Alaska Fishing Trips: Some Notable Angler Excursions For The Alaska Vacationer
Alaska fishing trips are popular for a reason – the pristine state offers hundreds of thousands of square miles of fresh streams, beautiful coastline, glaciers and forests. The fish are massive, the trips are sure to be a success and there’s always an adventure for everyone.
However, here in the wilds, your experience is a personal one. So, keep reading for three trips that appeal to every kind of traveler – the family man, the adventurer and the angler.
For the Family Trip – Emerald Pines Lodge
Located just above Kachemak Bay, the halibut fishing capital of the world, is Emerald Pines Lodge. You can contact Emerald Pines Lodge for details.
Not only does Emerald Pines offer a locale known for its incredible fishing of rainbow trout, Arctic char, Alaskan halibut and king salmon, it’s also all-inclusive. Rather than packing up the kids and all your gear, you can simply bundle the bare essentials and you’re ready to go. For a five-day and six-night package, the price is typically $2850 per adult and $1425 per child.
Copper River Valley and Fishing Excitement
The Klutina River has some of the most plentiful king salmon fishing in the world. Anglers will do battle with 30- to 50-pound king salmons that are hooked in a current which pushes along at 5 to 15 mph. The rapids and flow are fast, meaning you have to fish quickly and efficiently. Alongside volcanoes and mountains, this is some of the wildest fishing in the world.
In addition to testing your fishing skills on the mighty Klutina, you can also explore nearby Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the biggest preserve in the United States. Between your fishing expeditions or after a long day, you can simply relax and take in the majestic view.
The ideal time to fish here is from June to September, with July being the best month for king salmon. Try a recommended charter company like Copper River Salmon Charters or a lodge like the Orca Adventure Lodge.
The Remote Angler’s Adventure – Middleton Island
Blue water Alaska sport fishing is not an activity for those with weak arms or hearts. With typical halibut catches ranging between 80 and 160 pounds, Middleton Island, approximately 90 miles from Seward, has some of the best fishing in the world.
The ideal season for Middleton, Alaska fishings is June to September. Costs will depend on your charter company, but it typically ranges between $700 and $800 per angler for two days. Cracker Jack Charters is a popular company to coordinate a trip.
Alaska is full of fishing adventure for both the serious and casual outdoorsman. You could spend a week or even a month on the crisp Alaska waters and still not feel that your time there is complete. There are many options among which you can choose – the three described above simply represent a few of the memorable ones.
Regardless of your exact location and specific charter you select, you will do yourself a favor to make your way to Alaska at least once for an exciting fishing expedition.
If You Want to Catch More Fish, Learn To Think Like One
Yes, you can leave your fish catching success to chance, but if you want to catch more fish, you must learn how to think like the fish you are trying to catch. Consistent success and fishing enjoyment is more than just baiting up your hook, casting it out and waiting for the fish to bite. This one basic premise will improve your fish catching ability and will set you apart from the fishing novices. How do you think the fishing pros are able to consistently catch fish when other fishermen do nothing but drown their bait? They use the same fishing tackle, rods and reels, fishing lures and live bait as everyone else, but they always catch more fish.
You will catch more fish!
That little teaser should have caught your attention. However, learning how to put this technique into practice takes time, patience and persistence.
Let us start at the beginning. How do you learn to think like a fish? For starters, pick one of your favorite target fish species and begin to learn everything you can about that fish. It is important to understand things like, how it feeds, how it moves around each day, what are its migratory and breeding patterns, what kind of habitat it prefers, what type of fish or food source it feeds on, just to name a few. Also important to understand is how the current, tides and moon phases effect your target fish species’ activities and habits.
One way to start learning how to catch more fish, is to learn how to find your target fish species under any circumstances. Visit your local fishing tackle and bait stores. Get to know these people, because often they will have a broad knowledge of the fishing in that area. They can be a great source of fishing knowledge and how-to tips of not only learning where to fish, but also the why and how of locating fish. Instead of just asking them where the best fishing spots are, also ask questions about your targeted fish species. Try to learn what makes the fish tick, and what are it basics habits and tendencies. You will be amazed at how willing most of these folks are to share their expertise, especially if you are returning the favor and patronizing their store.
The next thing to do is to go fishing. Prepare yourself ahead of time with the proper fishing tackle, lures, bait and a notepad. Start in an area known to hold your targeted fish, and make notes about the current conditions; including, the date, time, wind direction and speed, temperature, tidal flow, water conditions and any other specific notes you feel like making. The most important thing is to start thinking like the fish you want to catch. Ask yourself, where would you be hiding and moving to. For example, if it is a real hot summer day, and the current is slack, and a low tide, the fish may not be up on the shallow flats. They may be looking for cooler water, so they may have moved to some deeper pot holes, or slid off a ridge or shallow bank and eased into deeper waters. Keep looking and when you find the fish, make more notes. The old saying that practice makes perfect is certainly true when it comes to catching more fish consistently.
To help you along, learn your local fishing waters and fishing grounds. Locate the ‘fishy’ areas and mark them on your GPS unit. If you do not have a GPS, then buy a nautical chart, or fishing chart. Locate shoreline points, eddys, potholes, sandbars, oyster bars, rock piles and submerged structures, and over time you will learn which places to go to depending upon the current conditions you are faced with, and that will make all the difference in your fishing world.
Learning how to think like a fish will make you a more complete and competent fisherman and angler, and will make your fishing outings with friends and family a lot more enjoyable.
