Alaska Salmon Fishing

Millions of salmon swim from nearby Bristol Bay into the local rivers and streams each year. Some of Alaska's finest wild salmon rivers are within easy reach of the lodge and we have developed an exceptional guided salmon fishing program to help you catch them.

These five salmon are available on fishing trips throughout the season:

Sockeye Salmon average 6-8 pounds with larger fish to 11-plus pounds. Sockeye are the most numerous of the salmon, with numbers in some rivers running in the millions. Sockeye salmon are best caught on a fly and pound-for-found are the hardest fighting of the salmon and their firm, red meat is the finest for eating.

Chum Salmon average 7-9 pounds, with larger fish to 15-plus pounds. Chums are taken on spinning or casting tackle. These hard-fighting fish migrate and hold in large groups. Chum salmon are easily caught while wading shallow water, and can make for very fast action on medium-weight fishing tackle.

King Salmon are the largest of the Pacific Salmon, averaging 15-30 pounds, with larger fish up to 50-plus pounds. Kings are fished most effectively with spinning or casting tackle, although exceptional fly fishing opportunities exist during specific weeks. One river, where we have a private lease, is a small coastal water that is one of the finest rivers in western Alaska on which to catch a King on a fly. Inquire about specific times of this run. Click here to read about it.

Pink Salmon average 3-5 pounds with larger fish to 6-plus pounds. Due to a two-year life cycle, their most prolific runs occur on even-numbered years. Pink salmon are aggressive strikers that can be caught on light spinning or fly fishing tackle in large numbers. It's not unusual to catch 50-100 five-pound fish for a day's effort.

Silver Salmon average 7-9 pounds with larger fish to 15-plus pounds. They run in shallow water, hold in large groups and readily take the proper fly or lure. Silver salmon run strong and leap high in the air when hooked.

* Best Pink Salmon runs even numbered years

Most of our salmon fishing areas are in the lower reaches of river, near tidewater, where fish are fresh and strong.

On many of our best salmon fishing rivers, having boats are key to finding fish that move into the rivers on tides. All of our are comfortable 18-20 ft. river boats equipped to U.S. Coast Guard safety standards and with late model outboard jet motors.

Keeping salmon and taking them home

The keeping of salmon is encouraged for those who desire. There is a house limit of five salmon per person and is close to and subject to State of Alaska daily and total possession limits. Your salmon will be carefully cleaned, vacuum packaged and frozen for shipment home and an airline-approved seafood shipping container is provided.