Where in Alaska is the best fishing?

[rotorhead]

Asking a question like that is sort of like asking which state has the best barbeque joint, you're gonna get a lot of answers and all of them are right.

You need to specify what TYPE of fishing you're interested in, saltwater or freshwater? Jigging, spinners, baitfishing, or flyfishing? Are you a meat fisherman or a catch-n-release enthusiast (a lot of folks call that "playing with your food" up here). Are you happy catching a regular ol trout or a dolly varden in the lakes, or are you after only huge "trophy" fish? Do you crave solitude and want the whole stream to yourself, or are you OK fishing shoulder-to-shoulder with the masses?

We have five species of salmon, dozens of types of arctic char, trout and related salmonids, halibut, lingcod, rockfish, skates, sharks, sheefish, grayling, burbot, euchalon, herring, even (hiss, boo!) northern pike in some places. A little bit of everthing? How far do you want to drive? Alaska is a state twice as big as Texas, and there are more fish up here than you could shake a forest of sticks at. You need to either do a LOT more research to find exactly what and where you want to fish for, or plan on traveling at least a bit and be flexible enough to enjoy what life, the seasons, and nature throw your way. Each place has their own "specialities" that are more common and easier to catch, and it changes a lot even within regions. If you want to catch big halibut, you've gotta be on the outside coastal regions. If you want gigantic pike, you need to look to the Yukon drainages. If you want salmon there are a lot of options, but season is everything.

Try looking at the local library for Alaska and Alaska Fisherman magazine and similar, read as many back copies as you can get a hold of. Peruse the web, there are tons of options ranging from fly-in-only remote luxury lodges to renting an RV and joining the hordes along the Kenai. If amenities for the "fishing widow" spouse are a necessity, that throws in another layer of complication. Sure, you CAN fish right in downtown Anchorage, but most people consider Anchorage to be "only a short drive from Alaska" despite it's amenities. There are plenty of places where the fishing is phenomenal, but the "amenities" consist of a ten-by-ten cabin with an outhouse and whatever grub you pack in yourself.

You gotta be a lot more specific if you want specific advice. It really is a huge and very diverse state. And BTW, Haines really IS beautiful.

Not the place to catch big halibut, but it's got a lot going for it otherwise.

[RAMFEB31]

Originally Posted by iamhadley

Thank you ram! From the pictures Haines looks dreamy....We will take Homer off our short list. Is HAines as scenic as the pictures....I will be a fish widow and will need to entertain myself!

Well, Had', it depends what you consider entertaining. If U are a big city type lady who theater a lot, you will be bored to death. But if you are an outdoor type, who loves small intimate towns, then Haines is the place. There are a rather diverse number of wild life in Haines and we are not talking about the type of encounter in the tenderloin district of San Francisco. There are a number of glacier sightings within a short drive. Haines, bordering the water,
has many water related sceneries, one, as shown by 'Rotor' who lives there. There a number of small parks you may wish to visit. If U decide, maybe, Haines is tad slow, a fast ferry to Skagway or Juneau is a chariot ready and willing.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by iamhadley

Where in Alaska is the best fishing? Husband wants to fish non stop on our summer retreat.

In the water! Sorry, that one just stuck out there....

Like other said, you need to pick what you want to fish for. Just about every creek you drive across with have something in it, the Coastal towns will have Charters for what is in "Season" and the like.

What you do want to do though is get the "Fishing Lic." that is good for ten+- days for Non Residents, and read the rules/regulations where you are at. There is some pretty big fines for fishing in closed areas and with the wrong hooks or lures.

But all in all, he will have a lot of fun just stopping here and there to see what is in the water.

Behind our house is a small creek that is dammed off by beavers and is full of grayling fish, and sometimes rainbows. The kids use to fish there doing just "Catch and Release", but they had a lot of fun over the years. When the beavers died off from a bad winter, the "pond" area would go away and back to the stream, then new beavers would rebuild and so forth.


Grayling (bigger than what is behind the house though)

Enjoy your trip!