Well, got back from my Alaska trip on Friday. Summary: poor fishing, incredible everything else. Some of the whale pics I took didn't do justice to what I saw there, including a humpback breaching clear out of the water not more than 200 feet in front of my boat (an 18' aluminum skiff w/40hp motor), and a mother & calf humpback swimming at the surface about 25-30 feet away the next day.

My mom took me & my brother to a floating lodge - Clover Bay resort - near Ketchikan and it was still loads of fun even with slow fishing. This place provides skiffs & all the gear you need to go out fishing on your own schedule and for what you want (or you pay a bit more for guided fishing on their two charter boats). The crew at the lodge said that the salmon don't really come in till the water is at least in the high 40's. Our AIR temp was in the high 40's and the water (according to the fishfinders) was 39 to 43. The weather also didn't cooperate - 30mph gusts most days in a 'bay' up there is still tough. 3' to 4' swells & whitecaps make it tough to troll, drift or fish in any way with a rod & reel. Still learned alot and had my firsts on several species: king, silver and pink salmon, true cod, Pacific halibut, arrowtooth flounder and several others. Also lost a HUGE salmon at boatside, estimated it about 25-30lbs.

Saw more bald eagles than I knew existed, and got pretty doggone close to the black bears (say about 6 feet away). Learned that black bears like to use seaweed covered rocks as toilet paper lol.

My first king salmon (undersize & released):


My mom's first salmon (she wouldn't touch it till I let her wear my neoprene gloves heh):


Missed getting a snapshot of the humpback leaping out of the water ... but the splash gives a good idea:


First Pacific halibut followed by my first true cod:


Another humpback:


Up close & personal with the wildlife:


Didn't have a chance to take photos on the rough days - too busy controlling the boat. My left arm is wore out from tiller steering & my right arm from running the downrigger ... but I learned alot. Once I pick up my OUPV license later this year or early next year, I may offer to deadhead on their 40' vessel to see if that could work out as a summer job for me.

sweet pictures

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. That sounds like an awesome summer job. Just think what all you could learn in even just one season. Good luck.

Next time go to Kodiak if you wantto catch a bunch of fish. Go in late August to mid September fo rthe Silver run. I lived there for about 10 years and I lived in Ketch for about 3 years and there is no comparison in the two places at all. If you want to catch kings go in mid June and take a flyout trip to the Ayacolik or Karluk rivers on Kodiak Island. It is worth every penny man. Fly with SeaHawk air and you will get in and out safe and the piolot Rolon is the best around. My wife worked for him for years there in Kodiak. If you do it tell him that Angela and Shawn said hello!!!!