbs. with trophies up to 20 lbs. There are two runs of Silver Salmon in the Kenai River. The first run peaks in mid August. The second run peaks in mid September. August fishing provides anglers with the last of the season's summer weather. September is cooler, but hardy anglers will enjoy the benefit of Alaska's magnificent autumn beauty and the greater chances of boating a trophy Silver.
Bag limit: two fish per day.
Fishing Techniques: Silvers are usually fished from an anchored boat, using bait and plugs or casting spoons and spinners into the shallows along the river bank. Silvers are aggressive hitters and fighters, cherished by fishermen for their aerial acrobatics, as well as for the tackle-busting runs. They provide Kenai anglers with some of the rivers most thrilling sport fishing.

Alaska King Salmon fishing information, description and "How To" fishing techniques

2006-07-16T21:50:00.000-07:00

Alaska King Salmon Information

World Record King Salmon (Kenai River)
world record king salmon from kenai river

The Alaska King Salmon is the largest species of Pacific Salmon. The present Alaska state sport fishing record is 97.25 lbs taken on the Kenai River. In fact, of the top 10 king salmon record holders 9 of these fish were taken in the Kenai River. King salmon spend from 2-5 years in the ocean so their size in a run varies a lot, the State of Alaska average for this salmon is about 20lbs., however Kenai king salmon are typically in the 50 lb range. No other salmon draws as much attention as the King Salmon which is the official State of Alaska fish. Hooking and landing a big king salmon is the dream of most of the fisherman who come to the Kenai Peninsula and from early May to August many fisherman, from beginners to professional sport fisherman, try to fulfill that dream with a fish that has legendary power and grace When the Kenai Peninsula kings begin their return to their spawning streams they will generally follow the Kenai Peninsula coastline until they get to their waterway and head up the stream or river of their hatch until they reach their original spawning beds. It is during this annual migration that the sport fishing for the king salmon in both the saltwater (from Anchor Point to mouth of the Kenai River) and freshwater (Anchor River, Deep Creek, Ninilchick River, Kasilof River, Crooked Creek and the Kenai River) is excellent.

How to catch an Alaska king salmon

For the fisherman on an Alaska fishing vacation the best way to catch the Alaska king salmon is to obtain the services of a professional Alaska fishing guide who works for an established Alaska fishing lodge. These fishing guides will be sure to be licensed professionals and lodge owners will not sacrifice their reputations with unqualified guides. State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game statistics show in recent years that the unguided angler will spend nearly 40 hours fishing before he will even hook an Alaska king salmon. Guided Alaska fishing vacationers will often only spend a few hours before they hook their king salmon and land one. Since the Alaska fishing vacation may be of short duration, success of the fishing trip may depend on the fishing guide. Not only will the guide have the knowledge and experience to achieve success, the right equipment and tackle and fishing hot spots will be known. At Alaska Fishing Vacations we recommend that you purchase at least a minimal vacation package before you try to go it alone. With the nearly 24 hours of daylight in the season then you will have plenty of time to fish the banks on your fishing vacation. In the Kenai saltwater, most fishing for king salmon is done by trolling cut herring or herring attractors. Trolling weights, divers, diving lures are directly related to the run of the 30 foot tides in Cook Inlet, speed of the troll and the depth at which the salmon or their feed are spotted. Downriggers set at various depths increase the chances of success. T-spoons, Kwikfish, flashers , are all used by experienced guides. On the Kenai River and the Kasilof River guided anglers in drift and power boats enjoy success by back trolling a Jet-planer with Kwikfish, Flatfish, Magnum Wiggle Worts, Tadpollys, Spin-n-Glos, and salmon egg clusters. Back bouncing with an appropriate lead weight instead of a jet planer is also extremely effective for guided anglers. It must be said that the Alaska fishing guides knowledge of boat handling and the water is of utmost importance. Bank fisherman on the Kasilof, Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchick river as well as the Kenai are successful using a weight and casting a Kenai Special with a single hook or casting and bouncing large spoons such as the Pixie Spoon off the bottom rocks is a successful tactic as is casting #6 Vibrax upstream and reeling in as the lure bounces off the rocks. Fly fishermen using attractor flies like the coho or Alaskabou have had their share of hook ups. Bank fisherman beware, no matter what Kenai water you are fishing, be prepared to run when you hook that king salmon!

via www.1alaskaadventure.com

Alaska King - Chinook Salmon Fishing & Pictures

2006-07-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

King or Chinook salmon are Alaska's largest salmon, and run from saltwater to Little Susitna River's freshwater holes through mid July. Fishtale River Guides runs king fishing charters on Little Susitna and Deshka Rivers from May through July 13, the season's final day. Little Su chinook average 30 pounds, with fat 40 - pound fish common, and exceptional fish topping 50 and 60 pounds. The State and World sportfishing record biggest chinook, caught on Kenai River, weighed 97 pounds 4 ounces! Catching the Big Chinook on beautiful little rivers, like Little Su or the Deshka, challenges even the best fishermen, and defines Alaska fishing.

Challenge the Chinook -- Power Fishing at its Best!
After hooking a king you may battle half an hour catching your monster. If you hook a big fish from the bank, and it torpedoes downriver, be prepared for a wild ride. A large king can strip all the line from your reel in seconds, so we'll be jumping in the boat, chasing your salmon, and retrieving lots of line, before your trophy tires, and you can lead it to the net. This is power fishing at it's best. Accept the challenge and let Fishtale help you catch Alaska's largest salmon.

Silver - Coho Salmon Fishing Trips near Anchorage, Alaska

2006-07-02T23:34:00.000-07:00

Little Susitna River, Alaska --
When hooked an ocean fresh silver or coho salmon does not merely fight, it explodes from Little Susitna River showering water in every direction, and jumping, cart wheeling, and tail-walking across the river's surface. Changing tactics your jumping and tumbling silver switches to lightening-quick bursts of underwater speed. As the silver gradually tires, and you lead the spirited fighter toward the net, watch out for last-effort fireworks. A suddenly ballistic sliver salmon on a short line can easily break free, unless you give line immediately. Past Fishtale guests have tried to wrestle exploding boat side coho into the net, rather than giving line and letting the fish make one more run. Results? Shattered fishing rods and cold water showers for everyone onboard.

ittle Susitna River is the best producer of sport caught silver salmon located this close to Wasilla and AnchorageAlaska. How can such a great wild salmon river, minutes from Anchorage and Wasilla, provide uncrowded fishing in a wilderness setting?

Little Susitna River's lower 33 miles flow through Susitna Flats State Game Refuge with only one road access, campground and boat launch. Upstream of the Refuge an additional 37 miles of river open to salmon fishing provides boat anglers additional room to spread out on good fishing holes. Fishermen using Fishtale River Guides have boated fish from more than 130 different holes along the river, and rarely fish holes with even one other angler.

Alaska Halibut Fishing in Sitka

2006-06-20T01:51:00.001-07:00

Great Halibut Fishing? Sitka's got it!

Sitka is a popular halibut fishing port because it IS a good location for Alaska sport fishing trips. The scenery is great here and the history interesting, but if you're a fisherman, those are just a bonus -- you're looking for good fishing! Sitka has it.

Halibut make great eating, either fresh or frozen. We can arrange to have your catch frozen for shipment from Sitka to your home so you can enjoy them throughout the year.

These big fish come in all sizes -- the biggest halibut caught in Alaska waters was almost 500 pounds. These are strange-looking fish when they come up from the bottom. One side of the fish is almost white and the other tends to take on the coloration of the ocean bottom where they live. This gives them a protective coloration from both predators and prey.

Catching or Eating - Sitka Halibut Can't Be Beat

Given their size and weight, bringing in a big one can be exhausting -- and exciting at the same time. Catching the big ones is fun, but even the medium-sized fish are great fun and excellent eating. Their firm white flesh has a wonderful taste and provides a fitting end to your Sitka fishing adventure.

Dolly Vardon Char Information

2006-06-20T01:51:00.000-07:00

Dolly Vardon Char : Average 16 to 30 inches with trophies up to 15 lbs. Dolly Vardon Char can be caught throughout the season, with the later part of August and the whole month of September being the best months.

Bag limit: We enforce a policy of catch and release on all Dolly Vardon Char. Feel free to take as many photos as you can before we slip these beautiful hard fighting fish back into their home waters. .

Fishing Techniques: Char are fished from drift boats and from shore with fly rods and spinning rods - just like fishing for Rainbow trout. In fact, when trout fishing you never know when a Dolly Vardon will strike your fly. Dolly Vardon Char and Rainbow trout live in the same areas of the river and feed on the same foods. .

Regulations: Regulations require single hook, artificial lures. Flies, spinners, plugs all can be used to seduce Dolly Vardon Char into biting. Fly fishing and catering to fly fisher persons is our forte.

Alaska Sockeye Salmon: Pound for pound best eating and fighting Alaska salmon

2006-05-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

Sockeye Salmon (Reds, Red Salmon): Dark blue-black back with silvery sides. no distinct spots on back, dorsal fin or tail. Spawning adults develop dull green heads and red bodies. Kenai River Red Salmon

days catch of red salmon from the kenai river

Red salmon or sockeye are one of the most numerous species of salmon to populate streams and rivers on the Kenai Peninsula and many will swear that for eating no salmon tops the Alaska red salmon. The red salmon is by far the State of Alaska's most valuable commercial salmon species. The sockeye salmon is a plankton feeder which is unlike the other Alaska salmon species and they are very passive toward lures. This salmon generally spends 2-3 years in the ocean before it returns to its spawning waterways in large schools. The driving force that brings the sockeye salmon to migrate to its spawning bed is legendary. You need only watch them leap waterfalls and speed through fast currents to see the force and will to survive that the red salmon possesses. Pound for pound the sockeye, is the strongest and most demanding sport fish in Alaska. The State of Alaska sportfishing record for this salmon is 16 pounds.
Alaska Red Salmon have their own special Alaska fishing technique

From late May to mid August red salmon can be found in the Kenai, Kasilof and Russian Rivers. Red salmon will travel along the river banks on their migration upstream and will school up in slack water areas to rest. Sockeye will splash and roll on the journey so keep an eye out for those splashes. There is definitely a technique to catching this salmon by fly fishing or using conventional gear. The red salmon swims with its mouth in continual open and close motion, so the technique involves getting the attractor as close to the mouth of the fish as possible. In shallow water and particularly over gravel bars a pair of polarized sunglasses is very helpful. Whether you use a spin fishing or conventional tackle or a fly rod the most effective attractors are a Coho, Streamer or Russian River fly or some variation of these patterns with a #3 or #4 hook with just enough weight ahead of the fly to get to fish depth. When casting , begin at an angle upstream of the spot you are fishing and try to keep the attractor broadside to the fish. when you feel a slight hesitation or bump you must set the hook immedately or you will miss. Sockeye generally lightly mouth the fly and let go. Once you begin to perfect this technique and hook one of these beauties, you are in for a wild battle of wild leaps and reel smoking up and downstream runs. Once you master the technique you will find it useful for catching the Alaska king salmon particularly on the Kasilof and Ninilchik Rivers

Let's go fishing in Alaska at Bentalit Lodge!

2006-04-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

Salmon fishing, Rainbow Trout fishing, Northern Pike fishing - fishing galore! Our guests can fish lakes, streams and rivers, from the shore or from boats, and spin-cast, troll or go flyfishing for the many species we have available. Our guides are experienced professionals with USCG licenses and all fishing equipment is furnished, from the boats and motors to the appropriate tackle.

King Salmon Fishing (Chinook) is best from mid-May to mid-July and will average about 35 lbs., but often go over 50.

Red Salmon Fishing (Sockeye) peaks from mid-July to mid-August. Some people think that this is the best salmon for eating (especially when smoked).

Silver Salmon Fishing (Coho) run from late July into early September and the fish will average from 7-9 lbs. with many larger than that. Not only do they put up a good fight, they love to jump and dance on top of the water.

Pink and Chum Salmon Fishing is best in the late summer. Go flyfishing for them from the stream or river for a thrilling experience.

Rainbow Trout Fishing is good all season from May through September with the best fishing being from mid-August through mid-September. We encourage catch and release for the "bows".

Northern Pike Fishing is an option any time of the year and there are many trophies running 20+ lbs. to be caught in our lakes. Ken, our fishing guide, spent the winter with us and he pulled a 45 inch long pike up through the ice from a lake close to the lodge.

Fishing in Alaska is an art and is best learned from an experienced guide. Licensed guides and all fishing equipment are furnished to make your stay a memorable one.

Alaska Fishing May 20 - September 30

Wild Pacific Salmon (King Salmon, Silvers, Reds, Pinks and Chums) King Salmon Fishing - May 20 through July 13 Silver, Red, Chum and Pink Salmon - July through August.
Rainbow Trout Fishing (May 20 - September 30), Arctic Grayling Fishing and Northern Pike Fishing (all year).
Fully equipped boats with US Coastguard licensed guides along with all fishing gear are supplied by the lodge.
Try flyfishing for rainbow trout or salmon in our freshwater streams.

via www.bentalitlodge.com

Holtina River Lodge Fishing

2006-03-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

The Holitna River Lodge is located on a beautiful scenic river teaming with almost every species of fish
know to the northern laditudes. The Holitna River comes out of the Taylor Mountains and, as the crow flies, it is
about 250 miles due West of Anchorage. Access to the Lodge is by float plane from either Aniak or Anchorage,
the scheduling of which we are happy to arrange. Fly-in costs can be seen on the "Rates and Seasons" page.
Other than fishing licenses, all other costs are all inclusive and there are no hidden costs or fees.

Information on the River

The Holitna River (Flatwater Class I) is the largest river in the lower Kuskokwim basin. It begines at the
confluence of the Kogrukluk River and Shotgun Creek. The surrounding country is covered with beautiful forests
of spruce, birch and cottonwood. The Holitna River was used by Natives as part of a travel and trade route
between Bristol Bay and the Interior. The First route to the Interior was made by the Russians.

Salmon Species:

Chinook or King
Chum or Dog
Coho or Silver
Humpback or Pink
Sockeye or Red

Fresh Water Species:

Arctic Char
Arctic Grayling
Dolly Varden
Northern Pike
Sheefish

Best time to catch Salmon Species:

KING SALMON (Chinooks): From middle of June through July. The average of these fish is "20 to 25"
pounds. Trophy size average is "50" pounds.

RED SALMON (Sockeye): From late June through July. The average of these fish is "6 to 8" pounds.
Trophy size average is "12" pounds.

DOG SALMON (Chum): From July through early August. The average of these fish is "7 to 9" pounds.
Trophy size is "12" pounds.

PINK SALMON (Humpy): From Middle of July trough August. The average of these fish is "3 to 5" pounds.
Trophy size is "7" pounds.

SILVER SALMON (Coho): From August trough September. The average os these fish is "7 to 9" pounds.
Trophy size is 12 pounds and the Holitna River is fortunate in typically having a very strong run.

Best time to catch Fresh Water Species:

Sheefish: Also good all season. The average of these fish is "5 to 7" pounds. The trophy size is "15" pounds.

Northern Pike: Also good all season. The average os these fish is "5 to 7" pounds. Trophy size is "15"
pounds.

Arctic Char and Rainbow: Best in June and September. The average size is "1 to 4" pounds.
Trophy size is "7" pounds.

Arctic Grayling: Exellent all season. The average of these fish is "1 to 2" pounds. Trophy size is 3 pounds
.
Dolly Varden: Also is good all season. The average of these fish is "1 to 2" pounds. Trophy size is "3" pounds.

via http://www.holitna-river-lodge.com

Guide to Major Sportfish

2006-02-26T22:45:00.000-08:00

King Salmon -The most highly prized sport fish in Alaska. It is the largest of all Pacific salmon with the largest ever caught weighing 126 pounds. Sport caught king salmon average between 20 and 50 pounds, with any fish over 50 pounds considered a trophy fish. Trolling with rigged herring or drifting with "cut plug" herring are the preferred methods of angling in salt water. Other names for King salmon are: chinook, tyee, tule, quinnat, and black mouth.

Silver Salmon - Second largest species of salmon with weights to 36 pounds. Sport caught silver salmon average between 8 and 15 pounds, with any fish over 15 pounds considered a trophy fish. The silver salmon are spectacular fighters and the most acrobatic of Pacific salmon. They are readily caught by trolling or mooching with herring, streamer flies or a variety of lures. They are also a popular stream fish being readily caught on flies, spoons, and spinners. Silver salmon are commonly called "coho."

Sockeye Salmon - Most sockeye are sport caught just after their return to fresh water. Their average weight is between 5 and 7 pounds, with weights over 10 pounds considered a trophy. The sockeye is the best salmon to smoke. The sockeye is also known as a blue black or red salmon as they obtain a bright red coloration before spawning.

Chum Salmon - Sportfishermen generally catch chum salmon incidental to fishing for other Pacific salmon in either salt or fresh water. Their average weight is 10 to 15 pounds with a trophy weight on 17 pounds. Chum salmon are known as "dog salmon" as the males develop a hooked snout and very large teeth before spawning. The chum salmon is also called a "calico salmon" as they develop vertical bars of green and purple after nearing freshwater

Pink Salmon - The pink salmon is the smallest of the Pacific salmon found in Alaska with an average weight of 4 to 5 pounds. The pink salmon is the most numerous of all the salmon. This salmon is best caught on fly or spin tackle as it first enters fresh water. Pink salmon are known as "humpy" because of its very prominent hump which develops on the adult male before spawning.

Pacific Halibut - Halibut are regarded as a highly desirable sportfish. Average size is 25 to 100 pounds with any fish over 100 pounds considered a trophy. Halibut can obtain weights in excess of 400 pounds and are referred to as "barn doors." This flatfish has both eyes on their dark upperside and their underside is a much lighter shade of white. The halibut is a bottom fish. Preferred bait is octopus or herring. They are also caught by "jigging" with large spoons or jigs.

Red Snapper - Also known as the yellow eyed rock fish. Average weight is 10 to 15 pounds. The red snapper is an excellent food fish.

Ling Cod - This is a voracious feeder. Usually found on a rocky bottom. The ling cod can obtain weights of 15 to 40 pounds. The fish has a large mouth that is full of teeth and commonly attacks small reef fish you have hooked on your line.

Rockfish - More than 30 species occur in Alaska's coastal waters. Rockfish will average two to four pounds. They appear somewhat perch or bass-like, and are often called sea bass. Any bait fished on a rocky bottom will produce these fine flavored fish.

Cutthroat Trout - Cutthroat are usually found in river or stream systems with accessible lakes. Average size is 1 to 3 pounds with trophy size of 3 pounds. Cutthroat are aggressive feeders and will hit almost any bait, lure or fly.

Dolly Varden - A beautiful char displaying bright pink spots on their sides. Average size is 1 to 3 pounds with 10 pounds as a trophy. "Dollies" follow the spawning salmon up the fresh water streams. They are great fun when caught on fly and ultra-light tackle.

Steelhead - The steelhead is a rainbow trout that has spent part of its life in the sea. They average 8 to 12 pounds with a trophy being 15 pounds or larger. The steelhead is the premier fresh water fish as its ability to battle when hooked is unmatched by any other fresh water. We only fish steelhead on a catch and release policy.

Crab and Shrimp - We have all the necessary gear on board for you to aggressively pot fish for both crab and shrimp. Not only is this a different and exciting way to fish but the rewards are simply mouth watering.

via www.alaskafishing.com

Afognak Island Alaska Fishing

2006-02-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

Premier Alaska Fishing Lodge
Along the majestic shores of this particularly prized Kodiak Island, streams and their estuaries are tucked into cozy nooks that only a handful of people get to enjoy simultaneous. Sockeye, Pink & Silver Salmon and Rainbow, Steelhead & Dolly Varden Trout call these streams home. Offshore, there's a myriad of saltwater species waiting to saturate your fishing urge from the giant halibut right down to the delicate flounder with delectable lingcod, red-snapper, sea-bass, greenling and much more in between.

Alaska Freshwater Fishing
You would be hard pressed to find a place where the fishing is better than it is here. At our fishing spots, both along the stream banks and at the estuaries, the salmon abound by the thousands and you do not have to compete to find your own friendly nooks. It is not uncommon for guests to catch their daily-limit for each species targeted. (A guest freezer and waxed airline boxes are available for those who want to take all or part of their catch home.) Catch-&-Release is also popular for those who just love to fish and fish and fish!Salmon Fishing: Nearby, we have three of the five species (Reds, Pinks and Silvers). The Red [Sockeyes] run throughout June . . .to mid-July; the Pinks [Humpbacks] run from mid-July throughout August; the Silvers [Coho] run from late-July through mid-late September.Trout Fishing: Rainbow, Steelhead and Dolly Varden are the varieties available nearby.

Alaska Saltwater Fishing
We have an advantage over inland locations by also having the North Pacific's bounty of seafood, ranging from bottom fish to shellfish, which also makes for first class dining while with us, for which we have all the proper gear on hand. Throughout the summer months, the fish that abound in our area are: Halibut, Ling Cod, Sea Bass, Yellow-Eye, Red Snapper, Flounder, Greenling, and whatever strays from South Pacific waters!
Other Options
At low tide, you can dig clams, harvest mussels/cockles, hunt octopus or just investigate the interesting inter-tidal zone for jelly-fish, starfish, sea-urchins, periwinkles, jumping-jacks and much more.
Fishing Tackle
We furnish all fishing gear for both fresh and saltwater fishing, but if you have your own favorite salmon/trout gear, feel free to bring it.

via www.afognaklodge.com

Fishing Industry Highlights from 2005

2006-01-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

By Laine Welch

Going into the New Year, commercial fishing in Alaska remains a vibrant industry that is the envy of every other fish producing country in the world. Alaska's fisheries abundance is guarded with protective zeal by those entrusted with its care, and its management is regarded as a model for conservation and sustainability. The robust stocks will continue to provide a solid foundation far into the future - even as Alaska's fisheries are being retooled to conform to the tough realities of changing times.
Here is a sampler of industry highlights from 2005, in no particular order or priority:
Fleet reduction is a major trend across the North Pacific and rationalization, restructuring and revitalization remained the buzz words of 2005. Managers and policy makers continued to seek ways to winnow down the number of participants, both to protect the fishery resources and boost bottom lines.

Alaska's salmon industry continued its slow rise from the ashes, brought about by its own good merit, millions of state and federal dollars, and unprecedented bad press about farmed fish. The 2005 salmon harvest was the third largest on record, topping 206 million fish. The value of the catch was also up for the third year in a row, worth $295 million at the docks (up $23 million from 2004).

A national poll revealed that 31 percent of Americans are concerned about mercury in seafood and are cutting back on the amount they eat. The poll added there is tremendous confusion about what seafoods contain mercury. A Harvard study countered that if fish consumption is reduced, there will be serious public health consequences, notably higher death rates from heart disease and stroke

The nation's new Food Pyramid watered down its original dietary guidelines that advised Americans to eat fish at least twice a week, instead treating it as an afterthought and listing it under the "meat and beans" section.

Studies from around the world continued to tout the medical miracles stemming from the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, especially salmon. Sales of fish oil supplements in the U.S. climbed from $35 million ten years ago to $310 million in 2005.

Americans ate a record 16.6 pounds of seafood per person - five ounces per week, or less than half of what is recommended by health professionals. In a national survey conducted by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, 81 percent of the respondents said they want more seafood choices at their favorite fast food restaurants.

The annual Symphony of Seafood's grand prize went to Orca Bay's Sockeye Salmon Fillets. The out of state venue shifted from Chicago to Las Vegas in 2006.

Alaska salmon became a part of NASCAR Nation. A Wild Alaska Salmon logo is emblazoned across a racing Porsche co-sponsored by10th & M Seafoods of Anchorage.

The nation's top fishery managers called it "a great day" as the National Offshore Aquaculture Act was introduced to Congress in June.

Country of origin labeling laws (COOL) went into effect for fish and shellfish at U.S. retail counters. The labels tell consumers where their seafood comes from and whether it is wild or farmed. Alaskans were outraged that canned or pouched products were not included.

Southeast salmon gillnetters got the jump on Copper River when, for the first time in almost 20 years, on May 2 the Stikine and Taku Rivers reopened for king salmon.

For the second time in decades, much of the Yukon's summer king salmon was enjoyed in upscale U.S. eateries via the region's Kwik'Pak Fisheries. A small order of fresh Yukon kings fetched $273 per fish at the Tsukiji Market in Tokyo.

The World Wildlife Fund launched an international Smart Gear contest which paid cash prizes for the best ideas to reduce bycatch in fisheries. There were no entries from Alaska.

Thirty-seven farm sites were approved for black cod on British Columbia's Vancouver Island. However, a report by the University of B.C. concluded that industrialized black cod farming is unlikely to deliver economic benefits to the province.

Efforts by Alaska policy makers to create a limited entry plan for Gulf of Alaska groundfish (Senate Bill 113) went down in flames.

A sting operation in New York revealed a huge mislabeling scam in which farmed salmon was being sold as fresh wild salmon. That prompted salmon producers in Cordova and the Aleutians East Borough to send their fish to market with tags telling customers it was the real deal.

While most fishing regions of the state were promoting their own "brand" of red and king salmon, the Star of Kodiak group sang the praises of pinks in upscale restaurants in Washington, D.C. Millions of cans of pink salmon from Bear and Wolf Processors in Cordova went for the first time to large chain stores throughout Korea.

McKie Campbell took the helm as Commissioner of the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council got top marks from the Ocean Conservancy, based on its improvement in controlling over-fishing.

Alaska's fishing industry showed the lowest rate of wasted fish in the country, according to an Oceana study. Officials credited the Bering Sea pollock fishery for its low bycatch rates of less than two percent

The NPFMC dumped its plan to implement quota shares of halibut for charter operators, and took the idea back to the drawing board.

Hearings were held in Anchorage, Kodiak and Ketchikan to gather input on the nation's primary fish law the Magnuson Stevens Conservation and Management Act. The comments from Alaska will be used to shape U.S. fisheries policy for years to come.

A total of 505 applicants were issued quota shares for one or more of the Bering Sea's eight crab fisheries. Twenty five of those were processing companies; the others were vessel owners, skippers and some crew members.

The Bering Sea crab rationalization program was launched on schedule in the fall. The resulting number of lost jobs and impacts on marine businesses sent shock waves through coastal communities.

Shares of red king crab topped $30 per pound at quota brokerages.

Discovery Channel film crews again braved crab fishing in the Bering sea as part of its popular "Deadliest Catch" series. Discovery also took viewers along for the ride on rescue missions by the U.S. Coast Guard, featuring teams from Kodiak.

Alaska policy makers stalled and then continued their push to lift the state's ban on industrial mixing zones in waters where fish spawn.

The University of Alaska/Anchorage launched a line of seafood business courses available to all students via the Internet.

Seafood groups rallied to help their counterparts in areas ravaged by hurricane Katrina. They formed the Alaska Fishing Industry Relief Mission (AFIRM) at the urging of Senator Lisa Murkowski. The city of Valdez donated a 60 ton marine travel lift to help move stranded boats back to the fishing grounds.

A report by seafood buyers for top U.S. restaurants and supermarkets said well managed, sustainable fisheries will play an increasing role in corporate buying decisions.

For the 16th year in a row, Dutch Harbor topped the list as the nation's #1 port for seafood landings (886.4 million pounds of fish and shellfish valued at $155 million).

source http://www.sitnews.us/LaineWelch/010206_laine_welch.html

Fishing Industry Highlights from 2005

2006-01-02T20:48:00.000-08:00

WWF report: climate change puts fish at risk

2005-11-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

THE effects of climate change increasingly threaten fish populations as temperatures rise in rivers, lakes and seas,according to a new report by WWF. The report claims that hotter water means less food, less offspring and even less oxygen for marine and freshwater fish populations.

Ten days ahead of a key meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, the global environmental organisation’s report, Are We Putting Our Fish In Hot Water? claims that climate change is causing the world's waters to warm as well as bringing changes to rainfall patterns, currents and sea levels.
As climate change increases the pressure on fish populations, already strained to the limit by overfishing, pollution and habitat loss, the outlook is pretty grim for our marine species. We must act urgently on both climate emissions and fishing to protect fish populations as they are one of the world’s most valuable biological, nutritional and economic assets,” said Dr Richard Dixon, Director WWF Scotland.
The report shows that hotter temperatures are expected to stunt the growth of some fish, resulting in fewer offspring. Normally fish metabolisms speed up as temperatures rise, but insufficient food supplies could slow their growth and reproduction rates. Some temperate fish like salmon, catfish and sturgeon cannot spawn at all if winter temperatures do not drop below a certain level.
The WWF report also shows that freshwater fish particularly may not have enough oxygen to breathe as waters grow warmer. Fish filter oxygen from water, but the amount of oxygen dissolved in water decreases as temperatures rise. During summer 2003, Scotland's hottest year on record, hundreds of adult salmon died in rivers across the country due to this lack of oxygen.
Meanwhile, hotter temperatures mean that fish populations could move to cooler waters in an effort to maintain the temperature normal for their habitat and this could impact on many species’ ranges and ability to survive, including cod, plaice and halibut. Such movement can leave other species in dire straits as they lose their main source of food. In the Gulf of Alaska in 1993, as fish moved into cooler waters around 120,000 sea birds starved to death as they were unable to dive deep enough to reach their relocated prey. This year has seen the worst breeding record ever for seabirds around the coasts of Scotland with internationally important populations of gannets, kittiwakes and puffins plummeting, many found with chicks starved to death. This was attributed to the lack of sandeels, with climate change added to years of industrial over fishing.
WWF wants governments meeting in Montreal to commit to starting negotiations for deeper cuts in CO2 emissions once the current commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol runs out in 2012.
www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish European Fish Trader, Fishing Monthly, Fish Farming Today, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

Fish farming moves forward

2005-11-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

Bad news for Alaska fisheries? Aquaculture producers say they're solving environmental problems; offshore, deep-water pens are one innovation.

- By Colin Woodard

On the computer screen, 30,000 cod are swimming in the dim green waters of the Gulf of Maine, circling the perimeter of their enormous cage. They're 40 feet below the North Atlantic swell, six miles off the New Hampshire coast. Fed by an automated buoy and submerged deeply enough to be protected from passing ships and storms, the fish spend days at a time without human contact, their progress monitored by video cameras mounted in their enormous, 50-foot tall, saucer-shaped cage.

“We wanted to see if it was possible to farm fish and shellfish offshore, in an extreme environment like the Gulf of Maine,” says Richard Langan, director of the University of New Hampshire's Open Ocean Aquaculture project, which is also raising halibut, mussels and sea scallops in sunken cages. “Now we know we can and that this is just the beginning for this type of aquaculture.”

As many of the world's most important commercial fish populations have collapsed, fish farms have stepped in to fill the void. Farmed salmon, shrimp and mussels are now cheaper than their wild-caught competitors in many markets, and researchers say that may soon apply to halibut, cod and other fish the sea once produced in prodigious quantities on its own.

But the fast-growing industry has also triggered some environmental problems. In Asia, shrimp ponds destroyed vast swaths of mangrove forests, the key nursery habitat for many undersea creatures in tropical waters. In North America, coastal salmon farms fell into public disfavor as they became implicated in both algae blooms (fed by fish feces) and the further decline of wild salmon runs (due to competition and interbreeding with escapees from the farms). Both industries suffered enormous losses from disease outbreaks like infectious salmon anemia and Taura syndrome in shrimp.

Now, however, the marine aquaculture industry appears to be solving many of its own problems. Norwegian salmon farmers vaccinate their fish, eliminating the need to dump antibiotics into crowded surface pens. Canadian researchers are developing promising ways to eliminate nutrient pollution from New Brunswick farm pens by growing salmon alongside mussels, which filter the wastes. In Florida, scientists are growing marine shrimp in zero-discharge freshwater ponds located miles inland, eliminating damage to coastal habitats.

“Aquaculture producers are doing everything they can to make sure they are a non-polluting industry with a high-quality product,” says Leroy Creswell, a past president of the World Aquaculture Society. Creswell heads the University of Florida team that is growing shrimp in ponds filled with mineral-rich groundwater, 10 miles from the sea. “Unless you're raising shellfish, you're just never going to get a permit to raise fish right along the coastline in the U.S.,” he adds. “As a result the industry is going in two directions: inland or offshore.”

Moving pens offshore and beneath the surface may solve many of the industry's worst problems, as long as they are sited properly. UNH's experimental farm is located in water nearly 200 feet deep with strong currents that disperse feces from the four fish cages; after five years of careful monitoring, Langan says there has been no detectable changes in nutrient levels in either the surrounding water or the sediments on the seafloor. He also says there hasn't been a single escapee. The cages appear impervious to seals, which cause considerable damage to floating salmon pens.

“The environment is something we have taken very seriously from the beginning,” Langan adds, standing beside a 20-foot-tall steel food buoy in UNH's cavernous ocean engineering lab. “We're a small operation now and we're very interested in seeing at what scale you would start seeing deposition [of feces] on the seafloor or changes in the seawater.”

Those may not remain theoretical concerns for long. In June, the Bush administration introduced legislation that would allow the Secretary of Commerce to issue permits for commercial aquaculture farms in federal waters, which are generally between 200 and 300 miles from shore. The Commerce Department wants to expand the U.S. fish farming industry fivefold over the next two decades.

Critics are concerned with the draft legislation because it lacks specific environmental rules, giving the administration wide discretion in issuing permits. “The legislation is way too open-ended, allowing the Commerce Secretary to issue a permit even if the environmental impacts are substantial,” says Rebecca Goldburg, a senior scientist at Environmental Defense in New York.

Goldburg says cod and other fish may spawn inside cages, releasing fertilized eggs that will escape into the wider environment, possibly contaminating wild stocks. She agrees that pollution will be greatly reduced by stationing farms offshore, but is concerned that farms will tend to aggregate for economic reasons, possibly leading to degradation.

In Alaska, where offshore fishing remains a major industry, the Republican-controlled legislature quickly passed a resolution opposing the plan. “The global fish farming industry is bad news for Alaska and for fishermen nationwide,” said co-sponsor Bill Thomas, a Haines representative who co-chairs the House Special Committee on Fisheries. “In Alaska, we produce seafood the way it should be done, and we will fight for the well-being of our industry and our communities.

Salmon are a reflection of an angler's true nature

2005-11-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

BY CHESTER ALLEN

Salmon bring out the best -- and the worst -- in humans.

You'll see people who love the fish and treat them with respect, and you'll see numbskulls treat salmon who beat incredible odds -- they swam all the way to the Gulf of Alaska and back -- like hamburger wrappers.

And you'll see both kinds of behavior in the same hour.

I've fished for salmon in the Northwest for 20 years now, and I'm convinced that salmon are a mirror that reflects the true essence of a person.

Two weeks ago, I visited the Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail with a good friend from Oregon. We parked and walked quietly to the stream. Other visitors were quietly walking from one spot to another on the trail, and everyone wore a quiet, happy smile.

The run of wild chum salmon into the stream had just started -- but there were hundreds of fish rototilling huge nests in the clean gravel, fighting for spawning partners and spawning.

Kennedy Creek gets a spectacular run of wild chum -- 80,000 fish jammed into the tiny creek last fall -- and it's a glimpse of how all our salmon rivers should look.

The trail is a labor of love for a lot of people and groups, and it puts you within feet of wild salmon.

My friend -- Heather McCurdy from Hood River -- grew up in the Northwest, but she'd never seen a big bunch of wild salmon spawning.

"This is incredible," she said as a big male chum yawned like a crocodile and sprayed his white milt next to an egg-laying female.

Signs along the trail explained to visitors what was going on. It's stunning how much work and care went into the trail, which is a must-see for everyone.

Every visitor and volunteer walked quietly through the woods and along the little creek, and they were as reverent as if they were in church.

I love visiting the trail, as it's an example of how chum salmon are thriving in South Sound -- millions of wild fish return each fall, and it's a great success story that leaves me full of hope.

Afterward, we visited the Kennedy Creek estuary.

I'd caught and released a few chum a couple days before, and I wanted to see how many fish -- and anglers -- were in the estuary.

There were a lot of fish and anglers. Most anglers were catching fish, which is great.

A few anglers were keeping their fish, which is just fine. One angler told me that he really likes chum that has spent some time in his smoker.

Then we saw ugliness.

We were standing in the parking lot near U.S. Highway 101 and watching anglers cast toward the swirling schools of chums that were following the tide into the estuary.

Two men hooked and landed big chums. I cringed when I saw them turn away and let the fish flop helplessly on the marsh grass.

I waited a minute or so for one of the guys to kill the fish, but they just got on with their fishing.

It was sickening to see those magnificent fish gasp and twist on the land.

I walked down the trail to the fishing area and picked up a big stick on the way.

I asked the guys why they were letting their fish die such a horrible death.

They smiled weakly and shrugged.

I gave them the stick, and they tapped their fish on the head. The fish kept flopping.

I took the stick and walloped both fish. They died instantly.

Hunters would never let a deer flop or suffer. At the very best, anglers let fish suffer because they're ignorant -- or you can't hear salmon scream.

We anglers owe our fish a lot. We owe them respect, we owe them good habitat and we owe them a clean death -- if we choose to eat them.

I wrote about this last year, and I'll keep writing about it until that admittedly small group of slob anglers start treating fish with respect.

You'll see poor anglers get frustrated and start deliberately snagging salmon. They're revealing their lack of skill, their lack of patience and their lack of respect for the fish.

I wonder how they can look in the mirror at home. I know how they look on the water.

And it's equally easy to spot the true anglers. They fish with skill and never snag salmon on purpose. If they keep a fish, they kill and bleed it immediately.

I believe those anglers leave the river refreshed -- as they've touched a part of the wild world.

And that's what wild salmon do best -- show us a small part of a world we can barely imagine and rarely visit.

We owe those fish -- and ourselves -- our very best behavior. Every fish is a mirror.

Olympian outdoors writer Chester Allen's fishing column appears Fridays. He can be reached at 360-754-4226 or callen@theolympian.com.

Eat Wild Salmon

2005-11-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

Eat Wild Salmon
By Chasina Worman

November 03, 2005Thursday
I am sorry that Ms. Fiel has been missed informed. Alaska unlike other places has done a magnificent job of managing its salmon population. Alaska is not fishing out its sea life population. Conservation and sustaining this amazing resource is important to Alaskans. The Alaska constitution is unique in that it has an article that mandates thast renewable resources shall be utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle. In addition to this the industry is ran on the following Sustainable Salmon Fisheries Policy principles:
1) Wild salmon population and their habitats must be protected. 2) Fisheries must be managed to allow adequate escapement to conserve and sustain salmon production and maintain ecosystem functioning. 3) Effective salmon management systems must be established and applied to regulate human activities that affect salmon. 4) Public support and involvement for sustained use and protection of salmon resources must be maintained. 5) In the face of uncertainty, salmon stocks, fisheries, artificial propagation and essential habitats must be managed conservatively.
As a fisherman I can assure you that the last thing fisherman want to do is to wipe out and destroy sea life. Fishing is a way of life that has been passed down for generations and will hopefully continue for many generations to come. Fishing is a way of life not just a job. The fishermen of Alaska have too much invested in the environment not to respect it and insure that the wildlife is preserved. As of now the salmon in Alaska are abundant, well managed and are nowhere near extinction. Please continue to enjoy wild salmon, it is a healthy, safe, and abundant food. However, I would like to warn you that Atlantic (farmed) salmon is a threat to the environment and not a healthy food choice. If you would like to find out more about the harms of farmed salmon please visit http://www.farmedanddangerous.org.
I hope that this clears up your confusion and that you understand it is not immoral or unethical to eat salmon. Alaskan salmon, on the contrary, is one of the safest and healthiest foods available.
Eat Wild Salmon,
Chasina Worman Tomball, TX - USA

Kenai King Salmon Guide - Alaska Fishing Tips

2005-09-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

Alaska Fishing guide: Kenai King Salmon Guide - Alaska Fishing Tips

BackBouncing
Fishing The Alaska Kenai and Kasilof Rivers

Backbouncing is a unique fishing technique that enables the fisherman to maximize fishing efficiency. The majority of fishing guides utilize a different technique known as "backtrolling". Typically, they choose this method because it is easier for them and their clients to fish. However, there are disadvantages to backtrolling and this is where backbouncing shines.

Being a teacher my entire life, I am very good at teaching the clients how to backbounce correctly. When I say correctly, it is very important that you listen carefully during our short(10 minutes)salmon school lesson to learn the proper way to backbounce. When in doubt, always ask questions as we want to catch as many fish as possible. It is proven that the fisherman that backbounces correctly will likely receive many more bites. Don't worry, I will be your coach and assist you throughout the day.

For early run Kasilof River Kings we choose to use the backbouncing technique for several different reasons. First, backbouncing puts the fisherman in complete control of their fishing rod meaning they are actively involved with fishing. While the other guides are using the backtrolling method the rod is in a holder and the fisherman is waiting for the fish to bite.

Fishing Method Of Choice For The Kenai Peninsula...

The reason(s) we backbounce is because we can fish any type of holding water as opposed to backtrolling where you need certain current speed, direction and plenty of room to have fifty feet of line out. Backbouncing fisherman simply let enough line out to go directly to the bottom. At that point, they lift their weight off of the bottom approximately two inches. The salmon are directly on the bottom of the river and lifting the weight only two inches keeps the bait/lure in the STRIKE ZONE!! Lifting the weight also allows the bait and weight to slowly move downstream with the boat to avoid tangling on the bottom. In addition, the small fluuter of the lifting bait entices the king salmon to bite. The method is simply ............................lift 2 inches and sit it back down on the bottom(make sure there is no slack in your line, keep the line tight between your rod and the bottom-with slack line you won't feel the bite as easily as a snug line)...............pause...............lift and sit.....................pause.....................lift and sit.....................pause.....................lift and sit...............pause.....................lift and sit.....................pause.....................then the salmon picks up the bait and you tell your guide your getting a bite and he'll hold the boat in position so that the presentation stays with the fish. Don't jerk yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! King salmon will mouth your bait for quite some time and jerking early will result in a missed fish and possibly an unhappy fisherman. Here's what will happen.....................the bite will feel like a tug, tug, tug, .....................tug, tug, tug,....tug, tug, tug,...............and then the fish will start to turn and you'll feel a pull as the fish turns and moves away with your bait.....................NOW..................... JERK AND SET THE HOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hang on, because you've got a Kasilof River King Salmon on the end of your line and the fun begins. Be sure to email me if you have more questions regarding backbouncing/fishing techniques or any other questions you may have.

Tight lines,
Lee Young
Kenai Alaska Master Guide

kenaioutfitters.com

Fishing for Salmon? Do You Know the Different Salmon Species?

2005-09-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

Alaska Fishing Guide :

Fishing for Salmon? Do You Know the Different Salmon Species?

By Garry Gamber

Did you know that there are five species of Pacific salmon and one species of Atlantic salmon? Further, did you know that all 5 species of Pacific salmon run wild in Alaska?

We’re proud of our wild salmon here in Alaska, and rightly so. On the one hand the wild salmon are great sport fish and we Alaskans love to spend gorgeous summer weekends challenging them.

On the other hand our commercial fisheries are healthy and self-sustaining. They are able to catch enough wild salmon to satisfy most of the world wide demand for fresh wild fillets in the restaurants and packaged wild salmon on grocery store shelves.

King Salmon

The Chinook salmon is nicknamed king salmon in Alaska. It is the official Alaska state fish.

Description

Of all the Pacific salmon the king is the largest. A 97-pound king was caught by a sport fisherman in 1986 on the Kenai River. In 1949 a 126 pound king was caught commercially near Petersburg, Alaska. Typically king salmon weigh 30 pounds and above.

The king is lightly and irregularly spotted on their blue-green back. They also have a black pigment along their gum line. Spawning kings in fresh water range in color from red to copper to almost black.

Life Cycle

All species of Pacific salmon hatch in fresh water, spend part of their life cycle in the ocean, then return to fresh water to spawn.

The king salmon generally live 5 to 7 years, though they can mature by their second to third year. As a result the kings in a spawning run can vary greatly in size. A mature 3-year old may only weigh 4 pounds while a mature 7-year old may exceed 50 pounds.

The young king salmon feed on plankton and insects during their fresh water period. During their second year they migrate to the ocean where they grow rapidly.

Some kings make immense spawning migrations. For example, many of the Yukon River kings will migrate over 2,000 miles during a 60 day period to reach the streams and headwaters in Yukon Territory, Canada.

Taste

The king salmon has a rich flavor, firm flesh, and a pleasing red color. Kings caught at the mouth of the Yukon River have a huge store of oil in their flesh for their long upriver migration. The result is an extra-rich flavor, much prized among those who love salmon.

Sockeye Salmon

The Sockeye salmon is also called the red salmon due to the bright red color of its flesh, and it is the second most abundant salmon species in Alaska.

Description

Sockeye salmon are the slimmest and most streamlined of the 5 species of Pacific salmon. They differ from kings, silvers, and pink salmon by the lack of large black spots, and they differ from chum salmon by having more gill rakers on the first gill.

Sockeye are generally a greenish-blue color with silver sides and a white or silver belly.

During the spawning season the Sockeye males develop a humped back and a hooked jaw. Both male and female Sockeye turn brilliant to dark red as they head upriver to their spawning grounds.

Life Cycle

After hatching during the winter and spending a few months in the river gravels, the juvenile Sockeye spend 1 to 3 years in freshwater before migrating to the ocean.

The Sockeye spend 1 to 4 years in the ocean, ranging thousands of miles while feeding and then returning to the same freshwater system where they were born. They reach an average size of 4 to 8 pounds, sometimes reaching in excess of 15 pounds.

Bristol Bay, in southwestern Alaska, annually harvests the largest number of Sockeye salmon in the world. About 10 million to 30 million Sockeye are caught during a short season that lasts only a few weeks.

Taste

The Sockeye salmon has an exquisitely rich flavor due to the high concentration of oils. It is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The rich red flesh color is maintained throughout cooking which results in a beautiful presentation. Some people consider the Sockeye to be the most flavorful of all the salmon species.

Silver Salmon

Coho salmon are known as silver salmon in Alaska and are an excellent game fish.

Description

Coho salmon have bright silver sides and have small black spots on their back.

Spawning salmon of both sexes develop red to maroon colored sides. The males develop a hooked snout with large teeth.

Life History

Juvenile silvers live in ponds and lakes formed by rivers and streams. They generally spend one to three years in the streams and may spend as many as 5 winters in lakes before migrating to the ocean.

Silvers stay in the ocean, where they grow quickly, for about 18 months before returning to their home streams. They weigh from 8 to 12 pounds, but can range up to 31 pounds. Their length ranges from 25 to 35 inches.

Taste

The flesh color of silver salmon is orange-red and is retained during cooking. The texture is firm and the fat content is high. The taste is a pleasing full salmon flavor, slightly milder than that of the Sockeye. The size of a fillet is larger than that of the Sockeye, and it is a prized fish for cooking.

Pink Salmon

Pink salmon are also known as the humpback in Alaska. Prior to spawning the pink salmon develops a pronounced hump on its back.

Description

The color of the pink salmon is generally a bright steely blue on top and silver on the sides. It has many large black spots on its back and over the entire tail fin. It has small scales and its flesh is pink, befitting its name.

The spawning pink salmon develops an olive green to black color on its back with a light-colored to white belly. It develops a very pronounced hump and hooked jaws.

Life Cycle

The young pink salmon hatch during the winter and spend a few months in the river gravels. During the spring they migrate downstream to the ocean. They feed along the beaches before moving out further into the ocean.

Like all salmon, the pinks grow rapidly in the ocean but they are the smallest of the Pacific salmon species. The pinks reach a size of about 3 to 5 pounds and about 20 to 24 inches in length.

The pink salmon spends only two years in the ocean. This two year pattern causes distinct odd-year and even-year cycles which are unrelated to each other.

When the pinks return to freshwater, they are the most abundant of the Pacific salmon species. They do not migrate far upriver, but generally spawn within a few miles of the mouth of the river. As with the other Pacific species both male and female pinks will die within a couple of weeks of spawning.

Taste

The pink salmon has a delicate, mild flavor and a light flesh color. About 80% of harvested pinks are canned and are the most common salmon species found on grocery store shelves.

Chum Salmon

Sometimes called “dog salmon” in Alaska, the chum salmon is a traditional source of dried fish for winter use.

Description

Chum salmon have a metallic greenish-blue back surface with fine black spots. They resemble sockeye and silver salmon so closely that one needs to examine their gills and fins closely to make a positive identification.

When nearing fresh water the chum salmon develops noticeable vertical bars of green and purple, which gives them another nickname, calico salmon.

The spawning chums develop the typical hooked jaws like other Pacific salmon and large teeth, which partially accounts for their other nickname, dog salmon.

Life Cycle

As with pink salmon, the young chum do not spend much time in fresh water before migrating out into the ocean. They feed near the mouths of their streams for a period before forming schools and moving further out into the ocean.

The chums spend 3 to 5 years in salt water, growing rapidly after entering the ocean. They generally range in size from 7 to 18 pounds, sometimes reaching 30 pounds in weight.

When the chums return to fresh water they often spawn in the same areas as the pinks, not migrating far up river. One major exception to this pattern is the chum salmon population of the Yukon River. Some of these chums migrate 2000 miles upriver to spawn in Yukon Territory of Canada. These chums have a very high fat content in preparation for their long migration.

Taste

Chum salmon have a mild, delicate flavor with a medium red flesh color. However, Yukon River chums, with their higher fat content, have a rich, full flavor similar to Kings and Sockeye.

Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon are not native to the Pacific coast but are raised in large numbers in pens. They run wild on the Atlantic coast only. The Atlantic salmon found in markets are farm-raised, generally originating in salmon farms off Chile or British Columbia, Canada.

Description

Atlantic salmon in the wild have silvery sides and belly with greenish-blue coloration on its back.

Spawning Atlantic salmon develop blackish fins and purplish coloration and reddish spots. Surviving adults are dark in color.

Life Cycle

In the wild young salmon spend one to three years in fresh water before migrating to the ocean. In the ocean the Atlantic salmon ranges for thousands of miles.

They generally return to freshwater by the age of five. Unlike the five Pacific species of salmon, the Atlantic salmon does not die after spawning. The surviving adults repeat the migration and spawning cycle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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