Alaska trip

[Bofire]

I am looking at a trip to Alaska, fishing. Maybe some Halibut but I prefer river fishing, spinning or casting gear, I am not coordinated enough to flyfish!!
Questions: Is there a 'best' time of year, for fish, bugs, weather?
Do you have a favorite spot or guide? Take your own gear or use the house gear?
Any input is appreciated.
Carl

[washingtonmuley]

Go to Kodiak!!!!!!!!!

[russ]

ive heard good things about Captain Blighs on the Kenai River...

[Houndhunter]

i know a good alaskan guide, he guides alot on the kenia river. let me know if your interested and i send you his contact info and all

[rougheye]

If you go to the kenai,expect big fish but crowded.Puts blue creek,cowlitz to shame.not for me.

[M_ray]

What do you want to fish for? The time depends much on what you wish to target ... Kings.silvers,sockeye or steelhead? some are in the rivers at the same time but usually there is a best time for the species you want to target. I am not sure if I am going to have time to go back this year for Steelhead but I was thinking I may post a story of last years trip anyway since I wasn't a member of this board then.

[Bofire]

thanks so far!

Ok, I dont really care too much about which fish, I want decent weather and not too buggy, I was told Sept. or late august is good. I want to drift rivers or jet boat, I want to see some sights on the trip everyday, so crowds are out even if that means smaller fish, I am thinking 3 or 4 days fishing. Taking pictures, a relaxed trip, I am not out to set any records, just have a ton of fun.

Carl

[FISHBOY]

Is their any particular reason why you want to river fish?  Most areas up there are fairly crowded whereever you go if you want to fish rivers when their is a run of fish.  My first 2 trips up there we fished the Deshka RIver near Palmer and halibut fished out of Seward and Homer.  Last year I went to Sitka.  It doesnt even compare to river fishing on the mainland, its different fishing because you are fishing the sound/ocean instead of the rivers.  But the fishing was much better, the quality of fish doesnt even compare and when you get your salmon you just take a little boat ride and you can catch all the halibut, lings and other bottom fish that you can reel up.  Not to mention the scenary is unbelievable.  Its a little more spendy, but you get what you pay for.

[Bofire]

that is great input fishboy, I may totally rethink this.
Carl

[Antlershed]

Never done the Kenai thing, but have walked in and fished a smaller combat river (can't remember the name). My most enjoyable time was when we went to Sitka and fished out in the salt. 4-5' lings, halibut and Kings all over the place, and for the most part, we were the only boat around. 

[rougheye]

Sitka is great but remember,your in the ocean so weather is a big part of it.I have run a charter fishing boat out of juneau for the past 6 years and I know were I would go. I would rent a boat ,get some charts and go explore. There is so much that is un touched up there.I can tell you how to find halibut and what to use.

[bowelkin]

If you want no bugs fish the saltwater.  If you want rivers fly in somewhere to get away.  Any flight will give you great views.  There are fish all summer long.  It varies for each when they have runs of what kind of fish.  I lived in Sitka for 13 years.  You could get Kings all year but best in May-July.  Silvers a little later. Sockeyes July-Aug. Halibut June-July.  When you decide what you want start looking for Guides and they will let you know best times for what where they fish.
Good Luck!

[FISHBOY]

Good thing about Sitka is even if the weather comes up you can fish fairly close to town and still get into great salmon and chicken halibut.  PM me if you want info as far as where I stayed and went out of last yr.

[M_ray]

Bofire,
If I had 4 or 5 days and what you are describing I would do what I did last year. Go in late April or early May to the Situk ... stay at the Glacier Bear Lodge and rent a drift boat one day and hike in the others. I landed over 50 Steelies in 3 days! 



Oh and BTW check the weather and be prepared to bring snowshoes and you wont see a soul on the upper river, Just grizz tracks ... bring your spray!

[Michelle_Nelson]

Now thats a nice looking fish right their!

[M_ray]

Yeah that is a good looking one but not my largest of the trip I acually landed 3 that taped out at 38" x 20" which puts them just a few ounces under 20lbs. I lost 3 other that were much larger and one that was pushing 30 lbs easy!

[cohoho]

Bonfire,  Too many options for sure.  It boils down to what you want to catch.  My favorite recurring trip is to hit the Klutina River south of Glenallen, in 1st week of July for Kings, big fish and extremely dangerous water, don't go without a guide unless you can run big water (Class 4). The hit it for Sockeyes for a day or so after your down with Kings, followed up with a couple days in Valdez for the Kids for Pinks, literally catch a hundred a day just off Allison point from a boat, across from the boat launch.  Late Aug the Silvers are there thick also, but along the boat ramp side and out to the bay.  And finish it off with a quick run out for some decent Halibut. Yea, you'll see people, but you'll see wildlife too.  Kenai can't be beat late season Early Sep, late Aug for Pinks and Silvers followed up by chasing Big Rainbows, not many people then, Residents are going after Moose and the tourist have one gone home and it is quite nice.  If your just out for fun, picking out Rainbow under the spawned out Reds is a hoot, off the Russian River in late Aug.  If you want a relaxing trip, AVOID the Kenai, during peak King Runs (may and third week of July) and peak Red runs (2nd week of June & 3rd week of July), people everywhere, but there are places to seek privacy.  Most folks that complain, don't catch the fish, but those that do, will return year after year.  I meet the same people every year in the same holes during those dates.  The guides think they own the river and most aren't from AK anyhow, so if your self-guiding watch out for their antics.  Most Tourist all fish, like they work, from the hours of 8-4.  Hit the river early there will just be a few people then get off before the crowds run. Rivers around Anchorage, Ship Creek, Bird Creek, Avoid like the plague, it is where COMBAT Fishing started.  My silver favorites are the Deska, 7 or so miles up past the weir, nobody around and plenty of silvers, (have had many days of 90+ a day, hence how I named the boat COHOHO).  Twenty Mile river also can't be beat late season.   There are hidden areas, if you got access to a small jet boat that only a few go, where you'll put down the fishing rod cause your freaking hands hurt...  But truly, if it your only time going there to fish, invest some extra dollars and fly out, Kodiak is prime along with the Pennisula, but make certain it isn't to any body of water that residents of Anchorage can get too, I have seen so many people get dropped off on river systems near Anchorage (Deshka, Alexander, Little Sue and anything off the Big Sue) and for them to be greeted by 20-30 boats of residents making a little bit longer of a boat ride to that location.  Pretty dissappointing to have the plane fly away and leave them with their 12 foot rental boat and 2hp motor, thinking they are in a secret location and then seeing everyone else as you round the bend from the drop off point and seeing the madness of 20 foot jet and air boats racing up the river to better areas, looking at you like your crazy cause you just blew alot of money for a long plane ride that did alot of circles getting you there.  After all it is all about what choices work for you.

[klickman]

If you are wanting salmon the end of august and the first of Sept is about the end of the salmon season.  There are a few silvers out of Seward, and there are a few silvers in the Kenai.  Halibut is really winding down also.  YOu can still catch halibut but alot of the big fish have started to migrate back to deep water.  If you want to catch a lot of fish come up in early august.  Most rivers have silvers available and the ocean fishing is really good.  June is your best month for king fishing.  July is when you would want to fish the Kenai area.  I hope this helps.  Also all this info is for southcentral alaska.  Good luck
klickman

[washingtonmuley]

Spend the extra money and go to Kodiak!!!!!!!!!