The thrill of the catch is one thing, but the taste of a true, fresh-caught wild salmon will astound you.
Greetings from Ketchikan, Alaska! Although I love my time on the beaches of Brevard County, getting out here is certainly a welcome change of pace and scenery! I’ve been chartering up here every summer for the past 12 years, primarily offering guided salmon and halibut trips. Combine wondrous scenery and the insane fishing, it’s an experience of dreams that I’d like to share with my fellow Floridians. If you want to do more than just read about it, come join me up here for the trip of a lifetime on a Ketchikan Fishing Charter! Here’s a little about my trips…
The wondrous world of summer fishing in Alaska draws anglers from around the world who flock to these rich waters annually. Ketchikan, Alaska nestled in the heart of the sprawling temperate rainforest known as Tongass National Forest boasts the title of “Salmon Capital of the World,” and for good reason.
But salmon are not all visitors can expect to catch in this world-renowned fishery. As an experienced captain who runs daily charters out of Ketchikan during the season, I still find myself surprised by the productivity of these waters. Along with five species of salmon, we also land big halibut, giant lingcod, pacific cod and rockfish in our daily catch limits. The fishing is superb, and so is the wildlife watching. Hit the water with us, and I will gladly hand over the binoculars when marauding pods of orcas show up on the surface or when magnificent humpback whales breach. We share these waters eagles, sea lions and so much more. It makes a perfect fishing getaway for the entire family.
The awe-inspiring beauty that surrounds Ketchikan is something that must be witnessed to understand. From the rugged terrain of old growth forest in Tongass down to the vibrantly rich waters, each day surprises visitors with landscapes and wildlife that make Ketchikan a bucket-list destination.
Who doesn’t dream of giant halibut or monstrous king salmon on these scenic waters? Peak season runs from mid-June through September, with the absolute best fishing during the months of July and August. This occurs when we have an overlapping run of king salmon, silver salmon and pink salmon. All the while, big halibut will have moved in from deep water to feed on the abundance of food present. For these reasons, one can expect to catch all species with potential record catches of halibut, salmon, lingcod and rockfish hitting the docks by day’s end.
You won’t find a door mat quite like this in Central Florida.
Here’s what you might expect on a good full-day charter. We start out bottom fishing for halibut in 150 to 400 feet of water until we get a limit. Using deep-water jigging rods, you’ll be tasked with reeling in hard-fighting halibut from the depths.
Then we switch gears to trolling with electric downriggers,running four rods for all five species of wild Pacific salmon. Whether or not we hit our limit of salmon, we usually end the day jigging with light tackle for giant lingcod and pelagic rockfish to top off the day’scatch. Why settle for one species when you can fish for them all?
A processing service will fillet, vacuum seal and box up your catch to be shipped home overnight or taken on your flight as a checked bag. Ketchikan is easily accessible with convenient commercial flights, just two-hours out of Seattle, and lodging accommodations are available for groups of all sizes.
If you need an escape from Florida’s scorching summer heat or are just ready to book the Alaskan trip of your dreams with Ketchikan’s Finest Fishing Charters, visit us online at ketchikanfishingtrips.com, or call (907) 617-4717 or email at ketchikanfishingtrips@gmail.com.
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