Ketchikan Kayak Fishing 6/25

Vacationing in Ketchikan last month with my wife, we spent one morning on kayaks up at Knudson Marina NW of town. My wife went on Ketchikan Kayak Co. "Eco-tour", with Howard McKim, and I rented a yak and fishing gear instead. Howard sent me out a short paddle to hunt for salmon and halibut, which were not biting, but I caught and released a bunch of rockfish and a rock sole. Weather was cloudy & pretty calm, much like a NorCal summer morning in Monterey. Eagles all over the place. We both had a good time.
Any ideas on my mystery fish? I thought it might be a juvenile Cabezon, but now I'm thinking a young Red Irish Lord. Hmmm.
If you're ever up that way, check it out.

Andy

Ha, ha Andy you were right in "the spot" between the reflector and that other marina.......I've caught a bunch of fish there, and fell in love with Ketchikan at exactly that location!

Glad you ahd a chance to fish my favorite spot.  I go to sleep thinking about the fishing there.

Also, happy you got to meet Howard.  What a bro, eh?

Allen

Wow, I've never seen a real quillback, no question about that one, what a beautiful place to yak, congrats on just being there....

I envy you!

Mystery fish is a sculpin of some sort. Caught several in that location. They look like scrawny Cabbies but they said they don't have cabbies up there. Allen is right about the spot between the reflector and the marina. Caught some big Pacific cod right there. Glad you caught the Sole instead of 101 of those pesky turbot (arrowhead flounder). Yuk!
Howard and crew (Brian?) are great guys!!!!!!

Good Times, Andy!  Glad you made your way up there and found some paddling fun for the both of you.   

Looks like a great trip.. thanks for posting and pix!  I was just up halibut fishing out of Ninilchik in June and I have to say that Alaska is an amazing place.. fishing or not.      Grats on getting out there for some yak fishing.. looks like a blast!  I'm hoping to get back up there with my wife someday and get out in the yaks.

One of the spots we fished, we pulled up 4 or 5 of those sculpins (or looked very much like that), a few were BIG but all head..   and the captain said they were Irish Lords.

That one looks like a sculpin with reddish hues vs. a red irish lord.  It doesn't have the distinctive rows of scales that a RIL has.

That spot holds a special place in my heart too!

-Allen

Love to read/see report from Alaska.  Thanks for your report and pictures Andy.

Photos of fish excite me. Thank you!

What a great trip! 

Cool fish!  A buddy of mine recently moved to Ketchikan, which gives me an excuse to make a trip up there someday  .  Thanks for the pics.

Also, that last fish is a red Irish Lord.  You can see the signature rows of scales if you zoom in and look under the dorsal fin.  Some folks regard the I-Lords as trash fish, but I think that's only because they're not as enormous as a Pac hali or salmon.  They actually fry up great.  Better than cabezon IMO.