Alaskan salmon/ family trip advice

[Rsully661]

Trying to take my family on a 4/5 day fishing trip next year to Alaska. I have 3 girls and the wife. Has anyone done this DIY to save money and been successful? Is there an economical way to do it for the average Joe. The plane tickets I’ll cover with bonus miles from credit cards but everywhere I look is resorts and lodges ect. No way in hell am I able to pay 3500 per person in my wildest dreams.
Also when is the best season for Kings and is the eating better for ocean salmon or river fishing?
Any and all advice is appreciated greatly.

Might as well add “I’m not looking for anyone’s honey holes, but.....” I really am looking for honey holes

If I have to give up a sept we elk hunt then I will just chase cows in November if the kids will get a kick out of it.


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[Catchfish]

When are you wanting to visit. There is a point where salmon in fresh water begin turning and at a point the flesh changes, but plenty of people eat fish from freshwater. Is the focus of the trip fishing?4-5 days is a very short trip so kind of going to limit where you go. Here is what is kind of available where I live
June/July mostly red fishing, possible king fishing subject to closures(Kasilof is best bet for being open)
July reds will start picking up in the Kenai
August even years pinks in Kenai, silvers begin later,
Heading south to the kenai peninsula in that amount of time may be best bet. You would also have salt water options not really DIY but would be worth it.
Seward has halibut/rockfish/lings and then silvers available mid July
Homer same saltwater options but not as great silver fishing but earlier in the summer kings in the salt as well.
I live here so let me know I can answer most questions probably.

 

[Mt Al]

I took my daughter to Adventure Alaska in Thorne Bay, AK twice. Great price per person for a cabin, truck, skiff, etc.. We paid for two guided days each time we went, rest was DIY and it was a blast. Would not hesitate to go back. I also used FF miles to get us there each time, (float plane from Ketichican to Thorne Bay much extra!) came home with enough 50 pound boxes of frozen halibut and salmon to keep us fed for quite a while. Plan on bringing my wife, both daughters and a son in law back in a few years.

 

[Catchfish]

First red trip for me was Sunday

 

[Rsully661]

When are you wanting to visit. There is a point where salmon in fresh water begin turning and at a point the flesh changes, but plenty of people eat fish from freshwater. Is the focus of the trip fishing?4-5 days is a very short trip so kind of going to limit where you go. Here is what is kind of available where I live
June/July mostly red fishing, possible king fishing subject to closures(Kasilof is best bet for being open)
July reds will start picking up in the Kenai
August even years pinks in Kenai, silvers begin later,
Heading south to the kenai peninsula in that amount of time may be best bet. You would also have salt water options not really DIY but would be worth it.
Seward has halibut/rockfish/lings and then silvers available mid July
Homer same saltwater options but not as great silver fishing but earlier in the summer kings in the salt as well.
I live here so let me know I can answer most questions probably.

If I can make a week work financially i would love to do it, my main focus would be to catch a king for each of the girls so what ever time or place would be the best chance, also a day rock fishing for big reds, lings, or halibut would be amazing. Just want to show them a once in a lifetime trip while they are young and impressionable.


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[Rsully661]

I took my daughter to Adventure Alaska in Thorne Bay, AK twice. Great price per person for a cabin, truck, skiff, etc.. We paid for two guided days each time we went, rest was DIY and it was a blast. Would not hesitate to go back. I also used FF miles to get us there each time, (float plane from Ketichican to Thorne Bay much extra!) came home with enough 50 pound boxes of frozen halibut and salmon to keep us fed for quite a while. Plan on bringing my wife, both daughters and a son in law back in a few years.

The adventure Alaska seems like a perfect place and we love to hike. Very interested in this and gonna call and research it. Can’t Thankyou enough. What time of year we’re you there? Also where did you fly into to and any logistics? Could I PM you a ph # I can txt or call questions on about details ect? Thankyou.


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[Mt Al]

The adventure Alaska seems like a perfect place and we love to hike. Very interested in this and gonna call and research it. Can’t Thankyou enough. What time of year we’re you there? Also where did you fly into to and any logistics? Could I PM you a ph # I can txt or call questions on about details ect? Thankyou.


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Yes please PM but I may not be able to reply until tomorrow night, just FYI.

Glad the recommendation helped! Really great place and great people.

We went in late June and tried to combine DIY bear hunting which you could do at the time, but really focused on fishing. We flew alaska air to Seattle, then Ketchikan, then float plane to Thorne Bay and they pick you up at the dock. All one day, I planned a little longer layover in Ketchikan to make sure we made the float plane. I drooooool at the upgrade boats they have now. We used the skiffs and they worked great, just a little sketchy with wind here and there. Caught, cooked and ate umpteen crabs. It’s a great place, highly recommend it.

 

[Marbles]

If you want to go really budget, you could fly in to Ketchikan, rent a car, camp at Settlers Cove (or Last Chance) rent a skiff and tackle out of Knutson Cove, and perhaps pay for one guided day.

Camping and river fishing the Kenai can also be done cheap, but is crowded "combat" fishing.

Guides are expensive, but you will get more out of your time with a good one.

Salmon, particularly kings, is managed by emergency order, and can close at any time. So just be aware of that.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

You might look into finding a shipyard willing to rent you a skiff. Near the beginning and ends of the commercial seasons, they are up and running without a whole lot going on. Many of them have bunkhouses and cook for the staff.

Accommodations are usually at the lower end of “hunt camp” standards, and food might be onion sandwiches and fish, but it could be a good budget option.

That was my plan, from a guy I worked for in Bristol Bay, but their business has since gone under.

I’m not sure how the king fishing is in SE, and the seasons, but I found a list of these shipyards.

http://www.alaskaharbors.org/resources/Documents/2008OverviewRegionalFacilities_SEAK.pdf

 

[Marble]

As far as DIY in Alaska fishing I do not know...

I have done two different places and the costs were similar. 1000 for airfare and 3500 to 4500 for the week. The two places i went to i would go again. One was more expereince oriented and the fishing was 6 out of 10. We all caught lots of fish everyday, fully guided, but the fish weren't huge and their wasnt a lot of halibut. But the accommodations were 5 star and so was the food.

Second place, fishing was a 10. Big fish. All varieties, except no kings cause it was august. Plenty of silvers and pinks. Everyone caught a big long, halibut, silver, yellow eye and canary.

Fishing was all DIY. Owner pointed to spots on the map and we went out in groups of three in 16 foot boats with 90 hp hondas. Food was okay. Sleeping stuff was fine. Owner was an arrogant ass. The help was green. But the fishing was really good.

 

[Marbles]

Just to add, if you pay for a guided day, don't fish for halibut with the guide. With a guide, you can legally only keep small halibut or really big ones.

 

[Marble]

Just to add, if you pay for a guided day, don't fish for halibut with the hide. With a guide, you can legally only keep small halibut or really big ones.

I forgot that part. Very true. And the really big halibut generally are not kept anyways. Fun as hell and good stories though.

 

[Raghornkiller]

my wife and i drove up last summer and salmon fished all of july out of our small camper.we spent most of our time fishing for reds and pinks and found a lot of crowded hotspots as well as a few gems that are a bit more secret.Im not sure which area you were looking at or the experience you are looking for but if you have any questions you can pm me

 

[MattB]

We did a trip last summer and did a 3/4 day trip out of Homer with Homer Ocean Charters. We caught a lot of pinks, one king - fished dor them until everyone was bored with it, and then we each got our big and small halibut. They have it down to a science.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Trying to take my family on a 4/5 day fishing trip next year to Alaska. I have 3 girls and the wife. Has anyone done this DIY to save money and been successful? Is there an economical way to do it for the average Joe. The plane tickets I’ll cover with bonus miles from credit cards but everywhere I look is resorts and lodges ect. No way in hell am I able to pay 3500 per person in my wildest dreams.
Also when is the best season for Kings and is the eating better for ocean salmon or river fishing?
Any and all advice is appreciated greatly.

Might as well add “I’m not looking for anyone’s honey holes, but.....” I really am looking for honey holes

If I have to give up a sept we elk hunt then I will just chase cows in November if the kids will get a kick out of it.


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honestly I’d suggest Kenai because you can do salt and fresh on the lower cost side. Outdoorsy.com is a great place to rent a RV or something.
How old are your girls? I live just outside of anchorage and have small children. I can share my honey holes, because they are child friendly. Lol
Saturday’s first and second halibut this season for this boy!!
Had to help him significantly more with the one he’s kissing.

 

[Huntindog45]

I did a pretty DIY trip to Sitka. Used a guide a couple days but was able to rent a boat and do pretty well. You have to have some pretty sound ocean background, good gear and a huge since of adventure. But it is doable.

I forgot that part. Very true. And the really big halibut generally are not kept anyways. Fun as hell and good stories though.

some of that was just changed. Not sure how much but I know there was very recently some adjustments to that law.

 

[Marbles]

Sport Halibut Fishing in Alaska

Recreational fishing for Pacific halibut on charter boats (guided) or as unguided recreational fishermen in Alaska.

www.fisheries.noaa.gov

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/webdam/download/88517943

Can't keep fish between 45 and 80 inches if guided in SE.