Naknek info needed (Anchorage, King Salmon, Hope: motel, travel, job)

[slikat]

I have been invited Naknek this coming June for the "free week" of salmon fishing. I am told I can stay on the boat for the "free week" but am thinking one week there will not be enough time for me to truly enjoy what this part of Alaska has to offer. I am hoping some one can give me any information on lodging options in Naknek. From what I understand there is one restaurant that also offers rooms for rent. Any info on this subject plus any other types of information concerning the Naknek area will be greatly appreciated. E-mails are welcome, as well as posts here. Thank you for taking the time to help someone experience another great Alaskan adventure.

slikat

[Marcia]

There is a D&D Restaurant, Red Dog Saloon, and a few bed & breakfast places to stay at. I would recommend staying at a bed & Breakfast place at the D&D Restaurant I believe you have to share the bathroom with others. In King Salmon there are a few places there as well. A nice place to visit is Katmai National park. There are cabins there to stay in. You fly out of King Salmon to get there. Who will you be fishing with?

[slikat]

Thank you for the information about where to stay in the Naknek area and the info about the national park. I have always wanted to visit the Katmai National Park but was unaware that it is near Naknek. I will be flying out of Anchorage and am thinking of taking a smaller plane to King Salmon. I have been told that the scenery is awesome and the flight is a bit more exciting than flying in the larger planes that go into King Salmon. Do you have any recomendations on hiring a good pilot for this. Thanks again for taking your time to share this information with me.

[sodak]

Hello, I hope you enjoy your time in Naknek. 20 years ago I was a girl in my early 20s that ended up in spending 2 1/2 years in Naknek and had the pleasure of getting to know many of the residents. I worked first at a cannery and then at The Red Dolg Saloon restaurant. The owners and I became like family so I may have some predjudice but I would recommend that you stay at The Red Dog. The owner is Winnie Alfor and she and her family could also be helpful in letting you know the "must sees" of the area. You can find a place for inquiries for the motel on google.com if you just type in Red Dog Inn and Alaska. You might might mention that you got the reference from their friend in South Dakota. We are still very close and I hope to return again soon. Enjoy!

[sodak]

Sorry but after posting I noticed that I missplelled the owner's name. It is Winnie and Alphus Alford.

[slikat]

Hi Sodak, I have found the contact information for the Red Dog Inn on google as you suggested. Thank You for taking the time to write back and I hope you can make that return trip to Naknek soon!!

[mal_flisk]

Era, Pen-Air and Alaska have flights into King Salmon, and you catch a cab from ing Salmon to Naknek. I think the cab fare is around $15-20 bucks. Be aware that the area has the largest bear population in North America. You'll be safe as long as you don't act like that idiot who stayed on the beach with the bears and got himself and his girlfriend killed. The fishing is fantastic and the people are great.

[slikat]

Thank you for the information. I was able to book a flight into and out of King Salmon thru Penn Air. I have heard that there are a lot of bears in that area but I have no interest in getting close them. Originally I was going to camp out in order to save some money but now I have a place to stay when I am not out on the boat. Looking forward to the trip and seeing how the commercial fishery works and to spending that time with my son and meeting the people he works with. Thanks again.

[sickle]

I will be traveling to Naknek to work on a salmon boat for 3 weeks this summer. Have never been in Alaska so I have no idea what to expect. I'll be leaving Ohio on June 22. Any helpful hints/suggestions from anyone? Thanks.

[President Lindsay]

Hiya,

I fished out of Naknek for twenty years, though I haven't done it for the last ten or so. What to expect? Every season is different, but expect to feel like a fool at first. Learning the trade takes time. Keep in mind that whoever hires a green crewman is reducing his production because you just won't be able to pick fish as fast as an experienced hand. Keep at it and you'll get the hang of it. Above all, remember that equipment can be replaced but your body parts usually can't. If there's a crisis situation coming up where your boat (or a piece of it) might get crunched if you don't do something that might put you temporarily in danger, let the boat get crunched. I've seen too many guys get hurt trying to wrap a line that's whizzing out around a cleat, nipping off a finger in the bargain. It can happen fast. Safety first! If your skipper is towing a net and the towline is tight, don't stand in a position where if it breaks it can come and whack you. Bottom line, talk to your skipper about safety and ask him to tell you when he sees potentially dangerous situations where you're not doing the right thing. If he's not a total ******* he'll take your concerns seriously and will want to educate you about this, as well as about the more mundane aspects of the job.
I hope you have a good boss. I've had both good and bad, and the good are great and the bad can be horrendous. Oh, take an ear patch or two for seasickness to get you through the initial days, after that you should be fine.
Good luck! I don't mean to make this sound like you're going to be in mortal danger, but I figure a word to the wise can be good in case your skipper is a zero and won't tell you. Hopefully that won't be the case.