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I am getting the opportunity to go to Ketchikan Alaska on August 18. It is a last minute trip that I did not plan on but an opportunity came up and I am going to go. I have no experience in that town or with any of the rivers. I don’t know what salmon would be running that time of year or what they would be biting on. I will have access to a relatively small boat boat but want to be safe and don’t want to get too far out in the ocean would love some advice on color bait and lures. Probably will not Flyfish just river fish with a spinning rod and a little bit in the ocean any advice or info would be much appreciated.
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Search Google, not Utah. Just sayin'. I just googled "diy ketchikan fishing" out of curiosity, and there's result after result. The first one lists waters and access, fish, seasons, road map, the whole nine yards. I've been to Ketchikan a number of times, but only as a jumping off point to other fisheries on Prince of Wales Island.
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Silver salmon during August, Kings are earlier and there might be some chums and then also the pinks. Your quite aways from the open ocean with all the islands to the west so should be ok in a small boat, just watch the weather/wind. Troll with cut plug herring and a banana weight 2-4oz and also power mooch. To power mooch after the line is about 100’ back put the boat in neutral and let the cut plug bait fall, when it gets down (greater then a 45* angel put it back in gear and troll until it’s up and then repeat. Other option is to get some 3” white and glow in the dark tubes/gitzits and some 1-4oz lead heads ( will need a variety depending on current) fillet a side of the herring and put on the hook as a trailer and then power mooch as above (the tubes are very very effective but this gear is not readily available in town). Focus on the tide changes if you can, hour before and 2 hrs after the changes
Good luck looking forward to the pictures
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I’m just a few miles from you in Hyde Park and will see if my Alaska gear is easy to grab out of storage if you like also, I have the tubes and lead heads if I can find the box[crazy]
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That was good advise. After doing a google search call them. Call any of the outfitters and ask them direct, they will be good help. There are seasons you need to know.
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That is a busy port with all the cruise ships coming in daily, at least 7-8 a day and the town is overrun with tourists. I’m sure there are charters available but not sure of the quality of the trip you get with the “ones on the docks”, if you have a local connection to a charter that would be a better choice IMO
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Thank you guys so much I would be so grateful if you had some stuff I could borrow or even buy I just don’t know what to use but yes the next couple weeks are going to be full of googling and research thank you guys so so much!!
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Ok I won’t be able to search the storage unit until late week as I’m heading to the gorge for a few days to meet up with some friends and catch some kokes
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We used to catch them trolling Koke gear with white squids and a anchovy fillet on the hook, just need larger squid/ hoochies 3-4”. I would also expect the the Brads baits cut plugs would be something to try, Black Jack, Hot Tamale, and a chrome chartreuse model is what I’d be looking at in those
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Ok no problem I am very grateful you are willing to do that I have seen some Kokanee that came out of the gorge this year and dang they were huge!! Good luck be safe and have fun
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I spent 2 two month trips there with two weeks in Ketchiacan . There is a lake about 8 mines from town called lake Watson. The silvers rest there after about a 10 mile trip from the ocean. I would wade out to my knees and throw a blue and silver or a rainbow colored blue fox (# 5 or 6) I would average 16.5 silvers a day (catch and release) for the 9 days I fished. All on the above rig. A large perch colored kastmaster also worked. You can find the blue foxes there but not the km,s The foxes are cheaper here than in Ketchiacan. Thrrs is a Walmart that has a great fishing dept. and a LDS church there also. The tide advice was a great tip because the fish use the tide charts also. You will never regret the blue foxes but you will lose some so take a few. Good luck.
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Lake Watson is a no boat lake, and has a camp ground. If you are a senior, take a senior national park pass (10.00) it will save you some Dollars.
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Wow awesome advice I’ll do it for sure just cast out and real in or should I let it sink for a bit also can you see them swim there in front of you and do you know how many I can keep out of there
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Some advice I can give after trying the diy route out of Seward and Whittier is to bite the bullet and have someone show you where to go and what to use. I’ve wasted a lot of fuel and time trying to figure out how to fish here. I’ve got the rockfish down but salmon and halibut are still elusive. It’s fun to diy it but if you’re looking for a meat run then work with a guide. Watch the regulations too. We were stopped by the fish cops and every question they asked was calculated and asked in a way to try to get you. If you’re going for rockfish use a descender device and have it onboard. They will want to see that. Know your species and their respective limits. Just to scare you more there are stories here of people being in violation of limits or species violations and anything you used related to the violation can be confiscated. Rods, boats and trucks used to bring the boat there have been confiscated. Just be careful and do your homework.
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