The wonderful thing about the vastness of the State of Alaska is the number of areas that a person can fish. There are Alaska Fishing Lodges in nearly every region with each providing a unique and exciting experience to the angler. The Yakutat Lodge is one of those lodges where a person can find the fishing, accommodations and service that combines for a great fishing vacation.
Yakutat Lodge is located close to the Situk River, near the top of Alaska’s Inland Passage. The Situk River is known for having the largest wild-stock Steelhead population in Alaska. In addition you can try you hand at fishing for Halibut and King Salmon.
You can design a fishing trip that fits your desires and budget. Fully guided fishing trips are offered to all anglers, including fly-fishing. To reach the many fishing locations, Yakutat Lodge has available boats, vehicles, and even airplanes. You can even schedule trips into the Yakutat Ranger District Tongass National Forest.
A wonderful bonus to this Alaska Fishing Lodge is that they will prepare your catch in their custom fishing boxes. This includes filleting and freezing your catch. If you happen to reel in “the big one”, they will gladly prepare your trophy catch for shipping to your taxidermist.
If you need to gear up, you will find a tackle shop on site. Here you can buy or even rent some of the basic fishing equipment you will need. They offer a generous assortment of baits, flies, lures, tackle and fishing licenses.
The Yakutat Lodge has a rustic feel for the outdoorsman, yet there you will find comfortable and clean rooms. Each room comes with its own private bath and if you seek a cabin experience you will find those as well. Another benefit to fisherman is that each room or cabin also comes with its own freezer. After a day of fishing, you can enjoy the delicious meals in the dining room and swap stories with fellow anglers.
If you wish to take a day of from fishing, take advantage of the sightseeing activities. Enjoy kayaking, glacier tours, beachcombing and flyouts. There are hiking areas and miles of beach to explore, so bring your camera. The entire trip to Yakutat Lodge can be an experience of the senses.
Your Alaska Fishing Lodge experience at Yakutat Lodge offers much to anglers of all kinds and should be one that is added to your list of vacation destinations.
By: Dean Carl
Archive for February, 2010
Alaska Fishing Lodge – Yakutat Lodge
February 21st, 2010Chincoteague Island Virginia Saltwater Fishing
February 19th, 2010
Spring can be windy but when a calm day presents itself, anglers can catch tautog or sea bass over local shipwrecks and artificial reefs.
By June, bluefish arrive and are often present in large schools along the 20 fathom line. This fishing is 25-30 nautical miles from the inlet.
Sharking begins in June, with anglers fishing for several species of sharks, the most sought after being the mako. Sandbar, tiger, thresher, blue, blacktip, bull, hammerhead and other sharks also begin to appear about this time. Local anglers attract sharks by chumming with ground fish, then using wire leaders baited with whatever bait can be attained.
By early summer tuna usually arrive. Bluefin tuna prefer cooler water and usually move into the 20 fathom depths. In the early spart ofthe summer, bluefin are caught by trolling. By July, many anglers switch tactics and fish for tuna with cut butterfish. About the same time, yellowfin and dolphinfish begin to appear and many anglers troll for them from 20 fathoms out to Washington, Poorman’s and Norfolk Canyons. Some of these trips can exceed 70 nautical miles although good fishing is often just 25-30 nautical miles from home.
By late summer fishing heats up as tuna school up. Marlin, wahoo and Mahi Mahi are caught as well. Hurricane season has effects on fishing, sometimes keeping anglers from fishing, and other times bringing fish closer to the island resort. Patient anglers wait for a few nice days and enjoy good offshore fishing into the fall.
By October, most ocean fishermen fish for sea bass, flounder and tautog. As the waters cool further, red drum and striped bass or “rockfish” migrate down the coast. By this time offshore fishing has ended and most anglers either end fishing, begin hunting, or fish for striped bass which goes on throughout the winter months.
One of the advantages of Chincoteague’s location is the easy access to surf fishing in nearby Assateague Island. Surf fishing is relatively inexpensive, peaceful, requires little in specialized tackle and no boat is needed. Anglers can reach the surf on foot from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, or drive on designated areas with a 4 wheel drive vehicle. A permit is required for oversand vehicles.
Basic surf rods and spinning or bait casting reels are typical for surf fishing. Common setups use 17 – 20 lb test monofilament line.
Most anglers use just a few basic rigs for bait fishing. A hi-lo rig catches smaller fish, while the finder rig is used for larger catches. The hi-lo rig is a leader with a weight snap at the bottom and two dropper loops about 16″ apart. The fish finder consists of a 7/0 – 8/0 circle hook (or larger) tied to 20″-30″ of leader which in turn is tied to a 3-way swivel, which has a weight and the main line attached. A variation uses the same size hook tied to the end of a 12-20+” leader with a weight slide above the swivel end of the leader. The second fish finder rig casts farther and easier and the fish can pick up the bait and go further before noticing the weight. Using circle hooks help prevent deeply hooked fish and don’t require setting the hook.
Local tackle shops will have a variety of baits for surf fishing. General baits for a variety of fish will include squid, bloodworms and clams. Fresh or frozen bunker, cut into chunks and heads are a good bait of choice for drum, bluefish and striped bass.
Fishing begins in March but most anglers concentrate on fishing from Mid April-thru late fall. Species vary from week to week. Local fish may include red and black drum, flounder, striped bass, trout, croaker, spot, kingfish, bluefish, small sharks and others.
Flounder Fishing Chincoteague Island is well known for it’s flounder fishing opportunities. Many vacationers try their hand at the sport, and some anglers come to the island specifically to fish for these fish. Anglers may target flounder only at certain times. or choose to fish the entire season. Fishing varies with the weather, tides, time of year, location and water quality.
Flounder fishing is done by drifting the bays and creeks around Chincoteague and Assateague in search of a good days catch and an early season tan. The first flounder arrive in late March or April, with the main spring run usually coming from the end of April and into May. Mixed in with flounder are bluefish, gray trout, kingfish, rockfish, black drum and red drum.
By November, flounder fishing ends and outdoor enthusiasts can try striped bass fishing and waterfowl hunting!
By: J.C. Banks
Kokanee Trout Fishing
February 19th, 2010
The Kokanee silver trout is really a landlocked sockeye salmon. Its nickname is not that derogatory though because rainbows and cutthroat trout are more closely related to salmon than they are to brown trout. So if you are out Kokanee trout fishing, relax and catch some fish. The Kokanee is a cold water fish often at deep depths in lakes and reservoirs. Trolling with a downrigger is the most effective method to catch this hard fighting fish.
The subject of a good downrigger is important. If you fish deep lakes, a good downrigger will last you a lifetime. Expect to pay between $400 and $500 for a good downrigger set-up. The Bass Shop has a good selection of quality downriggers.
As for spinners to use when trolling, the smaller the better. The Kokanee instinctively live of plankton so willow-leaf spinners in sizes #00 to #1 are effective so are nymphs like the Polar Shrimp. I once saw a stripper fisherman with a tree set-up where six squid imitations were spread out by a tree structure about 18″ at its widest. If you could find something like this, I think it would work well with some small green willow-leaf spinners.
The Kokanee become more plentiful the farer north and closer to the coast you fish. British Columbia is the prime area but Kokanee can be caught as far away from the ocean as Colorado. The Kokanee come out of the deep, cold water to spawn on gravel beds by the shore and up feeder streams. They turn a bright red and are more likely to take a bigger lure, particular one the threatens their redd.
Fly fishermen casting a weighted line with an egg-sucking leech works well during this period. Try to get an egg-sucking leech whose egg is roughly the same color as the roe in that particular region. The local fly shop should be able to help you match the right color. Strip the leech near the spawning grounds for best success but check local regulations about fishing near spawning grounds.
Although I am a believer in catch and release, Kokanee are great on the grill. Their flesh is firm and very tasty. Kokanee also take well to canning. But don’t say you heard it from me. So if you called them land-locked sockeye salmon, redfish, bluebacks, or silversides they are a fine game fish and great for the table. If you call it Kokanee salmon fishing or Kokanee trout fishing, it doesn’t matter if you get them in the boat.
By: Craig Petersen
