During the Alaska fishing season (May-September) you will have the opportunity to fish in a lot of different locations for a lot of different species. To have success in these areas, it’s important to employ a lot of different techniques to adapt to the fish in the Icy Strait area.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular saltwater fishing techniques used by our guests here at Doc Warners Alaska Adventures to help you have the best experience possible. We have had a lot of success with these methods, and we know with a little bit of experimentation, you will too!
Fishing Techniques
1. Drift Fishing
Drift fishing is a very popular method for fishing halibut or pacific cod. To use this method, you don’t anchor your boat, instead, you drift across the fishing area following the current. First begin by determining the direction of the current and then move to the top of the current. Then turn off the motor, bait your lines, and send them to the bottom.
You’ll want to keep a close eye on your fish finder as you are drifting to look for significant changes in depth. That way you can adjust how much line you have out. If you ever get a snag in the line, turn on the engine and motor up the current and your line should come free.
2. Use a Downrigger
Downriggers are great because they help you get your line to a specific depth without putting weight on your pole’s line. The downrigger has 8 to 15 pounds of weight on the end of a steel cable, and a small clip loosely attaches the line from the ball to your fishing line, just above the flasher.
Both lines are put down at the same time to a specific depth. It’s a good idea to put each person’s line down to a different depth until you find out where the most fish are. Next you can begin trolling (see next). Once you get a bite, yank the pole upwards, this will release the clip and weight. Another person can then reel in the downrigger weight while you enjoy fighting the salmon!
3. Trolling
Trolling is the best way to catch salmon. This can be done by placing weights on the line or by using a downrigger. To do this you can use either 8″ or 11″ flashers, but just remember that eight inch flashers require less weight than an 11 inch flasher. This method is best done by navigating the boat in a serpentine direction going perpendicular to the shore. You do have to be very careful when you use this technique because it is very easy to snag on the bottom.
4. Anchor your boat
The most common way to fish for halibut is by anchoring on a flat sandy bottom. You can find the fish very easily because several of these places are marked on the fish finder in your boat. After anchoring the boat, you bait your line and lower it to the bottom. Then you gently bounce the weight on the bottom. Before too long a curious cod or halibut will decide to take a bite. It’s important to remember to pull the anchor when you decide to move to a new location.
5. Jigging
Jigging Is another common technique for fishing halibut, and It can add an element of excitement to catching small to medium sized fish. This is done by using a grub and a jig head. First begin by lowering your line to the bottom. Then begin jigging the pole at random heights and frequencies. This is a very effective method because often the fish will be snagged on the side. If you catch a fish like this you have to keep it because they won’t survive if you release them.
We hope these fishing techniques come in handy on your next Alaskan fishing trip! It’s important to plan before your trip to know what fish you want to catch. That will help you decide what technique to use and what time during the Alaska fishing season will be most successful for you.
If you are looking for the best fishing lodge in Alaska check out Doc Warners Alaska Adventures!
Contact us today to book your spot during the next Alaska fishing season.
