# Alaska Bucket list trip tips for 2015



## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Alaska has been on my bucket list since I was little. It looks like this year is my chance to go. My wife has free airfare and rooms. I will need to pay for my airfare and lodges etc. Looking for some tips on where to go and when?? I plan to fish for Halibut and Salmon but just love to fish and travel so anything is game. I did tell my wife, make no mistake - THIS IS A FISHING TRIP.
Thanks for the tips in advance!


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

All depends on the month you go. And where you are staying. If you choose a guide service on the Kenai I recommend Jeff Moore. He is a great guide and will put you on the fish. I go in late August when the Silvers are on fire and also Big Rainbows. Two years ago me and my brother caught just about every species. Rainbow,Dolly Varden, King, Pink,Sockeye and Silver Salmon that avg 10lbs. And the scenery up to Shiloc Lake is amazing. I caught a Rainbow that went 6lbs and that is just an avg fish he said. A trip I will never forget.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Gofish2day said:


> Alaska has been on my bucket list since I was little. It looks like this year is my chance to go. My wife has free airfare and rooms. I will need to pay for my airfare and lodges etc. Looking for some tips on where to go and when?? I plan to fish for Halibut and Salmon but just love to fish and travel so anything is game. I did tell my wife, make no mistake - THIS IS A FISHING TRIP.
> Thanks for the tips in advance!


We want pics for proof that this is a FISHING TRIP, just saying.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

We are having an Alaska night at the Livingston Hookers angling club:

March 19, 6:30 pm, First National Bank Conference Room 2121, US190W, 2nd Floor (use the side door). Rus Schwausch, EPIC Angling will be speaking on fishing Alaska. 



Its a great opportunity to get some first hand info. George , President of the club, has been to Alaska about a dozen times...and I'm approaching double figures with two more trips this year. Each time there is special, no doubt about it.

If you can't make the meeting, then post some more info...dates, how much time for fishing, other things you might want to do, place(s) you intend to stay, etc. I'm pretty sure we can give you a lot of useful information.


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## SwampRat (Jul 30, 2004)

I would start serious planning NOW....Spots fill up far in advance.

What a great trip....I can't wait to do it again.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

...and I can carry your rods and tackle box. :ac550: Now, go back to work!


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## lowensome1866 (Sep 13, 2010)

If you are going for halibut Homer is a must, Don't forget to register in the derby.


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Thanks for the responses. I will try to get up to LL for that meeting. I am thinking about staying for 7-8 days.


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## Jumpjack (May 21, 2004)

I worked up there as sportfishing guide for two summers. Alaska is awesome!!! Do your research on where you want to go and what type fishing you want to do as in technique you want to fish. Some guys just troll for salmon (Boring as hell) or they Mooch. Mooching is a technique in which the angler as complete control of the rod and the hooking of the fish. As far when to go, it depends on the fish you want to catch and if you want to be in freshwater or saltwater. (Saltwater Salmon Taste ten times better than fresh) (Saltwater times= Three main times to be there, May-June are the best King Salmon Months As July gets closer you start seeing more Silvers (Coho) and you have chances at getting both Kings and Silvers in June. When July hits you dont see as many Kings and its just Silvers. August and September are great months for Silvers. These times are just about the same in freshwater( they could be a week or two off), as well but that depends on the river in which you fish and the runs of salmon they have on that river. Kings are generally bigger and fight much harder, Silvers are faster and very jumpy. I always liked silver fishing because of how fast the action could be. As far as Halibut goes it is pretty much good all year long. O and rock fish like Yellow Eye and Ling Cod are super easy to catch, most catch them while Halibut fishing.

I might be bias but I loved Sitka, Alaska. Maybe cause that is were I worked. Here is few links of guides up in that area.

http://anglingunlimited.com/
http://www.horizonwestguides.com/index.php


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

I have always stayed in soldatna at all Alaska outdoors. They can set you up with a variety of fishing expeditions with good guides.


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## fishy (Jun 20, 2005)

Need to contact Darlene at fish on Alaska. They are great ppl. I'm going back on late August for silvers and halibut and ling cod.


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Thanks for the responses. All great places to fish! I need to just pick one and pull the trigger. The wife now wants to go in June.


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## saltaholic (Feb 19, 2005)

Check out RW Alaska in soldotna

We loved it, you get your own private condo on the river with 24/7 fishing access and we caught lots of salmon off the bank. They set up all your charters etc for you.

We did 2 river trips that leave from your condo 1 flyout trip which was the best trip ever and 2 Halibut trips out of homer.

Next time will do at least one extra fly out because fishing in the remote lakes and flying over the glaciers was unreal.

http://rwfishing.com


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Be sure and do a fly out across the cook inlet from soldatna.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

tbone2374 said:


> ...and I can carry your rods and tackle box. :ac550: Now, go back to work!


... Now, I thought that was funny. Have a good trip, take many pictures!!!


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## wwind3 (Sep 30, 2009)

Went last August for a week with RW Fishing----kinda between coho and silver runs---Aug 2 thru 9th. caught a lot of fresh pinks tho' Flyout trip was a bust except for the flying and the bears we shared our fishing spot with. Had to stay offsite as RW was booked up. Don't recommend his alternate place to stay--owner is not very nice---real a-hole. She has a bad reputation and lives up to it. Wont stay there again.

Halibut trip was OK---small fish and spent most of the time tangled up with 20 of our closest friends 

Met some folks who fished with Mark Glassmaker---they said they went out early around 4 am and caught salmon and then fished for monster rainbows--catch and release the bows only. He showed me a pic of one over 30 inches.

Word of caution on the Kenai---king salmon fishing is all but shut down last couple of years due to low numbers--better check reports before you attempt a Kenai King trip....doubt if the seasons and limits on Kings are set yet but check Alaska Parks and Wildlife site anyway.

btw---no pinks in the Kenai this year---even numbered yrs only.

found this--King Salmon restrictions 
http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/king-salmon-restrictions-released-for-kenai-peninsula-waters/31368242


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## wwind3 (Sep 30, 2009)

btw----booked with RW but stayed at Krog's Camp--owner lady is Mel--read reviews on Trip Advisor--I experienced a couple of the negative reviews myself.

1) Don't sleep on her couches-dunno how she knows.
2) Don't drive around her house-closest one to the river-road circles around her house so impossible not to. Drove down to the river at around 8:30 in morning-got *** chewed out.
3) Was told I couldn't use her "free" rods and reels because I booked thru RW and wasn't really a guest at Krog's even tho I was staying there---ohhhh kay.

Other than that she is a real sweetheart.


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## wwind3 (Sep 30, 2009)

wwind3 said:


> Went last August for a week with RW Fishing----kinda between sockeye and silver runs---Aug 2 thru 9th. caught a lot of fresh pinks tho' Flyout trip was a bust except for the flying and the bears we shared our fishing spot with. Had to stay offsite as RW was booked up. Don't recommend his alternate place to stay--owner is not very nice---real a-hole. She has a bad reputation and lives up to it. Wont stay there again.
> 
> Halibut trip was OK---small fish and spent most of the time tangled up with 20 of our closest friends
> 
> ...


 oops---meant sockeye and silver runs


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## Boboe (Feb 11, 2009)

I've guided in SW Alaska for 11 years. It's considerably more remote than some of the other places mentioned, and generally more expensive as a result. 

Catching halibut and salmon is doable at a pretty reasonable price. This is again mainly because you can get to those places by road. Seward is gorgeous and has a legendary silver run in Resurrection Bay. Halibut and other bottom dwellers are plentiful also. Homer is a little further drive, and is known for great halibut fishing. 

SE Alaska (Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, Yakutat, Prince of Wales Island, etc) is really beautiful, with tall trees and fjords. This area is a temperate rainforest, and as such you'll probably get wet. The last two years have been generally dry in Alaska, so those traveling to SE in '13 and '14 probably saw the exception to this. Fishing in SE is primarily in the salt, but there are short rivers coming out of the mountains that have rainbows, cuththroat, dolly varden, and steelhead. 

SW Alaska is pretty remote and sees less angling pressure than the other parts of the state. It can still get busy, but nowhere near the chaos of the Kenai. We have more brown bear than anywhere else in the state, and long rivers with some giant rainbows. This area has the world's largest sockeye salmon run, and 2015 is slated to be a record year. There are plenty of kings and silvers as well. 99+% of fishing in SW is in rivers and lakes. We do a lot of fly fishing, but hardware still has its place. I regularly teach people who have never held a fly rod how to fly fish. 

I could go on for pages. 

Ask any other questions you've got.


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

Gofish2day said:


> Thanks for the responses. All great places to fish! I need to just pick one and pull the trigger. The wife now wants to go in June.


 Depending on where you go June can be great , I prefer July but that's the Kenai peninsula. This will be our fourth year in a row if you end up on the KP shoot me a pm.


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

The trip is till on for this year. We almost booked a trim for memorial weekend. We plan to go in July or August. Thanks for the tips!


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

I just finished booking for this year and I was lucky to get on a boat for the third week in July. If you're considering the Kenai Peninsula I'd get to booking if going in July. August can be fun too not as crowded and the Silver Salmon run will be in effect as well as really good rainbow fishing.


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