When anglers think of pursuing saltwater fishing in Alaska, they’re usually inundated with dreams of wrestling a barn-door halibut — which sometimes get so big that anglers might use a .410 to dispatch the large behemoths. But that’s not the only species the cold waters of Northern California all the way to the Gulf of Alaska can provide.

Often thought of as the “younger brother” to targeting halibut in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), the rockfish offers an engaging, high-success-rate option for anglers looking to round out a trip. Also, consider the distressed halibut populations and increased limits anglers have seen in Alaska. If other fish species aren’t available to target, that could really hamper the legendary lodge trips Alaska is so famous for.

From deep-water holes along underwater ridges to the rocky reefs along the coast, rockfish offer a diverse and exciting fishing experience for anglers who target them. We spoke with experts in the field to learn more about the top five species of rockfish you’ll likely encounter in these waters — along with habitat, tackle and techniques for catching them.

Top Rockfish Species to Catch

We caught up with biologists and captains in the region to talk about the top species to catch (there’s more than 34 in Alaska alone). We classified them into two categories — “pelagic” and “non-pelagic.”

Pelagic Rockfish Species

These species tend to dwell off the bottom, congregating around rock pinnacles like walls, ridges, and even in kelp forests near rocky bottoms, but generally higher in the water column. They’re targeted with smaller jigs for the most part, along with spinners and flies on occasion.

Black Rockfish

Agreed upon by all our experts as easily the most-targeted and cooperative rockfish species, these fish school big time around rocky structure (as the name suggests). They are incredibly eager to bite once you find a school. We caught up with Cap. Brent Foster of Brookings Fishing Charters in Oregon. Foster specializes in lingcod and rockfish charters off the Oregon coast, and boasts that 80% of trips are black rockfish, with some really big ones.

“It’s not uncommon to have a 4- or 5-pound black on every trip.” That’s a trophy size fish, and great fun on the light tackle spinning gear. Brent fishes some of the smaller reefs off the lighthouse area of Oregon, often in less than 100 feet of water.

“We do a lot of light tackle here, not running big sticks like other guys do since we’re fishing in 100 feet of water or less with spinning rods and braided line,” Foster said. “Flutter Jigs and smaller paddle tail swimbaits up to 4 ounces excel; sometimes we have to go a bit heavier due to drift.”

Quillback Rockfish

Known for their distinctive spiky dorsal fins, quillbacks are another common pelagic rockfish that grow to good size, making them a favorite among anglers. While available farther north in Alaska, the quillback are a subject of controversy as they’ve been added to the list of banned harvest fish in Oregon. (Other species on the no-take list include copper and China rockfish.) As always, anglers should check limits and regulations of species when fishing in state or federal waters.

What are Non-Pelagic Rockfish?

These rockfish are found most often on or near the bottom and tend to prefer rocky bottoms (hence the name “rockfish”). More often than not, they’re hooked as bycatch when jigging or bait fishing for halibut.

Yelloweye Rockfish

Yelloweye rockfish are the quintessential Alaskan fish. Among the largest of the rockfish species, a big yelloweye jigged up from depth makes a fine photo fit for a postcard. (It’s one of my biggest bucketlist rockfish since moving to the last frontier several years ago.) They’re common and fairly easy to find in and around Kodiak waters all the way down to Prince William Sound.

Tiger Rockfish and China Rockfish

Okay, technically two species, but these are favorites of Capt. Brian McKay of Alaska Outdoors Addiction. While on the smaller side of the rockfish spectrum, they’re beautiful fish, often caught at depths of 100 to 300 feet (and sometimes as deep as 800 to 1,000 feet). They readily hit jigs on light tackle. Tigers are also a favorite of biologist Adam St. Saviour, a researcher with the state of Alaska, as they’re a rare species to catch compared to others. We’ll talk later with St. Saviour about conservation.

Shortraker Rockfish

Gaining notoriety after the 48-pound state record was caught last July in Alaska, shortraker rockfish are known for hanging out deep. Captain Ray Nix, of Crazy Ray’s Adventures, deep-drops herring or octopus on circle hooks with halibut sticks at least 800 feet down to target these fish. By all accounts, it’s quite a chore to crank them up, but worth the experience for a once-in-a-lifetime catch. Electric reels are the preferred tackle method in this scenario.

Fly Fishing for Rockfish

Captain Brian McKay developed a method for clients who want to take rockfish on the fly off the coast of Kodiak Island, Alaska. He suggests switching things up by having one angler “man the jig” with a hookless lure to entice the fish higher in the water column and whip them into a feeding frenzy. Once the fish are jigged up higher, they will cooperate with any big streamers in your fly box, including a super-sized Russian river or popsicle style.

Rockfish Conservation

Catching up with Adam St. Saviour, a research biologist for the Southcentral Region with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, we’d be remiss if we didn’t cover one major conservation aspect of fishing for rockfish. Rockfish are susceptible to overfishing and bad management practice. They’re also prone to barotrauma during their release, which can kill the fish.

In Alaska, it is imperative for anglers to carry a deep-water release mechanism for rockfish in the boat. These devices are designed to return a rockfish back near the bottom where it was hooked, or to a specified depth, to assist the fish in recompression and up chances of post-release survival. Anglers can find more information about deep-water releases from the organization Return ‘Em Right.

About the Author: Cody McLaughlin is an outdoor writer, conservationist and hunting advocate based in Alaska. He recently launched Trout Stream Studios as an executive producer for podcasts and livestreams in the hunting and veterans’ affairs spaces – including for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s The Sportsmen’s Voice Podcast, the popular Blood Origins Podcast, and the Veterans’ Affairs Administration’s National Center for PTSD. He serves currently on the board of the Alaska Outdoor Council and is a former board member and lead spokesman of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance.

The post Targeting Rockfish in the Pacific Northwest appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

About 100 miles southwest of Juneau in southeast Alaska (the state’s Panhandle), Sitka sits at the edge of the north Pacific on Baranof Island. To the north and east, the rugged islands and mountains are all Tongass National Forest and Wilderness Area. The island remained part of Russia until 1867. Signs of that are still in evidence, such as St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral.

A major port for commercial fishing, Sitka is also a center for tourism and, with a considerable fleet of charter operations, sport fishing. Salmon are the main draw; while it’s possible to catch five species of salmon here, Chinook (king) and coho (silver) are the primary targets, along with halibut and other bottom fish.

While there are no roads in or out of Sitka, 14 miles of local roads offer many spots to fish without a boat — lakes and streams for trout and grayling, and coastal areas for salmon (notably pinks) and trout (particularly Dolly Varden), but also with catches of king salmon, sea-run cutthroat and other species.

Along with Sitka’s great fishing, it’s reasonable to expect to observe or encounter a range of marine wildlife, including humpback whales, orcas, eagles, sea lions, bear, sea otters and more.

Planning a Trip

When to Go: With the climate less than appealing for visitors much of the year, mid-May through mid-September is the real tourist season in Sitka, when the population swells and things get quite busy.

For anglers, timing is significant. That is, those looking for trophy king salmon (30 to 40 pounds) will focus on June and July. Anglers hoping to get in on the main run of coho — smaller than kings but more numerous and wild battlers on lighter lines — will book in July, August and September. Mid to late summer also gives enthusiasts shots at sockeye, chum and pink salmon. Halibut can be taken throughout the summer, along with many species of rockfishes. Lingcod may be kept only mid-May through mid-June and again mid-August through November.

Where to Go and How to Get There: Although boating to Sitka is possible, the vast majority of visitors fly in with regular air service from Seattle on Alaska and, seasonally, flights on Delta as well.

You’ll find a number of hotels in Sitka, with an online search, along with some resorts that cater particularly to sport fishermen. But the number is limited and with such a short season, competition for bookings is fierce. If you can commit nine to 12 months ahead on a reservation, the chances of getting your first choice should be pretty fair.

One of the first places you should consider is Kingfisher Charters and Lodge. The lodge provides comfortable accommodations right on Sitka Sound. Their charter fishing specializes in salmon (kings and silvers), halibut, lingcod and rockfish. Windy or not, they have a trip planned and species to target. If you’re looking for a new species to catch, consider the tasty sablefish — Sitka is one of the few places in the U.S. where it’s not too hard to catch one.

What to Expect: Granted, mid-summer days may be sunny and hit 70 degrees, but for the most part, expect cooler and gray days, with rain seldom out of the picture (even May through July, when precipitation is the least). When heading out on the water, two essentials: foul weather gear and, to adjust to ephemeral conditions, layers. And good rubber deck boots will serve you well.

While quite a few charter/guide boats operate in Sitka, once again, advance booking is wise. Most charter boats have dry, heated cabins from which anglers have the option to watch downrigger rods in the cockpit in inclement weather. It’s also possible to rent boats — such as a 21-foot aluminum Hewescraft Pacific Cruiser — for self-guided fishing.

While in states like Florida, anglers are off the hook (so to speak) for licenses if fishing with a licensed skipper, in Alaska any angler over 16 must have a license when fishing. You can buy a license or explore the options.

More adventurous (and financially flush) enthusiasts can book a floatplane to fly to lakes and rivers for char, steelhead and trout. Besides fishing, visitors can hike through forests and to glaciers; many wilderness trailheads are accessible from downtown Sitka. There’s also bicycling, sea kayaking, “flight seeing,” hunting and more. Also consider a taxi (or a tour) to reach the Fortress of the Bear, a unique and fascinating facility, as well as the Alaska Raptor Center.

Helpful Links

• Kingfish Charters and Lodge
• Visit Sitka

The post Alaska’s Frontier Fishing at its Finest appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

“In a state where I can go to jail for not taking enough meat off the ribs of a moose I hunt, or I can receive a ticket for taking a king salmon out of the water if I catch one while trout fishing, Alaska’s ‘Big Trawl’ has been documented chucking dead bycatch over the side of their boats. This action by commercial trawlers is completely legal under current regulations.” — Cody McLaughlin

Alaskan Bycatch By The Numbers

What is bycatch? For the uninitiated, it’s when a fisherman catches a fish species they didn’t intend to or, in the case of factory fishing vessels, can’t sell and have to discard. According to NOAA’s website, “Bycatch is a complex, global issue that threatens the sustainability and resiliency of our fishing communities, economies, and ocean ecosystems.”

The group of commercial trawlers in Alaska, what I call “Big Trawl,” produce millions of pounds of bycatch each season. We’re talking wasted and dead iconic gamefish such as halibut and salmon, species that have enormous economic value to local communities and recreational anglers.

FACT: Since 1991, 1,774,800 king salmon have been documented as trawl bycatch in Alaska. To break it down further, 1,117,800 of those fish came from the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and 657,000 of them came from the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This data was compiled from weekly bycatch reports.

It is important to note that those numbers are just observed bycatch — and only 15 percent of bycatch is observed on these vessels. Estimates of complete trawl bycatch are likely 10 times higher than current documented numbers. That’s because trawl regulators don’t factor in unobserved bycatch — all the fish, crab, plants, coral and marine life mowed down by the net that doesn’t make it to the surface to be tallied. Currently, regulators slot in “0” for unobserved bycatch.

In addition to king salmon’s observed bycatch, Big Trawl in Alaska has reported wasting 141 million pounds of bycatch per year over the last 10 years. The numbers don’t lie — commercial fishing operators throw away millions of pounds of fish every season. And its harmful effects are staggering. On the other hand, recreational anglers continue to see their seasons shortened in efforts to save salmon and halibut populations. The difference in how commercial and recreational sectors are managed is maddening.

A Quick Halibut Fishing Comparison

For context, charter boats in Southcentral Alaska can’t keep halibut on certain Tuesdays or Wednesdays from June to August to help save the resource. And there’s been minimal howling from the small-business sportfishing operators. The entire Southcentral sport charter halibut quota for 2023 is 1.89 million pounds.

Meanwhile, Big Trawl has already dumped 3.14 million pounds of halibut as bycatch year-to-date in 2023. As of late June, they’ve shoveled over the sides of their vessels nearly double the quota for the entire sportfishing fleet. Plus, trawlers are still allowed to fish in designated halibut nursery areas of the Bering Sea, places where everyone else is banned from halibut fishing in order to protect young fish.

A Weak Response By Regulators Angers Fishermen

Salmon numbers are down at an alarming rate. Where do regulators fall on the issue? In a move many see as too little and too late, federal fisheries managers created a Federal Research Task Force to find the cause of the decline.

Sport fishermen have taken it on the chin through all this. We’re entering the second summer with the legendary Kenai River closed to king salmon fishing. This fabled river fishery is synonymous with the king salmon species. The current IGFA all-tackle record chinook is 97 pounds, 4 ounces, caught on this river in May 1985 by angler Les Anderson. In 2009, a potential replacement world record was caught and released on the same river.

Other world-class fisheries in Alaska also saw increased regulations. The Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers are both closed to subsistence fishermen who depend on the resource for food security. King salmon retention in lower Cook Inlet was reduced from 2 to 1 on March 2, before the run even started. The fishery was later closed in all Cook Inlet salt waters. On top of all of this, at least one misguided environmental group is asking that chinook salmon receive endangered status over crashing stocks, after succeeding in stopping trolling efforts in Southeast Alaska because endangered orcas. (A U.S. appeals court eventually halted the lower court ruling, allowing the trolling season to start on July 1.) 

Citizen anglers are finally taking a stand. The STOP Alaskan Trawler Bycatch Facebook page just reached the 25,000 member milestone in recent weeks and receives support from conservation groups in the state. You can also directly support organizations such as the Alaska Outdoor Council, fighting these issues on the ground. In addition, Salmon State has started a helpful “stop bycatch” take-action tool for concerned anglers.

Cheap Protein for China at the Expense of Iconic Fish

What’s the driving force behind commercial trawlers? How can cheap pollock take precedence over salmon or halibut? (Salmon costs consumers a whopping $20 to $40 per pound in the grocery store!) In a word? China. The Amendment 80 bottom trawl fleet is the top halibut bycatch offender. All participants in that fleet are registered in Seattle, with more than 80 percent of their catch going directly to China for cheap protein. They also ship $45 per ounce pollock roe caviar over for China’s growing population of billionaires. The rest, essentially, goes to McDonald’s as Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. McDonald’s claims its fish are 99 percent sustainably caught, and the pollock fishery might be doing fine, but the bycatch fisheries are cratering.

So what’s the recourse? In short, anglers and conservationists concerned about this issue need to let policyholders know where they stand. The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) has the power to stop this. Congress needs to consider acting, and it will take more than just Alaska’s representatives to get this done. That means contacting your state’s federal representatives to let them know the waste and destruction of Alaskan salmon and halibut fisheries is unacceptable.

Lastly, the governors of Alaska and Washington (where the trawl fleets are regulated) have influence here, especially over the makeup of the NPFMC and the future direction of commercial fishing. Both states are sportfishing destinations. The sportfish wasted by commercial trawlers negatively impacts the economies of these states. Visiting anglers will not bring their tourism dollars if there are no salmon.

As I have said on more than one podcast this month, this issue deserves every angler’s attention. Commercial trawlers catch or waste the majority of king salmon while recreational anglers continue to get pushed out of fishing opportunities. If you’re looking to catch a wild king salmon, you should hop on a plane to Alaska in the next five years before these historically mighty runs of fish disappear.

About the Author: Cody McLaughlin is a noted conservationist covering public policy issues related to hunting, fishing and the environment. He currently serves on the board of the Alaska Outdoor Council and is a former board member and lead spokesman of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, representing the state’s 1.2 million sportsmen. McLaughlin recently launched Trout Stream Studios as an executive producer for podcasts and livestreams in the hunting and veterans’ affairs spaces.

The post Bycatch Is Killing Legendary Alaskan Fishing appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Alaska is, by nature, a wild place.

The capricious and often-volatile waters of the Gulf of Alaska can turn inhospitable in a hurry. But when quiet, it offers incomparable beauty and unforgettable fishing. A few intrepid kayak-angling enthusiasts joined me in Seward in August 2017 hoping for just such an experience. We found it.

Trial Run
Andy Mezirow had fished from Hobie Outback kayaks in warmer climes, such as Panama, catching yellowfin tuna, cubera snapper and other brutish beasts. So, thought the Seward, Alaska, charter captain: Why not here?

Mezirow already knew the fundamentals of mothership-based kayak-angling, and he had the mothership: his 32-foot custom-built, twin-outboard-powered Radon, Gray Light, which carries his light-tackle clients into outer Prince William Sound on day trips and multiday/­overnight trips.

Mezirow needed only to add a fleet of Outbacks and racks on his boat to carry them.

Once his five Outbacks arrived, in summer 2017, Mezirow contacted me, and we organized a little expedition as a trial run on what he planned to start offering to clients: serious Alaska ­kayak-fishing adventures.

So in August, I met up in Anchorage with Hobie’s Morgan Promnitz and Keeton Eoff, and (with his drone and underwater cameras) Adrian Gray, who oversees creative, production and design for the International Game Fish Association.

The following day, in Seward, we helped Mezirow get his ducks and Outbacks in a row. No one can set up a fishing kayak more easily and skillfully than Promnitz, and Mezirow already had everything on hand that each kayak-angler might need: Hobie Mirage pedal drives, Lowrance GPS/color sounders, H-Crates for storage with additional rod holders, jaw grippers and so on. (Each of us had brought a waterproof, handheld VHF radio.)

Coho Among the Kayaks
After loading the kayaks and a lot of fishing gear onto Gray Light, we headed out only as far as lower Resurrection Bay, 15 or so miles south of Seward — more as a run-through to be sure the process would go smoothly on the upcoming overnight trip than a serious fishing outing.

But when silver salmon are as thick as they proved to be in the quiet cove where Mezirow stopped and slid the Outbacks into the water, well, it’s pretty tough not to move into serious-fishing mode.

We began by slow-trolling chunks of herring, each on a single snelled hook with a long, light mono leader below a 2-ounce sinker. The pedal-powered kayaks are perfect for easy trolling in such a situation, and shortly — once we located the fish, in a thick school just off the rocks in 40 to 60 feet of water — we all began hooking up quickly.

I recalled with some amusement the many trips, years back, when anglers fretted about exacting just the right spin to their plug-cut herring baits. Here, we simply, haphazardly ran a light-wire hook through a small chuck of herring; that was all it took.

For a couple of hours, Keeton, Promnitz and I enjoyed the action, often with two or even all three of us hooked up simultaneously, as the spirited 6- to 15-pound coho (silvers) cartwheeled from the surface among the kayaks. The fact that we hooked the salmon on small baitcasters and spinning gear spooled with 15-pound braided line added to the excitement. As always, this is great sport from any deck, but it’s really hard to beat being right in the middle of the action at water level.

The salmon gave us little time to think about much else, including the on-and-off drizzle, so typical of this neck of the woods. Fortunately, we had good protection from the moderate breeze and, bundled in Kokatat paddling suits, none of us felt chilly.

Flat Water, Nonstop Hookups
We returned to Seward, where, in our fabulous cottage on Bear Lake, we cooked up fresh silver salmon for dinner. Since even in mid-August it remained light until nearly midnight, we didn’t wait for darkness to hit the sack. Early the next morning, we headed to the harbor to make the two-and-a-half-hour run out to Montague Island. We planned to fish there and overnight at Port Ashton Lodge on Evans Island to the northwest.

As we finished sipping coffee and tinkered with tackle, we took in the spectacular seascapes while Gray Light headed east out of Resurrection Bay. Meanwhile, the iron-gray low clouds ­gradually began giving way to blue skies.

By the time Mezirow throttled back just off an extensive gravel beach along Montague, a glorious, clear, calm morning held immense promise. In short order, the anglers in their little plastic boats began trolling much as the day before but not bothering with bait this time; rather, we simply threaded a white or chartreuse 4-inch Gulp! Swimming Mullet onto the hook and fished that. Catching limits of silvers proved a no-brainer, and we released many over the next few hours, hooked salmon leaping ­unpredictably all around the kayaks.

A number of small halibut, to 35 pounds or so, crashed the salmon party. I found one flattie of at least 30 pounds to be a real handful on the 15-pound braid.

After several hours of comfortable, easy fishing and nearly nonstop action, we returned to the mothership, where we loaded up the kayaks. As Mezirow steamed away, three hungry anglers worked on a late lunch.

Given that we were already into the ­afternoon, the captain decided that rather than put in again at another spot, we’d make the run to Port Ashton Lodge where we could rerig, recharge, clean up and once again eat our fill of fresh grilled salmon — and halibut — and be ready for an early start the next day.

Whole Different Day
The word “remote” hardly does justice to the modest lodge on Evans Island. There, lodge owner Lia Talvi helped us haul our gear from the dock to the waterside cabin where we would crash that evening. (The main lodge already had guests booked in it.)

Since we hadn’t expected five-star digs and were staying only a night, the austere cabin worked out fine — and was a damn sight better than sleeping on the boat. Because it was right at the edge of Sawmill Bay, we could marvel at the sight of pink salmon leaping pretty much ­everywhere we looked.

Next morning, we were ready to tackle some serious halibut. No shortage of places in this part of Prince William Sound offered serious halibut action. But with a glitch in one outboard engine to slow us down, Mezirow decided to take us to Prince of Wales Passage, just around the corner from the lodge.

This outing turned out to be ­considerably different from the day before in just about every respect. For one thing, the warm, sunny, calm conditions had deteriorated to (the more typical) leaden skies intermittently spitting drizzle down upon us. The breeze had picked up, and the warmth of our Kokatat paddling suits proved welcome. Fortunately, by Alaska standards, the wind remained light enough to put only a light chop across the yawning pass. So away we went.

Right away, another notable ­difference from the day before made itself felt. Here, we faced a strong current that continuously wanted to push the kayaks out the yawning passage, past the anchored Gray Light. As in so many kayak-fishing situations over the years, I was again consciously grateful for the ingenious pedal system Hobie uses.

Little Boats, Big Halibut
We needed to keep pedaling most of the time to remain within shouting distance of the mothership. With all anglers in pretty good shape, doing so, as we dropped lines down, wasn’t an issue. However, if we had had to rely on paddles as our only means of locomotion, we would have done just that — paddled, and not fished.

We had fished clear shallows the previous day, but now we were dropping into 120 to 200 feet of water — in a current. We managed to drop fairly heavy lead-head and metal jigs down to the bottom. And as Mezirow had ­promised, we needed only do that.

After pulling up a couple of ­rockfish, we started hooking the real thing: barn-door flatfish. Whereas light rods and running, jumping fish characterized yesterday’s action, on this morning, anglers bobbed about in the yellow kayaks, their heavier rods and reels (Penn Slammer IIIs and Fathom Lever Drags with 50-pound braid) bent double, hard over on larger fish. Trying to winch up a powerful halibut from deep water in a strong current constitutes one hell of a challenge for a kayak-fisherman.

All three anglers met that ­challenge, often multiple times over the course of that morning. The big flatfish varied, with some from 40 to 50 pounds to the 70- to 80-pounder that Promnitz bested. (He managed to pedal the 100 yards up-current to the anchored Gray Light, where Mezirow planted a flying harpoon into the fish to land it.)

That afternoon, heading back to Seward, we were able to avoid any really nasty water, and — despite running on only one engine — hit the docks around suppertime. I think we all shared being tired but ultimately satisfied, with a sense that our overnight adventure seemed like more than just two days.

That’s not too surprising, I guess: Alaska is a wild place — a big place, and one not easy to reach. But the opportunity to fish Alaska from a kayak has become more than just a wild dream, and it has to qualify as an ultimate bucket-lister for hardcore enthusiasts.

Planning an Alaska Kayak-Fishing Adventure
When: Late May to early September
Best weather conditions usually occur in July through mid-August, but perfectly calm periods can happen in June and the latter part of August as well.

Where: Seward, Alaska
This is where Gray Light is based. The scenic port town is a two-and-a-half-hour drive south of Anchorage. There are shuttle, bus and train options from Anchorage, but renting a vehicle is likely to be the most convenient. Best to plan some lay days to take in some of the amazing hikes in this realm of peaks and glaciers.

What: Kayak-fishing
This will be the first full year of kayak-fishing trips for Capt. Andy Mezirow. He’ll be offering long-range trips of two to five days, including overnights at Port Ashton Lodge. Pricing varies by the number of anglers, from two to four (at most). There is the option to devote days on such outings to nonfishing activities as well, such as touring glaciers and watching wildlife from the kayaks.

Mezirow provides the newest-style Hobie Outback kayak with Mirage-Drive pedal unit, PFDs, all tackle (though anglers are welcome to bring their own), lip grippers (though if you have a Boga-Grip, I’d bring it), paddling suits, Lowrance color sounder/GPS units, handheld VHF radios and a complete safety kit on each kayak.

You’ll need to provision your group of anglers in Seward with food and drink both for days on the mothership and kayaks; you can do the same for overnights or arrange to dine at the lodge each evening. (Mezirow asks that anglers not bring bananas or anything resembling them.) Also remember to purchase Alaska fishing licenses.

Going without a small waterproof camera would be a big mistake. I used a GoPro Hero 6, and it worked fabulously.

Finally, if your group is keen to do this but not sure if you’re up on your sit-on-top kayak skills, Mezirow will arrange a full-day orientation with a local kayak guide before a trip.

For More Information:
Gray Light Fishing Charters in Seward; 800-566-3912; graylightalaska.com

We stayed at the Cottage on Bear Lake, and highly recommend it. Call Cathy Weiford at 907-362-1072. We also spent a night at Beach House Rentals (907-362-2727), reasonably priced and located just south of Seward. Starting this year, Mezirow expects to have a fully furnished guesthouse also, as well as an option to stay at the Gray Light Lodge, 7 miles out of Seward.

Seward Convention and Visitors Bureau

The post Kayak Fishing Alaska’s Remote Prince William Sound appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

It’s every anglers dream: a trip to Alaska. Just the thought of bouts with salmon and halibut near breaching whales and soaring bald eagles stirs the soul. Alaska’s phenomenal bounties of wildlife and sea life beckon; here are six options to turn that dream into a reality. Although you could, in theory, explore 6,640 miles of Alaska coastline — more than all the other 49 states combined — the best fishing experiences happen along the state’s southeast and southwest coasts from May to mid-September. North of the Arctic Circle, you’ll find a dearth of fishing lodges and elements more severe; most traveling anglers find it far more satisfying to base fish fights out of lodges where a cozy bed, good eats and experienced guides can tip a trip into the unforgettable zone. Another coastal benefit is that salmon migrate up rivers to spawn, allowing bountiful inshore fishing for them as well. To help with the challenge of selecting a premier Alaska fishing experience, the following lodges (listed alphabetically) offer a mix of locations that aim to please. (Note: Always check before booking for current rates and seasonal specials; unless otherwise noted, all meals are included. Keep in mind that posted rates are often negotiable.)

#1 Alaska’s Boardwalk Lodge

800-764-3918

At the southernmost entrance to the Inside Passage is Ketchikan, with Alaska’s Boardwalk Lodge 35 miles to the southwest, in the lush rainforest on Prince of Wales Island.

• Access: Most flights reach Ketchikan from Seattle, and from there, a scheduled floatplane or ferry gets you to the lodge.
• Accommodations: Eleven rooms, up to 22 guests.
• Sport-Fishing Fleet: Five 28-foot cabin cruisers, each with twin 150 Mercury outboards.
• Tackle and Baits: Shimano 700 reels with Shakespeare Ugly Stik rods. For salmon, double-hooked sets with herring, two downriggers for kings, two flat lines for silvers and a fifth line with a flasher.

• Distance to Fish: Halibut 8 to 10 miles; salmon 10 to 15 miles; all usually within a 20-minute run.
• Season: Kings early May to early July; silvers early July to mid-August and scattered through September; pinks and chum July to late August; halibut, lingcod and rockfish June through September.
• Rates: $5,000 per person, double occupancy preferred but not required for two days fishing and three nights; $8,200 for four days fishing and five nights; cost of floatplane or ferry from Ketchikan included.
• Comments: The calm, protected waters of the Inside Passage make for typically comfortable fishing conditions. The lodge features three culinary-school-trained chefs.

#2 Elfin Cove Resort

907-239-2209

Elfin Cove, with a picturesque protected harbor, provides direct access to the Gulf of Alaska and is also close to the fishy waters of Icy Strait and Glacier Bay.

• Access: From Juneau, Elfin Cove is about 100 miles to the west and -reachable only by floatplane or boat.
• Accommodations: Sixteen rooms hold up to 32 guests; Fishmaster’s Inn next door is also owned by Mike Legowski.
• Sport-Fishing Fleet: Six boats (five are -catamarans) from 30 to 36 feet, with the 34- and 36-footers powered by Yanmar diesel engines.

• Tackle and Baits: Shakespeare Ugly Stik rods, Shimano TR200 and Tekota 500 reels for salmon, and Shimano Tekota 700 reels for halibut. Mainly fishing cut herring for halibut, lingcod and rockfish; for silvers, a flasher in front of a hoochie lure; and for kings, yellow spoons with pink polka dots.
• Primary Fishing Grounds: It’s usually a run of 10 minutes for silver salmon, a max of 35 minutes for kings, and varies from 10 to 40 minutes for halibut, rockfish and lingcod.
• Targeted Species: Salmon, halibut, lingcod and yelloweye rockfish.

• Season: Kings best May to June; silvers mid July to September; lingcod and yelloweye rockfish midsummer.
• Rates: Three days, two nights with one day of fishing, $1,695; four days, three nights for $3,695 provides two and a half days of fishing; five days, four nights with three fishing days for $4,095; six days, five nights and four days of fishing for $4,695; all rates per person, double occupancy, and includes floatplane from Juneau.
• Comments: Elfin Cove, on the northern section of Chichagof Island, possesses the largest population of bears per square mile in the world. The view from the lodge of Brady Glacier and the Fairweather Range is captivating.

#3 Goodnews River Lodge

907-967-2006

This off-the-beaten-path destination on the southwest coast of the mainland serves up privacy and plenty of shots at trophy-size king salmon.

• Access: A two-hour flight from Anchorage goes directly to the lodge.
• Accommodations: Fifteen cabins cater to a max of 24 anglers, with choices of single or double occupancy.
• Sport-Fishing Fleet: Thirteen guides utilize 15 jet boats and three drift boats from 17 to 19 feet equipped with 115- to 150 hp outboards.
• Tackle and Baits: Spin gear matched to quarry sizes and a full complement of fly rods and reels. Preferred spin lures include Jr. ThunderSticks, Brad’s Wigglers and Razors; fly patterns include a variety of streamers and surface poppers.

• Primary Fishing Grounds: Goodnews Bay, where the Bering Sea meets the Goodnews River, and upriver within three minutes of the lodge.
• Targeted Species: All five salmon species plus grayling. King salmon frequently run more than 40 inches.
• Season: Kings, reds (sockeye) and chums end of June to mid-July; pinks third and fourth week of July; silvers fourth week of July through mid September; trout and grayling year-round.
• Rates: $5,250 to $6,950 per person per week, which includes the DC-3 flight from Anchorage.
• Comments: Due to its remote location, these waters are seldom fished by anglers other than lodge guests, and there’s no commercial fishing in the area. Lodge owner Mike Gorton says, “We get huge numbers of kings — as many as 40 to 50 a day, even on fly — and they tend to run large due to the absence of commercial-fishing pressure.”

#4 Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge

907-235-8910

Luxurious cabins, remote splendor and excellent fishing are hallmarks of this upscale resort near the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula.

• Access: If not directly to the lodge by helicopter or floatplane, typical arrivals involve a flight or car trip from Anchorage to Homer. Guests are picked up at Homer Boat Harbor for the 30-minute run across Kachemak Bay.
• Accommodations: Five cabins take 10 to 14 guests. The lodge can accommodate up to 16 if the group’s together.
• Sport-Fishing Fleet: A 17-foot Boston Whaler with a Honda 90, two 21-foot Boston Whalers with Honda 135s, and two 22-foot aluminum Hewescraft boats with a 150 Yamaha or 200 Suzuki.
• Tackle and Baits: Various brands of 10- to 20-pound spin gear, all provided, though fly–fishermen must bring their own tackle. Artificial baits only, for all species, particularly Vibrax Blue Fox spinners, and spoons including the Pixee, Krocodile and Swedish Pimple.

• Primary Fishing Grounds: Fishing from shore or by boat near the lodge and Kachemak Bay. Trips on separate charter boats can be arranged for fishing Cook Inlet.
• Targeted Species: King and silver salmon, flounder, halibut and various rockfishes.
• Season: Early summer for kings; August to early September for silvers; halibut, flounder and rockfish all summer.
• Rates: Two nights, $2,100 per person; three nights, $2,900 per person; five nights, $4,500 per person; included is the lodge’s boat for pickup in Homer; scheduled floatplane or helicopter additional.
• Comments: It’s been family-owned for three generations and features beautiful ocean and mountain views from every cabin. The lodge is popular with celebrities; Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg recently visited.

#5 Kodiak Raspberry Island Remote Lodge

701-526-1677

Kodiak is well-known for excellent king salmon and halibut fishing on an island also famed for massive brown bears. Lodge owners Tiffany and Birch Robbins serve as hosts.

• Access: Most guests fly from Anchorage to Kodiak, and a launch transports guests to Raspberry Island and the lodge.
• Accommodations: Five cabins with queen and twin beds, with an average of 12 guests per week.
• Sport-Fishing Fleet: Custom-built 30- and 37-foot aluminum catamarans equipped with 500- and 600 hp engines, respectively.
• Tackle and Baits: Bottom jigging for halibut and lingcod with Accurate reels and TFO Voo-Doo Daddy rods; trolling for salmon with Accurate reels and Edge rods; fly-fishing for salmon in rivers with Scott and Sage rods and Ross reels; mooching bait or deep jigging with TFO Voo-Doo Daddy rods and Penn reels. Common baits include herring and octopus.

• Primary Fishing Grounds: Forty-five minutes to one hour from lodge.
• Targeted Species: Halibut, rockfish, lingcod and all five salmon species, particularly reds, kings and silvers.
• Season: Reds late May to early June; kings late May through early August; silvers mid-July to mid-August in salt water and late August to mid-September in rivers; halibut late May through mid-September; lingcod July; rockfish late May to mid-September.
• Rate: $3,134 per person for four nights; $4,658 per person for six nights. Transportation to the lodge (mostly by boat, sometimes by floatplane) from Kodiak City included.
• Comments: Non-fishing activities are available, including sea kayaking, hiking and fly-out bear viewing.

#6 Port Ashton Lodge

907-715-7117

The lodge is on a remote island on the outer fringes of Prince William Sound in Sawmill Bay, close to excellent fishing in waters bordering the Gulf of Alaska.

• Access: There are no roads to the lodge; the village of Chenega, with a state-maintained airstrip and ferry service, is 2½miles away. Guests often arrive by floatplane or can be picked up by boat at Chenega Bay to make the short run to the lodge.
• Accommodations: Five cabins total, four of which can handle up to six guests.
• Sport-Fishing Fleet: The lodge does not have its own fleet and instead arranges fishing excursions with charter-boat operators.

• Tackle and Baits: For kings, Capt. Andy Mezirow, of Crackerjack Charters, favors Seeker downrigger rods with Accurate Valiant BV2-500N reels for trolling and 11-foot TFO rods with Islander reels for mooching. For king and silver salmon lures, Mezirow prefers Pesca spoons or Arctic Fox trolling flies. He also trolls with cut-plug herring behind 11-inch flashers.
• Primary Fishing Grounds: Passages near the lodge in Prince William Sound, or a 30-minute run to Montague Island.

• Targeted Species: King salmon, silver salmon, halibut, lingcod and many species of rockfish.
• Season: June is prime for kings; silvers and schools of lingcod show up in increasing numbers then as well; halibut and rockfish all summer.
• Rates: One or two guests in one of the cabins for $312 per night, and up to seven in three larger cabins at $156 per person. Catered meals are extra, as are charter fees for fishing.
• Comments: Dockside fish-cleaning station, limited Wi-Fi, saltwater hot tub.

More fishing from Prince William Sound here:

To contact these lodges:

• Alaska’s Boardwalk Lodge
• Elfin Cove Resort
• Goodnews River Lodge
• Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge
• Kodiak Raspberry Island Remote Lodge
• Port Ashton Lodge

The post Fishing Alaska: 6 Dream Trip Options appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

During the waning days of reliable summer weather — well, as reliable as central Alaska gets — a quad of kayak enthusiasts took the opportunity to join a brief expedition to the outermost fringes of Prince William Sound. The August event marked the inaugural trip for Capt. Andy Mezirow’s new kayak-fishing option with Gray Light charters, based in Seward. It also marked the first time this angler has ever had the chance to really fish the North Pacific from one of those little plastic boats so popular with fishermen in warmer climes. The experience proved to be unforgettable. But since a picture is worth 1,000 words, here’s the equivalent of about 24,000 words to share the adventure.

For two nights in Seward, we were lucky enough to have this cottage on Bear Lake for our accommodations. Within a stone’s throw sits the lake; it was filled with salmon (and, yes, bears abound).

Capt. Andy Mezirow (center), in his big quonset-hut workshop, discusses plans for the multi-day Prince William Sound adventure with Keeton Eoff (left) and Morgan Promnitz, both with Hobie Kayaks. At right are visible some of Mezirow’s new fleet of five Hobie Outbacks with Mirage Pedal Drives, fully rigged for fishing (including Lowrance GPS/sounders).

On a quiet morning, anglers and crew in Seward’s harbor load four Outbacks onto Mezirow’s Gray Light, a new, custom-built DR Radon 32-foot fiberglass boat, purpose-designed and built for Mezirow.

With calming winds, an overcast sky was no concern as Mezirow stopped in outer Resurrection Bay to offload kayaks and anglers in a silver-salmon-rich spot for a couple hours of hot/heavy salmon action.

Two silver salmon bend rods just after we start fishing. I’ve hooked one (left foreground) large enough to pull the kayak along. The cool rain made all of us glad for the Kokatat foul-weather jackets and bibs that kept us warm and dry.

Fat silver (coho) salmon proved hungry and aggressive, grabbing cut pieces of herring nearly as fast as we could get them down on our light gear, using long-leadered mooching rigs.

With a pair of bait shears, Mezirow cuts herring into chunks, which is all it takes to connect with the hordes of coho salmon in Resurrection Bay in early August.

Fishing near Montague Island, this halibut snapped up a white soft-plastic tail before a salmon could do so. On a light baitcast reel, I had quite a fight on my hands.

A triumphant Eoff lifts one of the morning’s larger silver salmon.

Gorgeous silver salmon

Bright-red yelloweye rockfish hit a leadhead jig and plastic tail dropped to bottom with halibut in mind. Penn Slammer spinning reels proved perfect for jigging deeper waters from the kayaks.

Gulp! Swimming Mullet proved the ticket for silver salmon, but halibut also got in on that action.

The Outback’s pedal-drive unit is perfect for hands-free, slow trolling, which generally led to a salmon strike in short order. Here, note the Gray Light mothership at anchor off Montague Island, in the background.

Coho salmon are dogged fighters whose erratic and unpredictable runs when hooked make them oustanding light-tackle opponents.

In the calm waters off Montague Island, Eoff eases a silver to the kayak. Landing nets would have made the task easier, but the abundance of salmon minimized concerns about the ones that got away.

Success: Eoff holds up his prize.

By nearly mid-August, the silver salmon have fattened up and a large one can pull a kayak along behind it, as Promnitz is noticing, here, off Montague Island.

The Gray Light approaches Port Ashton Lodge on Chenega Island in the early evening.

A basic but functional guest cabin at Port Ashton Lodge provided welcome accommodations for us overnight at Chenega Island.As the photos shows, the tide had gone out by 10 p.m. when this photo was taken.

Mezirow finds bait and salmon in abundance showing up on his sounder in outer Resurrection Bay and advises his kayakeros to be ready to fish.

Promnitz has his hands full trying to power a trophy-size halibut up from deep water near Port Bainbridge passage

Promnitz, having no death wish, does not try to bring a barndoor halibut onto the kayak with him; rather, he tows it back to the Gray Light for its flying-head harpoon. Of course this would be possible in a conventional kayak only for an angler blessed with four arms (two to hold the rod and two to paddle).

Proving that halibut aren’t the only game in town, I land another salmon for a quick GoPro 6 selfie.

Though still a handful, this 55-pound halibut was just small enough to allow me to hand it off to the Gray LIght crew.

Surprise of the day: Eoff’s “halibut” proved to be another flat, brown critter, and similarly difficult to bring to the kayak: a big skate.

Author’s note: I can and do recommend this kayak-fishing adventure to any experienced enthusiast. However, even on nice days, the water is very cold and the currents can be quite strong. I would not, suggest that a novice first try kayak fishing in the Gulf of Alaska. — Doug Olander

The post An Alaska Kayak-Fishing Adventure appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Alaska Salmon

Mention “Alaska” to fishermen, and chances are you’ve just referenced one of their top bucket-list destinations. Alaska manages its fisheries using a wide variety of tools; its state and federal lawmakers pay close attention to the commercial and recreational fishing industries as well as to the resource.

That’s why it’s no surprise that groups such as the Kenai River Sportfishing Association can be so effective. The KRSA has looked after the 82-mile-long Kenai River for 37 years. This August, the advocacy organization presented its 25th annual Kenai River Classic invitational salmon-fishing tournament, sponsored by Yamaha Marine and held in Soldotna, Alaska.

Running the Kenai River

I was fortunate enough to participate in the event and caught four cohos from 6.9 to 9.4 pounds. Alaskan Geoffrey Lundfelt won the Classic with a 13.6-pound silver salmon. The Classic raised more than $200,000 for its fishery conservation programs, which include habitat restoration, and fisheries education and research.

One day prior to the competition, the Classic hosted a U.S. Senate Subcommittee hearing to explore reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The hearing punctuated the many years of fisheries roundtable discussions the Classic first spawned in the 1990s.

Fisheries Hearing

Magnuson-Stevens is partly named after former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, of Alaska, whose legacy — before and after his passing in 2009 — as a fisheries champion has been inimitable. Stevens co-founded the Classic in 1993.

Following the hearing, and before sunrise on days two and three, 120 anglers boarded aluminum skiffs, each powered by a 50 hp tiller-steered Yamaha outboard. Each angler was allowed to claim two silver salmon per day during the two-day competition. But once an angler caught that limit, his or her fishing rod had to be retired for the rest of the day.

Anchored for Salmon

Boats anchored up or backtrolled along the bank, about 17 miles upriver from the river’s mouth at Cook Inlet. My captain on the first day of fishing — David “Cat Daddy” Drake — anchored up using a float ball attached to the line so we could quickly toss the ball and chase these soft-mouthed fish.

Cat Daddy deployed four Luhr Jensen Kwikfish lures, sweetened with a patch of sardine lashed with thread to the lure between the hooks. He placed each rod in a Scotty holder after its line-counter reel registered 30 to 35 feet.

Salmon Lures

To an East Coaster like me, this is unusual fishing. I’m not used to sitting in a padded swivel chair while I watch the rod. And lashing a piece of cut bait to a lure…? But when in Soldotna, one does as the experienced and knowledgeable guides suggest.

And Cat Daddy produced on cue. My lure, attached to one of the two rods between the boat and the bank, disappeared in splash of swift river water. The rod tip arced hard, though the fish took no drag.

Netting Silvers

We tossed the anchor ball and drifted back to the fish. Cat Daddy netted the silver and quickly placed it on deck. To identify the fish as mine, he threaded a colored zip-tie through its mouth and gill and placed it in the forward fish box. (In Alaska, the water and the aluminum boats stay cold enough to refrigerate fish without ice.)

Two of our four anglers aboard limited out within the first few hours of the morning.

Catching an Early Limit

As we approached the 1 p.m. lines-out deadline, we still needed a few more fish. The early morning bite had waned, but we finally picked up our eight-salmon limit and motored 10 minutes back to the dock.

Silver Salmon Prize

Our second fishing day, we again departed before sunrise, but limited well before the 11:30 a.m. lines-out call. Both evenings, the KRSA held fundraisers culminating in auctions both silent and live.

Tournament Prep

Second Day Limit

Beyond the event, Soldotna proved a welcoming host town. We stayed at the beautifully appointed Kenai River Raven Wing bed and breakfast, perched on a bluff above the roiling river.

The drive to and from the airport in Anchorage, through a portion of the Chugach National Forest, proved thoroughly picturesque. Alaska will always remain on my bucket list, no matter how many times I visit. (Besides, there’s just about no better place for a Southerner to go in August than Alaska!)

Alaska Lodge Life

The post 25th Annual Kenai River Classic Blends Tournament Angling with Fisheries Management appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Graham and the SFTV film crew travel 3,000 miles from home to Sitka, Alaska, where the recreational fishing industry serves as the town’s backbone. The target: dragon-like lingcod, massive halibut, and salmon, the lifeblood of the region’s ecosystem.

The post Reasons to Go: Sitka, Alaska appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

NPFMC votes to cut recreational quotas for Pacific halibut in Alaska

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) has voted to slash the Pacific halibut catch of charter anglers in Alaska, according to a report on alaskadispatch.com. The council, one of eight regional councils established by the federal Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 1976 (which has been renamed the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act) to oversee management of the nation’s fisheries, is dominated by commercial interests. It voted 10 to 1 to reduce by about a quarter the allowable charter catch in south central Alaska and to cut the southeast Alaska catch by a third.

A similar council action was vetoed last year by the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under which the NPFMC serves, after charter-boat skippers from coastal communities protested the lack of analysis of likely economic fallout in small, tourism-dependent towns, the report says.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game halibut biologist Scott Meyer said cuts of that size — which will not come until 2014 at the earliest — would almost certainly force bag-limit reductions in the halibut charter fishery, according to the alaskadispatch.com report. The report also indicated that tourism suffered greatly in the Alaskan panhandle when the charter halibut bag limits there were slashed from two fish to one** in 2009**.

Alaska Fish and Game Commissioner Cora Campbell offered no objection to new cuts when the council took up the issue last week, alaskadispatch.com reported.

South central communities have mainly suffered because of cuts in the commercial fishery tied to unexplained declines in halibut in the North Pacific. Soaring prices for commercially caught halibut have only partially offset the financial losses to those commercial fishermen faced with steadily shrinking catch quotas. Angry about the losses, they lobbied the council to cut charter catches to force the charter businesses to “share the pain” of conservation. The charters catch less than 20 percent of the halibut, but they have been fishing under a fixed-guideline harvest level. The result has been that their percentage of the overall catch has increased as the commercial catch has fallen, according to the report.

The changes approved by the council are designed to take some of that increased percentage away from the charters and give it back to commercial interests.

Charter-boat skippers say they are going to continue to push for an economic analysis of the proposed changes in the fishery. Both charter operators and recreational fishermen have repeatedly complained to elected officials that they lack fair representation on the NPFMC. One of the 11 votes on the council is reserved for a sport-fishing representative.

The post Cuts in Halibut Quotas Rile Alaskan Charter Operators appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.