Weekly Updates

Last week of the Season

Week of 9/4/22

This was the last week of the season and we saw it all. A few nice kings, a fair number of silvers, and large halibut to boot. The silver run was steady this season with guests catching daily. The run is moderate but the fish are acrobatic and large.

Halibut continued with a tremendous number of small fish mixed with a few larger barn doors. We expect the size to increase over time as we have so many small fish now that need to grow up. We are excited about future years. We had some windy days and a lot of rain mixed with some clearer weather. The temperatures have dropped into a fall pattern as well and plants are starting to fade. The guests left happy and are planning their next adventure to Doc’s. We would like to thank all those who came and made Doc’s such a wonderful season. We look forward to seeing all “reel” soon again. ~Doc’s Crew

Silver Season

8/28/22 Silver season is upon us. They are running deep and steady in catch. The overall run is as expected. Some fishermen were limiting most days and all guests had some nice fish. Halibut continues as it has all season. We had a few people join the 100# club, a few in the middle, and a lot of smaller halibut. The number of small halibut is a good indicator of great halibut seasons to come.

The big story of the week was the weather. Fall has arrived with strong winds at times and lots of rain. We had two “atmospheric rivers” this week. The forecast was for 14 inches in 4 days. We felt lucky to only get about 3 inches. It was still a lot. The waves were active as we loaded this morning so the catamaran tied on the west. The ride back was smooth. Thanks for another great week at Doc’s

~ Doc’s Crew

Alaskan Dumbells

August 21-27, 2022

As we were loading this morning, a guest confided to us that he had a problem … he had waited until he was 83 to take his first trip to Doc Warner’s. He wished he had started coming earlier and every year.

Some days we fished and some days we caught this week. The silver run has started coming in waves. We are getting better at anticipating their location as we learn their migration pattern.

Halibut was the big surprise this week. We had 3 guests join the 150 pound club and a few others joined the 100 pound club. The small chickens are still in abundance but there are some big ones out there.

Fall has arrived at the lodge already. The weather is cooling and salmon are slowly making it into the streams. We expect the last couple of weeks to be fish, fun, and great times at Doc’s.

~Doc’s Crew

Good memories and good times

8/14/22

This week was filled with good memories and good times. Many guests are commenting on how informative Fish Chat is and how it helps them to be better fishermen. Be sure to attend Monday-Wednesday evenings upstairs in Harris Hall.

The silvers are still showing strong and we saw many big ones. Guests were treated by the thrill of reels singing and fish jumping. With our new rubber nets, getting the hooks out has been much easier. Rubber is heavier than nylon so there is a small trade off. Halibut was a little slower but we did see a couple of large fish. This week Doc was fishing with his siblings. After trying a few places and exercising patience, Doc joined his last club … the 150# club this week. Now his pin set is complete. We have had a cooler summer and more moisture than normal. We use the fireweed flower as a barometer to tell when summer is over. The last blossoms have come and gone now so fall is just around the corner. As we leave the dock this morning, we are expecting warm temperatures as summer begins to fade. With 3 weeks left this season, there are still a lot a fish yet to catch. Fish On!

Silvers

8/7/22

Silvers! The silvers are in, in good quantities, and more importantly, good quality. Guests did very well on the salmon this week. The halibut catch was slower this week, in part because of all the salmon and in part because the tides were bigger. Even when there are big tides, there are always places to tuck in for halibut where the current isn’t so strong.

This week we had several younger children accompanying their fathers. The cutest quote of the week happened on Saturday morning when one of the young ones said, “the kids did all the work!” What a great memory. A couple of them even joined the “Bigger than me” club and took home a club pin.

It was another great week with family, friends, fish. See you next time at Doc’s.

~Doc’s Crew

All Five Species of Salmon

7/31/22

The guests this week split their time between chasing salmon and hunting halibut. Salmon could be seen jumping frequently in the normal places. The Pinks are in and the Silvers are just starting to run. This week all 5 species of Salmon were caught. On Saturday, leaving the lodge, the Salmon were continuing to jump which means there is a good harvest yet to come. As is typical for this time of year when the Salmon come in, more time is spent Salmon fishing and less time is spent on Halibut. There were still some over the 100-pound size and many more in the smaller sizes. One evening we had a small rain shower. Many guests took pictures of what lies at the end of the rainbow… that little golden piece of heaven we call Doc’s!

Fish on!

Doc & Staff

PS: Cellphone coverage continues to be a hassle. If you do not already have AT&T service and a phone that supports 4G, we highly recommend bringing a temporary AT&T phone to use at the lodge. The other providers do not have good coverage anymore. Our primary method of communication on the water for safety is by text or phone call. We do have limited Wi-Fi inside the lodge only.

Rain, Rain and more Rain

7/24/22

Rain, rain, and more rain. And then some cooler temperatures. But with the rain, come the fish. Salmon can be frequently seen jumping, both Pinks and Silvers. Guests were pleased with their catch of both Salmon and Halibut. Take a look at the guest photos for more pictures of the week’s catch. As we left the dock this morning it was very foggy. It made the little slice of heaven we all call Doc’s look surreal.

See you next time, Doc’s Crew

Halibut is the Name of the Game

7/17/22

Halibut seems to be the name of the game. They are plentiful and the guests are enjoying catching a variety of sizes. Several guests are joining new pound clubs and receiving 100-pound pins and a few larger. Those who have returned home are reporting that the fish is exceptionally tasty, almost sweet.

Salmon are starting to appear as you can see from the photos. A fair number of pinks sprinkled with silvers. By adding rock fish to our fishing repertoire, the game to find them is on. Duskys seem to be the most popular. They are soft, white meat and are good eating. Ask one of us where and how to find them.

This week, just before closing, a group of guests felt the exciting pull of a large halibut on their line and the fight was on. They described it as using twine to control a wild mustang. After toying with the fishermen, the fish decided it was done. It stripped off about 100 yards of line and was gone. The guests were so heart broken, we are sure they will be in counseling and will spend their spare moments researching hot to land the next big one. Already, they are making plans. Hope to see you “reel” soon.

Doc’s Staff

Beginners Luck

7/10/2022

Beginner’s Luck was a real thing this week. Two couples, first time guests, limited out on halibut on their first day. All four fish were over 50 pounds with the largest being 82. What a great start to the week, and for newcomers. Several large schools of salmon have been sighted which is a good sign of things happening and things to come. The forecast had been for an average run but we are seeing what could be a better-than-average run if things continue.

The week started with wind and quickly turned relatively calm. Temperatures have fallen back into comfortable 50’s and 60’s. Our guests are grateful for the break from the hot weather down in the lower 48 states. Just another reason to spend a week at Doc’s. Thanks again and see you again “reel” soon! ~ Doc’s Crew

Dry Weather and Blue Skies

06/26/2022

The week of June 26th was dry and blue … blue skies that is. With the clear weather came strong winds the first part of the week. Often times a good wind seems to bring in the salmon and we are starting to see good signs of the salmon beginning to come. Silvers, pinks and chums all crossed the dock. While the staff were demonstrating how to use the downriggers, one group caught a pink salmon just a few feet from the dock. This is a good sign of things to come. Halibut have been plentiful thus far this year. We have a new club pin called “Bigger Than Me”. To join, you need to catch a halibut that weighs more than you or is longer than you are tall. We inducted our first member this week. We also gave out a few 100 pound club pins.

This week, Doc, Lynda, and Mark went fishing together. We anchored for halibut and Mark fished for rockfish. After landing several in rapid sequence, Lynda borrowed Mark’s pole and soon it turned into rockfish mayhem. Not huge sizes, but large in quantity.

And They're off...

6/19/2022

And they are off! The 2022 season is officially underway. This week we saw lots of halibut and cod with very limited salmon. Fish were taken throughout the western side of the fishing grounds. While we didn’t break 100 pounds this week, there were plenty of larger nice halibut.

The salmon appear to be delayed. We hear they are amassing in the outside waters and should come in soon. We do see an occasional jumping fish and the herring have come in strong and this is a good sign that the Salmon will be in shortly.

The weather started wet and cool and ended the week with a couple of nice dry and bright days. All in all, it was a great week to spend at Doc’s.

Week 1 - Great Fishing

June 18, 2022 : The season has started with a great crew, great guests and most importantly, great fishing. The weather and water have cooperated thus far making being on the water a pleasure. Several halibut and cod have been caught each day. The whales have been active in the area with breaching a common sight. The spring in the area was cooler so the salmon are still deciding when to come in. The staff have learned their tasks well and things are running smoothly. We can hardly wait for your turn to come and enjoy making your memories.

Our Preseason Crew

April 23, 2022

there are a few minor repairs to a roof and ramp. The weather is much warmer than we were expecting. We have been able to get the water system operational and not worry about frozen pipes.

We started with 420 work orders to evaluate, ranging from simple to complex. Our crew has worked on the sewer system, gotten equipment running, and worked on the new water room. Many small projects in the cabins have begun with new hooks for towels and cleaning up polyurethane from tile. We are also prepping the foot bridge for new coats of paint.

Earlier this week we emailed our spring newsletter. Lynda and Lisa both report that the phones have been busy as guests are making single and standing reservations.

We can hardly wait to see you, hear reels sing along with calls of “Fish On!”, and share memories from that special place we call Doc’s.

See you all “reel” soon,

Doc’s Crew