Saturday, October 3, 2009

Alaska Salmon Fishing

Alaska Salmon Fishing may be some of the best in the world. Alaska Salmon fishing for sockeye is world class on the Kenai River and presents an excellent opportunity to bring home one of Alaska's most cherished delicacies. Alaska Salmon fishing for sockeye is available throughout June and July. Alaska salmon fishing rewards delighted fishermen with 8-12 pound fish. Alaska salmon fishing can be done with bait casting gear, spinning gear or fly-fishing equipment. You'll experience breathtaking Alaska scenery and wildlife viewing both to and from your Alaska Salmon fishing destination and nothing compares to seeing the wilderness of Alaska from a floatplane.

When to plan your Alaska Salmon Fishing adventure is mostly a matter of personal fishing preference. From mid May until mid October, there is definitely an ideal time to suit your individual Alaska Salmon Fishing preferences and planning well ahead will assure you a very rewarding experience. Are you dreaming of an Alaska Salmon fishing trip. Alaska is known as one of the best salmon fishing areas in the country, and if salmon fishing is your goal, an Alaska Salmon fishing trip is ideal for you. If you're a fisherman, or would just like to sink a hook into a 60 pound salmon,then you will love Alaska Salmon fishing. Just make sure you are prepared with the proper Alaskan fishing equipment when fishing for halibut, trout, or salmon.

Salmon

Salmon spawning for the Alaska salmon fishing season spans between September and December, and they are extremely beautiful to find and watch. Salmon fishing in this region is a non-stop affair, with healthy runs of fish bending rods and stripping line throughout the season. Salmon grow rapidly in the saltwater and can gain up to a pound a week during the summer season. Salmon live in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Great Lakes and other land locked lakes. Salmon population levels are of concern in the Atlantic and in some parts of the Pacific but in northern British Columbia and Alaska stocks are still abundant. Alaska is a prime location for reeling in King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Red Salmon, Pink Salmon and is also great for Alaska Trout Fishing, along with Alaska Halibut Fishing to name just a few. Imagine yourself in Alaska, far from the urban sprawl of everyday life, standing in a clear, crisp river that’s loaded to the brim with trophy salmon and arctic char.

King

King salmon fishing in Seward is at its peak in the month of June. King salmon are the largest of all the salmon species. King salmon fishing on the Kenai River, the king salmon don't get any bigger and fishing doesn't get any better. King salmon are also well known for their size, with trophy-size fish weighing over 80 lbs. Sitka Alaska is unique in that it is recognized by the Alaska Department of Fish Game as ranking highest in the region for total catch and catch rates for both salmon and halibut. The late run of Kenai King Salmon averages about 41,000 fish. Alaska Salmon fishing for late run Kenai Kings closes on July 31, although these fish can continue to return into August. The state record Alaska king salmon is 97lbs.

Halibut

Halibut can be caught using a longline bated with pieces of octopus. Halibuts are opportunists and will eat virtually any animal small enough to fit into their mouths. Halibut dress out at 60%+, a 30 pound fish will yield 15-20 lbs. Halibut spawn at a depth of 600 to 1,500 feet from November through March. Halibut features firm, white flesh that can be frozen and kept for months before eating. Halibut fishing can be just as fast paced as salmon fishing, and multiple species can be targeted in the same day. Halibut are highly migratory and will travel for 100's of miles. Halibut can live to be very old reaching ages of 50 years, however few live past 30. Halibut are the largest of all flatfish and the official Alaska sport caught record is 459 lbs caught near Dutch Harbor in 1996.

Silver

Silver salmon start entering the Kenai River in early August. Silver Salmon Fishing usually stays good through late September. Silver salmon fishing is the pinnacle pursuit of our fall salmon season and coho can be found in a number of Kenai Peninsula rivers and streams and any number of remote locations throughout the Alaska. Silver Salmon average 8-10 lbs with fish up to 20 pounds taken each year. Silver Salmon (Coho) on the other hand is slightly smaller with an average weight of 8-12 pounds. Silver salmon fishing begins in early August and runs through the end of the month. Fly out silver salmon fishing trips are renowned for secluded locations and overly aggressive fish in large numbers, Alaska Salmon Fishing at its finest. Alaska holds the world fishing records for king salmon, sockeye salmon, silver salmon and halibut. Homer, Alaska provides excellent fishing for halibut, saltwater King salmon, Ling Cod, saltwater silver salmon, black bass, etc.

Trout

Serious anglers know this truly unique area offers the finest trout and salmon fishing found anywhere in the world. After you limit out on your catch of Salmon, target other Alaska species like the beautiful Rainbow Trout, Char, Grayling, or Pike. The salmon season runs well into September here in South Central Alaska and is followed by trout fishing which is great until freeze-up in early to mid October. Rainbow Trout in the Iliamna region naturally grow to 18 pounds or larger. Lake Trout are Alaska’s largest freshwater fish, inhabiting large, deep, cold lakes with the best fishing just after ice-out.

Sockeye

Sockeye salmon is a popular canning fish since the flesh has an appealing orange color. Sockeye salmon are notorious for not striking lures, but they do strike. Sockeye salmon, on the other hand, are the most sought-after of its entire species because its flesh has a color of deep red and it has a firm rich flavor. Sockeye salmon bound for the Russian River are available when the season opens on June 11 and can be caught into Early July. Sockeye will spend up to 4 years in fresh water lakes before heading out to sea where they grow quickly. Sockeye will travel thousands of miles from ocean feeding grounds to spawn in the rivers where they were born. Sockeye Salmon average 6 to 10 pounds with a 15 pound maximum. Alaska sockeye or red salmon, pound for pound, are the hardest fighting salmon in the world. It is also possible to let your Alaska salmon fishing take place in landlocked bodies of water, since Sockeye salmon inhabit such water too in additions to rivers and saltwater.

Coho

Coho Salmon are well regarded for their tenacious, acrobatic fight. Coho salmon are found in many more rivers than king salmon, but for most of the same reasons, the Ayakulik is a perfect place to catch coho salmon in the fall. Coho are the most aggressive of all salmon, and hit flys or. Coho are chrome silver at this location. Cohos range from 3 to 20 lbs with an 8-12 lb average throughout the summer and fall in Ketchikan.

During Alaska halibut fishing, sport fishers use rods and reels to catch this large fish and the line weights ranges from 80 to 150 pounds. Instead of going back to the same spots day after day we are continually on the hunt for new and uncharted places to find the best Alaska halibut fishing action. Imagine yourself enjoying a full week of Alaska halibut fishing, immersed in the sounds of nature and finding all the time in the world to appreciate the finer points of the sport of fishing. Humpback whales, sea otters, and eagles are a welcome sight on any Southeast Alaska halibut fishing charter, but trying to take photographs while reeling in the big one can lead to a wet camera.

Alaska is home to another kind of fishing as well. Alaskan king crab which has been popularized by the show deadliest catch. The boat set sail from Dutch Harbor looking to catch as many opelio or king crab before their quota is up. They go out on the one of the most dangerous seas in the world, the Bering Sea. Unalaska Island is home to many of the original inhabitants, the Aleut Indians.