Fishing In Alaska Today

If you’re fortunate enough to visit Alaska for a week or longer, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to use your fishing tackle. But if you want to mix it up a little, check out some of the native mollusks and crustaceans. Alaska is ripe with clams and crabs that will make a tasty addition to your fish fry. And, what better way to spend a day at the beach or out on the water? Fishing for crabs and clams can be a lot of fun.

Dungeness Crabs

Anglers can enjoy fishing for dungeness crabs nearly all year round in Southeast Alaska. Dungeness crabs are different in appearance from king or snow crabs because their legs are shorter and smaller relative to their bodies. Also, spines on the top side the shell are absent from dungeness crabs. These crabs can grow to be more than 6 inches wide and typically weigh around 2 pounds. Mature male crabs can be even larger.

Not every crab can be kept. Only male crabs that are 6 and a half inches or greater can be harvested. There are also regulations concerning how many crabs each individual can harvest. Be careful handling dungeness crabs. These crustaceans have strong pincers that can strike at any time and leave quite a mark.

Equipment for crab fishing can include ring nets, dip nets, diving gear, and hooked or hookless handlines, but most recreational crab fishermen just use traditional crab pots. Occasionally crabs can be spotted on the beach and picked up there. Crab pots are usually baited with dead fish bodies. Effective baits include salmon, cod, herring and halibut carcasses.

Razor Clams

On the Pacific coast, there are only about 8 places where you can find large populations of razor clams. The Eastern side of Cook Inlet in Alaska is one of those places. These small mollusks are highly prized and often sold for over $10 a pound. Digging for clams can be a great way to spend a few hours on the beach, and no experience is required.

Razor clams can be identifyed by long and narrow shells that are yellowish brown in color. Razor clams are usually smaller than a dollar bill but can grow to be longer than 7 inches.

Two of the best beaches for finding razor clams are Deep Creek and aptly named Clam Gulch. When digging for razor clams, the only pieces of equipment required are clam shovels and buckets. Low tide is the best time to dig for clams. A small indentation on the sand is a good indicator of a clam’s presence. When you see an indentation of this kind, start digging, but be careful not to break the fragile shell of the clam. Take caution when handling razor clams as the shells are very sharp.

Whenever you feel like changing up your fishing routine, try your hand at crab or clam fishing. Digging clams on Alaska’s beaches or crabbing on the water is good fun. Happy fishing!

No it isn’t Bill Gates. It isn’t the diamond merchants of South Africa or the oil barons of Saudi Arabia either. The world’s highest paid job is crab fishing in Alaska. The frigid waters off the Alaskan shoreline house a veritable fishing goldmine and crab fishing in Alaska has been aptly dubbed the last great gold rushes on earth.

Crab fishing is the most significant of the Alaskan commercial shellfish industries. The waters of Alaska, notably the Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, Dutch Harbor and the Kodiak and Aleutian Islands are home to rich bounties of crabs: tanner, Dungeness and the famed Alaskan King crab.

The different varieties of the Alaskan crabs possess immense commercial value and the Alaskan King crab in particular is a prized dish in the culinary world, valued as highly as caviar or vintage French wine. US and Japanese restaurants are the primary importers of Alaskan King crab in the world.

An idea of the valuation of crab fishing in Alaska can be garnered from the fact that a seasoned fisherman can hope to rope in US$50000 worth of catch in an eight-week period.

The commercial crab fishing industry in Alaska had its beginning way back in 1950. The returns were promising from the very start and the region quickly attracted hundreds of US fishing boats. The 1980s were the heydays of crab fishing in Alaska. During this period of king crab boom, the fishing boat captains regularly earned US$150000 in a season and the crab fishing boats boasted of saunas, music systems and microwaves.

But by 1983, the Alaskan King crab industry crashed for no apparent reason. The worst slump in fishing history, it forced fishermen to look into alternative fishing sources. Thus Alaskan commercial fishing branched out either to salmon and halibut or bairdi and opilio, two types of tanner crabs.

Since then the Alaskan crab fishing trade has looked up a little with the year 2001 bringing in 23.2-million pounds of fishing stock worth US$36-million. But crab fishing in Alaska still continues to command the highest pay packet in the world.

But this is only the rosy side to the job. Crab fishing in Alaska is one of the most perilous of all jobs in the world. To fish for crabs in the glacial waters of the Arctic Ocean in sub-zero temperatures, with pounding waves thrashing on the deck and tossing the fishing boat treacherously and icy winds howling continuously, needs a stout heart and an able body. Furthermore, your work will involve negotiating the enormous crab pots and coils of line along the slippery deck.

Each and every muscle and sinew of the body is stretched to the hilt and exhaustion to the point of breakdown is common. Crippled limbs, crushed fingers and ribs, broken legs are the staple fare in the grueling 20-21 hour daily schedules, while men toppling overboard are not uncommon incidents either. In fact, every year there are some casualties in these fishing trips.

However, in spite of all the hardships, there is no dearth of men seeking employment in this fishing trade. Crab fishing in Alaska remains a haloed job to land.

If you’re dreaming of taking an Alaska fishing trip, you should consider taking an Alaska fly fishing float trip. It combines the beauty of the untamed Alaska wilderness with the reward of catching challenging sport fish.

An Alaska fly fishing float trip is truly the ultimate fishing adventure. Imagine spending a week in areas frequented by more caribou, wolves and bears than people. Imagine catching Alaska Rainbow Trout, Pacific Salmon, Artic Char and Artic Greyling like an expert, even though you are a beginner. Imagine a truly memorable Alaska fly fishing float trip in the great wilderness rivers of Alaska.

Alaska fly fishing float trips create an chance for seeing wild landscape and admission into fishing waters others cannot access. The solitude and isolation woven into your experience somehow changes the way you look at everything for that point forward.

A fly fishing float trip in Alaska can include any and all of the following rivers: Aniak River, Alagnak River, Talachulitna River, Lake Creek and areas of the famed Bristol Bay watershed, in the heart of Alaska’s sportfishing country. These areas are all remote accessible only by float plane. Because these rivers lack traffic and enjoy light fishing pressure, they retain their spectacular fishing characteristics.

The Alaska fly fishing float trip is not only filled with the reward of exceptional fishing excitement, but the opportunity for wildlife photography is nothing short of fantastic. The rivers run clear. You’ll drift through sections of scenic, wild back country teeming with caribou, grizzly or brown bear, wolf, and moose. Pristine streams hold diverse fish species including rainbow trout, Chinook, or king salmon, and coho or silver salmon.

Right now is the time to plan your Alaska fly fishing float trip because access is limited and trips fill up quickly. That’s because on a scale of 1 - 10 most people rate an Alaska fly fishing float trip as a 20. This is one adventure which will certainly bring your angling aspirations to life.

Alaska is considered to be the perfect place for fishing. The wildlife is various and there are a lot of water areas where great diversity of fish species lives together. Alaska is famous as a region, where salmon fishing can be practiced. Salmon fishing is unique and it can be done mainly on the shores of Alaska, which attract many enthusiasts to try their luck. For the convenience of the anglers, Alaska offers great tourist overnight accommodations, called fishing lodges. Alaska fishing lodges can be the perfect place for your holiday, and very affordable too. Here are the most popular Alaska fishing lodges where many fishermen come to stay a couple of weeks.

Alaska Fishing Lodge- Custom Adventures.
The website for more information available runs as: www.wildernessplacelodge.com
Wilderness Place Lodge is situated on five private acres right on Lake Creek, its location being 70 miles northwest of Anchorage. Their lodge offers the best relaxing activities and great opportunities for adventurous salmon fishing, as well as courses in fly-fishing, world class fishing, personal and professional fishing guides. Let alone the gourmet 5-course meals, the hotel’s amenities and the luxurious accommodations at the meanest price- this fishing lodge offers you also the biggest opportunity to overreach your fishing standards as it is located only minutes from the best fishing place in southcentral Alaska. Their lodge also features some of the best spin and fly fishing in Alaska. In addition, you can get your adventure packages for all kinds of Alaska salmon (King, Silver, Pink, Chum and Sockeye), and also tickets for rainbow trout.

The second Alaska fishing lodge on offer is www.alaska-adventures.net . Their Alaska fishing lodge can be found 40 miles away from the town King Salmon Alaska, which is world famous for the great fishing there. Alaska Adventures Fishing Lodge is situated in the centre of Katmai National park. It offers bountiful fishing opportunities for all the 5 salmon species, including rainbow trout, arctic char and grayling. The place for fishing stands only 40 yards from the hotel, and you have the chance of going on a trip before breakfast and after dinner. You can spend 20 hours a day fishing, if you like, and it is not necessary to fight for the water with other anglers, as there are no other fishing lodges within 34 river miles and no landing place within 20 miles. And that can ensure your big catch. Their Alaska Adventures Fishing Lodge can host 20 guests, each fishing lodge cabin accommodating from 2 to 4 people. The hotel amenities consist of dining and serving room, recreation area, the hotel offers Alaska traditional wood sauna, also hot showers and flush toilets, as well as TV, DVD and satellite phone.

The third Alaska fishing lodge to be presented here is World-Class Trophy Alaska- Salmon Fishing and Arctic Char. The site for additional information is www.alaska-salmon-fishing.net
This fantastic place is reachable only on boat. The quietness and serenity offered are immense- there are no roads and airports in the district. Another way for getting there is by using the Austin’s tours.
Their lodge is situated on the banks of the Golsovia River, only 300 yards from the river mouth. The river itself is located on Norton Sound on the shores of the Bering Sea. The waters teem with King, Silver, Chum and Pink Salmon. Arctic Char can also be easily run against, when passing by your lure, just having swum from the pure ocean. The striking situation of the lodge –its nearness to the ocean- offers immense opportunities for a real big catch. Daily quantity exceeds 30-40 during the summer (June till August being the peak time). But the owners are also trying to preserve the wildlife, and after the reaching of limits, the catch-and-release technique is practised.

Fishing in Alaska, whether you are an experienced angler or just curious to try it, is one of the most memorable experiences you can have. In a setting of majestic mountains, vast wilderness, and a rugged coastline, Alaska fishing vacations are sure to satisfy the appetite of hardcore outdoors enthusiasts and casual fishermen alike. And let’s not forget the huge variety of fish in thousands of lakes and rivers, or along the miles and miles of coast.

Unless you are a resident or a brave soul who likes the idea of ice-fishing in the Alaska winter, the main fishing season stretches from May to September. The summer in the north is quite short, with July and August the warmest months, and most popular for tourists. You needn’t worry about crowds though; the land is so vast and there are so many options that finding a secluded spot for some quality fishing is easy.

With 40% of the United States’ coastline, the 49th State has a lot to offer for those who want to fish the ocean. Halibut and Salmon are popular choices, and world-record sizes of both have been caught in Alaska waters. Halibut are commonly about 20 to 50 pounds, and King Salmon can often reach 90 pounds. Salmon are out in the ocean early in the year, May and into June, before they head upstream and can be fished in the rivers, like the popular Kenai river.

For those heading inland for sport fishing, the lakes and rivers have a large variety of fish. Freshwater species such as Grayling, Lake Trout, Northern Pike and Pink Salmon are common. In the far north, delicious Arctic Char abound in the lakes and rivers north of the Brooks Range.

Most popular for inland sport and fly-fishing are Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden. Both are good fighters and make exceptional fishing. Against a backdrop of incredible mountain ranges, shared with loads of wildlife like grizzly bears, moose, deer, wolves and others, this is a fishing trip you’ll never forget!

Alaska has a lot of tour operators, fishing lodges and fishing tour guides to help set up your dream trip. Fishing lodges are often quite luxurious, even in very remote settings, and the fishing is excellent. For a really great experience, consider a fly-in trip, where you will be taken to a very isolated lake or river and really get a sense of the vastness of the land.

Whichever way you choose to go, ocean-fishing off the coast, fly-fishing in a mountain stream, or sport fishing in the lakes and rivers, Alaska fishing vacations are quite simply superb. Even if you have never tried fishing before, consider visiting this incredible land just for a chance to experience the thrill of landing a great fish in such an incredible setting. It is an experience you are not likely to ever forget.

Sockeye salmon, Steelhead salmon, River trout, Chum salmon, Coho salmon and of course the Chinook salmon; when salmons of this variety can be caught in the Alaskan waters its hard to keep the throngs of hopeful anglers away. Pretty justified too, there have been far too many monster catches of Chinooks or deservingly named King Salmons over the Alaskan waters, further enticing starter and pro anglers to ply its waters and search for their luck.

The King Salmon is no doubt the most coveted price in Alaska salmon fishing, though over the years its estuaries are also known to shelter several gargantuan halibuts. But more or less, Alaska is more dominant with its endless salmon runs, and softer nerved anglers who are still skeptical in challenging the king can opt with other types of salmons other than the fiery King.

But they have to avoid angling for the Coho salmon, or sometimes called the Silver Salmon, too. This salmon type is next in line with the Chinook in tempestuousness; they are known to perform heavy acrobatics and stunts when compromised, beating novice anglers with lesser determination.

All in all, Alaska salmon fishing is one dominant American fishing sport. True you can fish for salmon just about anywhere: Puget Sound, British Columbia, Arkansas, New York… but the diversity of the salmon fishes in Alaska coupled with the level of the play involved there (most pros fishing for salmon head to Alaska), Alaska salmon fishing provides for the better experience.

So, have I convinced you yet about the boons of Alaska salmon fishing? Here are some starter venues to compliment for your Alaska salmon adventure ideas.

Waterfall Resort

Waterfall Resort is good only for one thing. They hold the Annual $100,000 King of Kings Salmon Tournament. Being a full sized tournament involving several pro anglers, this makes it a mighty fine venture indeed. The only catch is, you have to be a resort guest to join the tournament. No big deal, the Waterfall resort also boasts the best location in this part of Alaska. You might be interested to join.

Alaska Rainbow Lodge

Are you planning a more laidback adventure where you can fish on anytime of the day with less the hassle? A more personalized adventure perhaps? Why not settle on one of the riverside cabins along the Kenai River. Now that is personalized fishing vacation, with the fishing grounds right at your doorstep.

Regarding Kenai River, this is where Les Anderson became immortalized with his 1985 catch of a gargantuan salmon. It was a 97.4 pound King Salmon. The only rival record was the 1949 King Salmon caught at Petersburg, Alaska. At 126 pounds it was by far the heaviest though many were skeptical judging the absence of visual proofs.

Trips to Alaska for most outdoors men usually include an Alaska rainbow trout fishing expedition. The fishermen are looking for the elusive rainbow trout which is one of the most popular game fish in Alaska. Professional anglers flock to Alaska from countries all over the world. They come to the Alagnak River in search of the rainbow and they enjoy the thrill of hooking that game fish.

The Alagnak River has a large community of the trophy rainbow trout, people who want these fish to keep as trophies, a favorite of these fishermen is the highly sought after Leopard Rainbows that can be found through Katmai Park and it is a part of the usual fly fishing programs of many of the lodges in the area. Many of these lodges or tours will take you on trips to places such as Nonvianuk River, the Kukaklek river and of course the Alagnak River. Many offer you a jet boat that can access all three of the rivers and the lakes. They also offer you quality Alaska Rainbow trout fishing.

It is reported that June is the premium month for your fishing trip, as many of the lodges will open for business and offer great trips to find the great Alaska Rainbow trout, where you can find fish that are up to 30″. Many will tell you to use 5 to 6 weight fly rods and maybe even floating lines. Visitors to Alaska can look forward to large fish, catching as many as 20 to 40 fish on a daily bases.

Alaska Rainbow trout fishing demands you to be up to date on this aspect of the fish, you should know that they have a sleek body and the coloring is usually blue-green or olive on the back and may be silver on the lower sides. They may also have a red-pink band on each side and some black spots over their lateral line. You may that some have those black spots all over the lower side.

Another important thing to remember is that they spawn from late March and continues until roughly early July, during that time they may produce about 200 to 8000 eggs that will be deposited into a nest that the female will create, then they are fertilized by the male who will then cover the nest with gravel.

If you are interested in a great fishing experience you may want to join a fishing group, these programs have experienced leaders who will be prepared for all of your needs in a fishing situation. They will have lodging, and transportation for you to get to the fishing sites, as well as being knowledgeable about the areas that will produce the best places to catch the best Rainbow trout. They will also be available to the novice for advice on the proper bait and the right equipment. For the best Alaska Rainbow trout fishing experience these programs may be right for you, especially if you are new to the sport.