ALASKA SALMON FISHING

Alaskan salmon fishing is as good as it gets. The sport fishing season in Ketchikan, begins in May and runs through the end of September. During this time, Alaska's waters teem with life, as wild Alaskan salmon infiltrate our local waterways, providing anglers with an abundance of fishing opportunities, comparable to no other place on earth. Thanks to the preservation of our wild Alaskan salmon runs and a thriving fish hatchery, Alaska's salmon stocks are stronger than ever.

Ketchikan has one of the finest saltwater fisheries in Alaska to experience the excitement of catching one of these remarkable fish. Once you have felt the tenacity of a chrome bright salmon, fresh from the ocean, we guarantee that you will be hooked for life.

Sport fishing for salmon in Ketchikan is done almost exclusively by trolling. Trolling is one of the easiest and most effective ways for catching salmon in a wide variety of conditions. We use downriggers, which enables us to "stack" our fishing lines at different depths and attractors such as dodgers and flashers to draw the fish in. Herring is the most common bait used; its strong oils and scent make it a favorite to the salmon.

Fresh Alaskan salmon makes superb dinner fare. If you have only eaten salmon from a grocery store or even a restaurant, then you have been missing out. Catching and eating your own salmon, fresh from the ocean, will have your taste buds wanting to come back for more.

Fishing for the King of Salmon
Catching and landing a king salmon can be the pinnacle achievement for any Alaskan fisherman. The biggest of the salmon species, a king salmon can reach weights of 30, 40, even 50 lbs and bigger, making them very formidable adversaries. When a chrome bright king salmon, fresh from the ocean, nails the end of you line and doesn't stop running, your first thought is that you have snagged a whale. These brawny salmon are pure guts and bravado and have a way of putting your fishing pole in impossible angles in a desperate attempt to get free.

Ketchikan's king salmon fishery is vibrant and bountiful; in fact we have an annual king salmon derby, where top notch catches of 40 to 50 lbs are common and the record king salmon weighing in at 79 lbs. Knowing where to go and the proper techniques to catch king salmon is what we do and we are always up to the task. King salmon can be caught year round in Ketchikan; however, the most productive months are early spring to midsummer.

Fishing for Alaskan Silver Salmon
Silver salmon, also known as coho, are second only to their cousin the king salmon. Multiple hook ups are common when you get into a school of feeding silvers, providing for some of the most excitement an angler can have out on the water.

Silvers are aggressive and often times reckless, striking at the bait even when they are not hungry and easily provoked by bright colors. The average silver salmon weighs in at 8 to 10 lbs, but can reach weights of 20 lbs or more. Typically caught in shallower depths than king salmon, silvers often head right for the ocean's surface, where they put on a display of acrobatic leaps and maneuvers. The best time to fish Ketchikan for silver salmon is middle to late summer, with runs sometimes lasting through October.

The Rest of Alaska's Salmon
While most of the attention goes to the king and silver salmon, Alaska is also home to an abundance of other noteworthy salmon, such as the pink, chum, and sockeye. These fish are very plentiful and often pick up the slack when the king and silver salmon fishing is slow.

Pink salmon, though smaller than the other salmon species, typically weighing between 2 to 5 lbs, are full of energy and very feisty. When the bite is on, they will keep everyone on their toes.

Chums salmon, also known as dog salmon, can be brutes…often making leaps and powerful runs. They average between 8 to 10 lbs, but can exceed weights of 25 lbs.

Sockeye salmon are perhaps the tastiest in the salmon family, but they are not known for being the most aggressive. Most of the sockeye fishery takes place by seine boaters or gill netters. They can also be successfully caught by spin casting or fly fishing in the rivers they spawn at.