Ketchikan Fishing with Howard 6/26/06

Wow! What an awesome fishing trip in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I booked a trip with Howard out of Ketchikan. Even though I've been to Alaska 3 times in the last 3 years, this was the most beautiful and fun time of all. There were bald eagles lining the water along with a mother bear and her cub walking the shoreline getting ready for the big salmon feed coming in the following weeks. The DFG had opened the limit to 11 Kings per day because they had all the fish they needed up the stream. I landed an estimated 20 and 30lb-er. Howard was an excellent guide, who I would highly reccommend. He easily accommodated both me with 8+ years kayak fishing and my girlfriend new to kayak fishing (she reeled in a 17lb-er). I also did a boat trip that was slow. I landed a 22 pound-er out of 4 anglers.

What a good trip!It is nice to see a trip work out as planned.I always wanted to make a trip to Alaska,Even more so w/the Yak!Good Job and nice pics.

How AWESOME!

thanks for the report and the pix.  I am so envious.

Your pictures brought me right back to my go-out in Ketchikan last summer.  The best 1 12/2 hours of fishing I have ever experienced.

Can't wait to get back there with Howard (my hero) with a little more time and no cruise ship schedule ruining my fishing.

Allen

Can't go wrong when fishing with Howard "da Man" 

 

wow mike, beautiful salmon.

Beautiful pics.  Was that salmon really that dark?  I've not seen that color before.

Pat

The dark color indicates a spawned out or older fish, I think...

MolBasser

Very nice!

Mike, did you guys target halibut at all?

I would love to kayak fish Alaska.

We were only fishing for 5 hours so our focus was salmon. I was on a cruise and wish I could have spent more time. The salmon was not quite as red as it was in that picture. That fish had not spawned yet. I fought it for 3o minutes. I was using 15lb test. I want to go back and try for halibut.

Thanks for the nice report Mike. I was back there the next day and the bear and cub came walking down the beach again. But this time they kept coming along the shore up toward the creek. They climbed up the rocks to avoid some beach fishermen, but on top was a yappy dog and owner sitting on the porch. The bear and dog started scrapping and I was cheering for the bear to knock the dog all the way to the water. But as the bear backed up a step it fell down the rocks. Several fishermen were just below there but both bears kept on going, crossed the creek, and came up the other side of the cove. I got up real close in the yak. Some guys were cleaning salmon right there and no joke there must have been a hundred eagles in one spot on the beach. As the bears came we gave them some room and I headed home with some nice kings. Not a good day to leave the video camera at home.

Its looking like there will be several 4 day yak/fish/camp trips for next summer so you guys that keep talking about fishing Alaska won't have any excuses not to come on up!

Howard