How to Salmon Fish in Alaska

For those with the time and the money, salmon fishing in Alaska can't be beat. Each year, thousands of tourists head to America's 49th state to pull pink-scaled fish that can weigh as much as 97 pounds (though most weigh much less) out of rivers or on the ocean front. The reasons to fish salmon range from the difficulty of actually reeling one in to the desire to eat the great-tasting fish.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Licenses
• Several rods and reels/and or flyrods
• Tackle and bait
• Warm clothing
• Hip boots
• Fish nets
• Boat(optional)
• Tour guide (optional)

Preparing for your expedition

1. Get a license. The Alaskan fish and game offices knows that most people aren't going to walk into the local tackle and shop to get a license so it has set up an easy format on its website. Prices range from $10 to $100, depending on the amount of days desired to fish for a basic license. Non-Alaskans will need a special stamp (again $10 to $100) for salmon.

2. Know your times. Alaskans tell people that salmon can be caught at any time of year but will quickly add that there are better seasons to do it than others. Generally, May through September is the best time, but note that the King Salmon tends to get harder to catch after early August.

3. Get a guide. If you are going to spend all that money to go fish salmon in Alaska, you may as well come back with some big fish and some great stories. A guide can help you. They know the best spots to fish as well as the best spots to go when not fishing. However, if you are experienced fishing in Alaska, then a guide may not be needed.

4. Get the right equipment. Yes, people do catch salmons as big as 97 pounds, and many are caught in the 60 to 70 pound range, but you won't catch anything bigger than 30 pounds. Most salmon weigh less than 10 lbs. So leave the shark pole at home. Go with about an 8-foot rod. Salmon will eat just about anything, so bring a variety of spinner baits along. Also, you will be fishing in the summer so bring shorts and T-shirts because it gets hot.

Catching the fish

5. Go with the method that works best when casting. You will use different methods based on where and how you are fishing. In a boat, you likely will trawl. Off a bank, you likely will do straight line. Your guide will give you the best directions once there.

6. Wait for the tug. Salmon will eat nearly anything in front of them, and as soon as they bite, they won't let go. So start reeling when you feel them tug the line.

7. Be prepared for a battle. Salmon will try to run as quickly as possible. Hold your line or they will be downstream or away from your boat by several hundred feet within a few seconds. Those few seconds can add 20 minutes to your battle.

8. Be courteous to other anglers. If in a boat, yell "Fish on!" That serves as a warning to other anglers that you are battling a fish. They will often reel in their lines to give you room to maneuver.

9. Be patient as the fish gets closer to you. Unlike smaller fish that give up quickly, salmon will battle until they are sitting in a cooler of ice.

Tips & Warnings

• If fishing in a stream, remember that salmon will stop in "holes" where the currents are strong. That is a good place to cast your line.
• Be prepared to lose some salmon. They are a tough fish to catch so don't get discouraged.

Resources

• Where to get an Alaskan Fishing License
• Alaska Fishing Report

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