How to Plan Your Alaskan Vacation: Alaska Fishing

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By inggymae
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Alaska Fishing

With an abundance of lakes, countless streams and 33,000 miles of coastline Alaska Fishing is some of the best in the world.

With thousands of destinations to choose from the following is a practical guide to planning your Alaska Fishing Adventure.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Alaska Fishing

Saltwater or freshwater?
This is the first thing you need to decide. Would you prefer to be out in the ocean chasing down Alaska's prized halibut or schools of silver salmon? Do you dream of competing with a seal lion for your catch?

Or would you rather be standing on the bank of a river or one of the countless pristine glacier-feed streams throughout Alaska?

Or maybe you long to stand on the ski of a float plane, surrounded by mountains, fishing a lake in middle of nowhere.

If you're looking for that saltwater adventure Juneau, Homer, Kenai, Seward or Valdez are the places to go.

If you're looking for the freshwater adventure, well then, you have your work cut out for you because you have, well, everywhere else.

If you can't decide or just want both, don't fret. When it comes to Alaska fishing you can have your fish and eat it too.

Seward, Homer and Kenai are all places where you can spend the day at sea and then with a short car ride be standing on the bank of a river teeming with salmon, steams filled with Dolly Varden and trout-filled lakes.
Step 2

Alaska Fishing

On the road system or off the road system?

With so much of Alaska being off the road system, another big decision you have to make is whether you want to fly to your location (after you reach Alaska) or drive.

Seward, Kenai, Homer and Valdez are all on the road system. You can drive, from the Anchorage Airport, to Seward in 2 1/2 hours, Kenai in 3 hours, Homer in 4 1/2 hours and Valdez in 5+ hours. Or you can hop a short flight to Juneau, our state capitol.

There are also countless freshwater lakes, rivers and stream all over Alaska, on and off the road system. Remember that Alaska is 600,000 square miles so even if your desired destination is on the road system you may want to allocate lots of extra time to get there.

If you choose to go remote there are many air charters to choose from. However, there is a saying "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there aren't many old, bold pilots." Choose wisely and ask questions concerning your pilot's experience, especially experience with the specific plane you'll be riding in and to location you'll be going to. Take your time in choosing.

You may also want to contact the FAA in writing about records on accidents, enforcement, maintenance and incidents at:

Flight Standards Service Aviation Data Systems Branch, AFS-620 P.O. Box 25082 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 Phone: 405-954-4171.
Step 3

Alaska Fishing

To hire a guide or not to hire a guide.

I recommend hiring a guide for at least a portion of your trip. If you want to venture out on your own for the rest then go for it. A guide is familiar with the hot spots as well as restrictions such as restricted, Native-owned lands, restricted species etc.

Make sure your guide has the required certifications and licensure.

Check out the State of Alaska website for more information:
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/guides/

Comments

penair said

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on 8/12/2009 Great info! For flight information to some of the best fishing destinations in Southwest contact us at www.penair.com or 1-800-448-4226. We have scheduled commercial flights or you can book a charter. Also, check out our facebook fan page at http://tinyurl.com/pl9s55 for pictures and the latest news. Got pictures of your trip??? You can post them as well.