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If you love to fish but have grown bored with your local hotspot, consider the adventure and grandeur of the world’s best fishing hole – Alaska, the Last Frontier.
Whether you’re after the monstrous deep-sea halibut, Pacific salmon fighting upstream in a raging river or the unparalleled joy of non-stop lake action, Alaska is the fisherman’s paradise.
Salmon
The mighty King (Chinook) salmon, with record weigh-ins near 100 pounds, can be the ultimate trophy for anglers who love a good fight. From May through July, the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers offer some of the best action on Kings. Many interior rivers, such as the Gakona, Gulkana and Salcha are also hot with Kings during mid-summer. If you can, charter either a driftboat or powerboat that can get you to the center of the river where the big ones run.
Silver (coho) salmon are the most plentiful of the species. From late July until October, the silvers dominate action in Cordova, Valdez and on the Kenai Peninsula. Silvers can challenge even the most expert anglers, going for spinner lures, bait or even flies, and the fight is memorable.
Sockeye (red) salmon abound in the Russian River on the Kenai Peninsula, where the motto is “bring your own rock,” because of the shoulder-to-shoulder bank fishing. The sockeye is the hardest fighting and perhaps best eating of the salmon species and flourishes from June to August. They love flies and spinner bait.
Pink (humpback) salmon are also extremely prolific, often rivaling silvers in sheer numbers. The best pinks are taken as they return from the sea, in inlets such as Kenai and Valdez, and most aggressively attack silver spinners. Many commercial fishermen rely on pinks for their annual harvest, so it’s good to get in on this action early – usually June to August.
Chum salmon are often caught accidentally, although no wise angler throws them back. Chum harvests usually number fewer than 25,000 by sport fishermen, and are taken mainly for subsistence purposes in the Arctic, Interior and Northwestern Alaska.
Each salmon run has its ebbs and flows, with distinguishable peaks and valleys. Timing can be crucial, but no more so than technique, tackle and location.
Halibut
A charter service is necessary and can be expensive (from $150-200 for a 10-12-hour trip). But fish from 50 to 150 pounds are common, and boats often return to the harbor with at least one 200-pounder. Again, the best spots are Kenai and Valdez, but Homer, on the southern coast of the Kenai Peninsula, is also outstanding. Virtually all charters offer all bait and tackle, and most will even tutor the tenderfoot. Whatever the size of your catch, rest assured that it will be the best-tasting fish you’ve ever had. If you’re lucky, your captain will find a herd of humpback whales. Even if you suffer the rare “shutout,” you’ll be amazed at the scenery. Find a good charter and you’ll also hit your limit of enormous (30-inch) red snapper or mammoth (50-inch) ling cod. Most of the best charters book at least six months in advance, so start planning now.
Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling
Wonderful fighting fish all, and all are terrific taken out of the Kenai River, the Copper River or from any of the nearby lakes. But these species – which go for any number of baits, including worms, shad, shrimp, liver or even corn – are also prolific throughout the many streams and lakes in the Interior, and most of these locations are only a day-trip from Anchorage. There are more than 3,000 rivers and streams from which to choose, and popular lakes include Paxson, Birch and Quartz along the Richardson Highway and Chalatna and Starr up the Parks Highway.
Other charters
Keep in mind, some of the most diverse sportfishing in the world can be had in the Alaska bush, and while the fly-out charters are plentiful, they are also quite expensive – $1,500 to $3,000 for varied packages, which range from lake and/or river fishing, guided or unguided, from 1 to 7 days.
Remember also that Alaska is more than just fishing. Its rugged mountains, endless summer days and unfettered wildlife combine for a pristine dream that can overwhelm the senses.
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