Trips to Alaska this summer??

[fishermann222]

Who is all planning on coming up to the big state for fishing vacations this summer? When and where are you planning on going?

[DTro]

I sure would like to. My sis lives in Fairbanks, so the lodging is covered

Not sure what is in that area for fishing, but I'm sure I wouldn't have to go very far.

What's a good time to plan a "visit"?

[fishermann222]

Good fishing for salmon from Fairbanks is at least a few hours away. Better salmon fishing on the road system is further south. There are some to be caught near Fairbanks, but not the great fishing you hear about. Even the fairbanks guys head south to fish.

Time of year depends what and where you are going to be June/july/aug. all have benifits.

[Down Deep]

Going to Seward in August for some slivers and halibut. Then heading to Cordova and a 3 day 2 night boat trip for whatever bites out there on the Gulf of Alaska. Considering a flyout to some mountian lake, don't know the name as my fishing buddy is making the arrangements for this part of the trip. We might head to the Kenia for a couple of days to visit the guide we had last year for Kings.

[fishermann222]

Sounds like fun. Look into salmon shark fishing out of Cordova.

[MAITOI]

I'm going to Seward July 31 for 2 days of Silver/Halibut fishing and then to Soldotna for 5 days of fishing Reds on the Kenai. If the Reds are not hitting I may go to Homer or Ninilchik for a day of Halibut fishing. Or possibly a guided float trip for Silvers? I see they may be limiting the Halibut to one a day. I usually bring the fish back frozen to Mn and have most of it smoked locally.

[Down Deep]

Is that one fish limit everywhere or in certian locations?

[Down Deep]

222 We will be fishing for the sharks. I hear that the shark fishing can really get the boat rocking with multiple fish on.

[fishermann222]

Downdeep the Proposed halibut limit changes are not in effect yet. If they do go into effect it will not be statewide. I do believe it will affect the entire Kenai though. I will have to check into the proposed changes and let you know for sure.

That shark fishing I have heard is a BLAST. A few of my buddies did it two years ago. They boated and released 4 of them. The boat they were on used underwater cameras attached to a large TV so you could see the sharks hit also. I hope to go someday to do it.

[MAITOI]

As 222 has replied it is just proposed for now. It sounds like it would include Homer and Seward if adopted.

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[Tripleplay]

Cutting that halibut limit to a single fish will really put a crimp on those charter businesses. It is tough enough with a two fish limit if the weather doesn't allow you to run for the "barn doors". I'll keep watching for updates as that would affect whether or not I would venture down to Homer or Ninilchuk (spelling?).

Still in the works and entirely dependent on how my mother-in-law is doing health wise this upcoming summer but my usual trip is a distinct possibility.

kings in the Willow (2nd or 3rd week in June)

day or two for halibut

Two summers ago also got a day on the "Su" for a bonus king.

I've got a brother-in-law in Fairbanks and a nephew outside of Anchorage so we usually hit the kings pretty hard. I love it and my 14 year old son is dying to come along and I now think he could handle it so who knows. Nephew keeps pushing me to come in August and hit the silvers but I love fishing those kings so who knows.

[Stiff]

I’ll have to check. Mt friend’s family makes a trip up there pretty much every August and I’ve tagged along a few times.

We fly into Anchorage, pick up a pre arranged RV and then spend about a week or so on the road going wherever we want to fish. This is usually up the Susitna Valley, then back down to the Kenai Peninsula.

We generally go out of Homer with a friend for Halibut, spend some time fishing Reds depending on if the run is still straggling along at that point, and find somewhere to fish some Silvers. Last year they ended up doing very well out of Seward, but I missed out on that trip.

Toss in a couple of days chasing Dollies and Rainbows and the week is gone all too quickly.

~T

[glenn57]

fisherman222, im a minnesotan and i like northern pike. i heard stories you guys growem big up there, but i here that they get traeted like we treat carp around here. not good. can you shed some lite on this subject. where in alaska would fish pike?

[fishermann222]

There are some great spots for HUGE pike, 45inch + and LOTS of them up on the lower Yukon River. There is a "transporter" float plane operator out of Bethel that does drop off and pick ups for float trips up there. Spendy, but HUGE pike. I always meant to do a trip up that way in the spring, but by the time the fishing is good it was too hard to make the 60mile snowmachine drive from my old village. One of these years I will make it up there.

I would not say they treat them like carp, they butcher them. Eat them all, no matter how big. And they catch LOTS of HUGE pike. they take them home, fillet them, dry them on drying racks and then eat the dried pike by dipping in seal oil. Takes a while to get used to, but once you have had it enough its not bad.

[traveler]

As far as pike go, I think the MN mindset is "we can always go to canada for walleye and pike". When they go to AK, they want salmon and halibut. I know I can't see dropping a couple grand (at LEAST) to do a trip to AK for pike...I can chase 40+ inch pike round' here, but a 50 lb king or a 200 lb 'butt is waiting for me in AK! Latest on the 1 fish halibut issue sounds like it will only be in effect from June 15-30 for some reason. Doesn't sound to me like that would have all that much effect. Not sure if it's a done deal for sure.

[fishermann222]

Traveler what alot of guys do is mix a moose float hunt with a pike trip. the best of both worlds.

[traveler]

Yup, that sounds like a great trip! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE big pike, but I also love fishing coastal AK and her rivers. My brother in law has been making noise for a couple years about setting up an AK moose hunt, but most of my travel budget goes to saltwater fishing these days. Got the marlin bug a few years back and until that lets up...

[cedarnarrowsguy]

I think if I took a vacation to Alaska, I would want to stay there....What kind of employment opportunities exist out there, right now?

[DTro]

I just found out that my sis is getting married in Aug. They are having the wedding in Aug at the Lands End Resort in Homer.

That should be a little better area than Fairbanks huh?

[fishermann222]

you better come on up for that wedding. Silvers in the lagoon, halibut limit will be two butts a person on a charter during that time as well. I will actually be in Homer then also, flying out from homer for my goat hunt.

[Chisox]

Fisher, I will be up in Alaska at the end of June, is the trout season opener still on the 17th of that month? Nothing like being down on the Russian and Kenai and catching reds and pig Rainbows. Do you fish the Montana or the little Willow much? I have some nice Rainbow holes on both of those streams.

[fishermann222]

Chisox I tend to keep the majority of my fishing is done in the bush. Silver fishing on Nunivak, dolly fishing on Nunivak, King fishing about 70 river miles from Bethel. There are NO crowds and the fishing is INCREDIBLE. So I do not get into fishing too much on the road system. I kinda leave that to the pavement pounders and the tourists. However I am getting together with a bunch of buddies in Soldotna this year to fish the russian, kinda aweekend get together type thing. Otherwise I would not bother with it much.

I do like to fish pinks out of Hope. It is usually not very crowded and lots of fish in even years.

The rainbow fishing I have down has been on the Kenektok river in western AK.

Not sure on the trout season opener. Probably depends which river you are speaking of. Let me know and I will find out for you.

I will be on the road system for the entire month of june so let me know where you will be and maybe we can meet up.

[Chisox]

I will let you know. My wife has her 20 year reunion in Anchorage on the weekend of the 24th of June. So we will be there from the 15th to the 26th. I also have done some of the Hope fishing, it is an absolute ball when you get into the fresh pinks right out of the ocean.

[mr wizard]

fish222 can you send me your email? I am coming up this summer and I have a lot of questions. Looking to get away from the pavement and tourists. [email protected] thanks.

[traveler]

Mr Wiz; nothing wrong with private e-mail, but you're encouraged to ask your questions here; after all, lots of guys have questions and thats the purpose of this forum. At some point specifics on spots and such might need a bit more privacy, but it's not like a ton of us are going to rush right out and plan a big trip if we didn't already have one in the works. And if we are in the planning stage, the exchange of info is just what we want. Good trip planning to you...