FishingInAlaska.org

Alaska is ideal for every type of angler, as it has a wide variety of locations to fish at, so you could fly fish on a lake or river, or go sea fishing in the rich Alaskan waters, or simply bait fish from the edge of a lake or reservoir or you can take up the age old ice fishing and poke a hole in the ice and sit with your thoughts in the freezing cold . This is why Alaska is a popular fishing spot because of the wide variety of fish & fishing types anyone practice and participate in.

Their are many types of places to fish in alaska ranging from the sea to rivers and everything inbetween, this means that you can participate in a wide variation of fishing techniques and catching different types of fish.

This is one of the most asked questions, and there is no exact answer as it depends on what you are fishing for & how far you are willing to go to find that perfect spot. Alaska is a big place and each region is different but here are a few general rules to follow when choosing your fishing spot:

(Kenai Peninsula & the Road System Region) Places that you can drive to will have more facilities and will be less expensive than more remote areas, but this will also mean more anglers

(Southeast & Kodiak) These places are not connected to the outside road system and you can only reach the by ferry or plane, once you get there you can drive around the towns the price is a little higher however there will be much less people fishing the waters

(Bristol Bay & The Arctic) Have virtually no facilities unless you are staying at a lodge but this can become quite expensive however there will be very few anglers and the fishing is great

In the summer of 2007 Adam Konrad landed the loch ness rainbow trout, this broke the 37 year old world record set by David White on June 22 1970. It was caught on Bell Island, Alaska and weighed a massive 43 pounds, 9.6 oz. The trout was caught on a lure and any question the legitimacy of the trout as it may have escaped a nearby fish farm (news source)

the picture below is not of the fish, but just a very large trout because their were no pictures of the fish to be found.

This Alaska fishing lodge compromises of six spacious double rooms each room has a bathroom, two full sized beds and magnificent views of Larsen bay, and the wildlife such as bears, foxes & dear can often be seen from the property. It also compromises of an ocean front dining room which benefits from marvelous views of the mountains, with a trained chef that will rustle up some fine dishes with all the trimmings.

To view more on this lodge please visit
http://www.kodiakresort.com/guestrooms_dining.php

There have been stories about people who got a job as a member of an Alaskan fishing boat and made tons of cash, with no trouble at all. This can be true but is usually a fluke as for every success there is 100 failures that are never spoken about. The chances of a profitable harvest depends greatly on the job openings and job details and crew members rarely leave good positions so it can be very hard to find a profitable job. Commercial fishing is rated as one of the most hazardous occupations in America. There also large costs involved with becoming a crew member including all your kit buy which could run upto $500, and even your food, fuel, bait & ice can be taken from your wages, crew members are often given a % of the gross harvest so if your on a boat that has a poor harvest it is likely you will make alot less.

Alaska truly is one of the best places to fish in the world, with people regurarly breaking records for the biggest fish caught. With a wide range of species and a perfect natural habitat you can be assured to hook some real winning fish. So let me show you what is possible. World  hunger you say? bah just let those starving folks loose in Alaska for a few days and they would catch enough fish to feed the world over.

Ling Cod
A twenty year old angler on his first trip to Alaska caught the biggest Ling cod in the world, She weighed in at an impressive 82.6 pounds. He said “i feel very lucky”. He also caught a 124 pound Halibut the day before. I would say that is more than luck but what is he going to do with all that fish? Well he’s going to get it stuffed and mounted of course!
Here’s a pic of Hammond with his massive Ling Cod:

Rock Fish:
This one is especially interesting as scientists say this this fish could be between 95 & 115 years old, not only that but it had put on a fair bit of weight during its long life weighing in at 60pounds. It may be one of the oldest fishes ever to have lived in Alaskan waters.

King Salmon:
Fred Houtman of Meridan Idaho landed the largest King Salmon in 2002 weighing in at 89 Pound.Fred is no stranger to fish of the larger size and landed a 79lb King Salmon in 1999.

Alaska fishing species
If you are thinking about going fishing to Alaska then you will want to know what fish you will be able to catch. Alaska offers a large amount of species to fish and this means that fishing can be for all types of fishermen whether you are fly fishing or simply want to go for a laugh with your mates and do some bait fishing. With a wide range of places to go fishing in Alaska there are also a wide range of fish species you can fish in lakes, the sea & rivers.

King Salmon
The largest of the Pacific Salmon, the King is Alaska’s state fish, and an important sport and commercial fish.  The largest on record was found in a fish trap near Petersburg in 1949 and weighed 126 pounds. We Alaskans devote many hours to the pursuit of this fish, and with good reason. A King gives an incredible fight which can often last hours. I’ve seen Kings take a line to the bottom of a river and just sit there, the fisherman unable to move it eventually giving up. Some people hook Kings that are just too big for them to handle, either losing it or letting someone else reel it in. It is a thrilling experience that leaves you understanding why they are called ‘Kings.’

Sockeye Salmon
Dark blue-black back with silvery sides. No distinct spots on back, dorsal fin or tail. Spawning sockeye salmon adults develop dull, green-colored heads and brick-red to scarlet bodies.

Silver Salmon
Yet another member of the family ‘Salmonidae’, the Silver or Coho Salmon is one of the most exciting to fish for largely because of its antics when hooked, but it is also a delicious tasting salmon that can sometimes run in very large numbers. If you see large congregations of fisherman in the fall, in Alaska, they are probably on a Silver stream.

Rainbow Trout
Their color is green to bluish back with silvery to yellowish-green sides. Broad pinkish band along side and black spots on back, sides and tail. Upper jaw usually does not extend past eye on adult.

Chum Salmon
Dull gray back with yellowish-silver sides. No distinct spots on back or tail. Large eye pupil covers nearly the entire eye. Spawning adults develop olive green coloration on the back with maroon sides covered with irregular dull red bars. Males exhibit many large canine-like teeth

Dolly Varden
Olive green to blue-gray back with silvery sides. Small yellow, red or pink spots on sides. Pelvic and anal fins often have white leading edge.

Pink Salmon
Very large spots on the back and large black oval blotches on both tail lobes. Very small scales. Spawning adults take on a dull gray coloration on back and upper sides with a creamy white color below. Males develop a pronounced hump.

Northern Pike
Back and sides usually greenish with yellow-white spots. Head depressed forward with duck-like jaws containing many large, sharp teeth.

Grayling
Light brown to dark purple back, fading to bluish gray with black spots on sides. With a very large dorsal fin with red violet spots.

Halibut
Halibut are among the largest fish in the sea and the largest of all the flatfish. They can grow to more than 8 ft long and 700 lbs. Halibut weighing in at more than 100 pounds are often called “Whales”, “Soakers”, or even “Barn Doors”, while smaller halibut, less than 20 pounds, are often called “Chickens”. The largest halibut ever caught while sport fishing was 459 lbs. in Unalaska Bay.

Salmon Shark
Dark gray top, blotchy patches on sides, white belly.  Average 6.5 to 8 ft, 200 to 400 lbs, Up to 11 ft. At there Peak during salmon migration, spring to fall.

Steelhead
Sea-run rainbow trout with bluish gray back and bright silvery sides. Small black spots on back, sides and tail. Pink/red coloration develops after returning to fresh water to spawn.

LingCod
Dark brownish-green with copper blotches. Average 20 - 30 lbs, 20 - 35 inches Up to 60+ lbs.

Sheefish
The largest member of the whitefish family. A large jaw with the lower jaw overlapping the upper, silvery sides with large silvery scales and tail is deeply forked.

Arctic Char
Very difficult to distinguish from Dolly Varden. Arctic char are generally found in the Bristol Bay area and throughout western Alaska, and Dolly Varden are found on Kodiak Island and throughout the waters of southcentral and southeastern Alaska.

Rock Fish
Olive green to greenish brown with lighter underside, fins distinctly yellowish green. Size: up to 26 inches.

Lake Trout
Lake trout hold the title of not only being Alaska’s largest freshwater fish, but they also belong to the largest family of fish, known as char. Two close relatives of lake trout, which can also inhabit the same waters, are Dolly Varden and Arctic char.