Travel

Alaska Fish Species: What to Catch and When to Catch It

Travel, Wildlife / By

Whenever or wherever you go for your fishing trip, Alaska fish species will always provide unique fishing opportunities. In this article, we’ll guide you through some of the Alaska fish species to be found in your fishing adventure, and when to find them.

The 5 Types of Pacific Salmon

The most amazing thing about the biodiversity of Alaska fish species is the fact that you can fish all 5 species of Pacific salmon. The saltwater bodies in Alaska carry that abundance of fish that supports both commercial and sporting fish enterprises all over this great northern state. Let’s do a quick rundown of these species as well as info on when and where you can find them.

Sockeye Salmon

One of the smaller types of salmon, also known as “red salmon” in Alaska because of how its head turns green and its body turns red when in freshwater. Sockeye run June-July and are the fewest in number. They can be tricky to catch because they generally don’t take a lure. Snagging is a common way to catch these beautiful fish. This species is high in Omega-3s, has a strong flavor, and is a good choice for grilling.

King Salmon

One of the most popular and most challenging catches in Alaska, and also one of the most rewarding. King Salmon is one of those Alaska fish species that make the trip worth it! The Alaska King salmon can grow as large as almost a hundred pounds (once in a lifetime catches!), and most you’ll find in Alaska will be between 20 to 50 pounds. These are most prevalent from June to early July. A king stamp is required to fish for these fish. They have firm meat and are good for grilling.

Silver Salmon

What makes silver salmon also known as Coho, stand out among other fish species in Alaska is how much they struggle when they bite, and how hard they can strike that hook. They can even throw themselves upwards while trying to get rid of your hook. They are available mostly from July through September. Their firm meat has a milder flavor than King or Sockeye and is considered the very best for grilling.

Chum Salmon

Chum salmon are very common in Alaskan waters, and with a lot of fishing spots on local rivers where they are abundant. They are found for the most part in July, with most of the general salmon population. Chum Salmon are found in deeper water and are a good choice for smoking.

Pink Salmon

Pink Salmon are the most common and abundant of all salmon species. They are found throughout the entire season, most prevalent between June to mid-August. Their softer meat lends itself to stews, salmon cakes, and the grill.

Halibut Fishing in Alaska

Halibut is always in supply year-round, being at their most strong and hungry during the summer months of June through September. These large fish provide a good battle even for more experienced fishermen, though, so get ready!

Common Catches

The following are fish that are also prevalent in Alaskan waters, and you should know about them, so that you’re not surprised whenever you see them.

Pacific Cod

Pacific cod is often seen as a common and a not-so-treasured catch, given its tendency to bite aggressively and to travel in large schools. There are plenty of recipes with Pacific cod, and you’ll find them in all seasons. It is becoming more popular and is the fish you usually find in a fish sandwich at a fast-food restaurant. They can be used as bait for halibut.

Rockfish

Rockfish is a catch-all term that refers to several different species of fish. Black, red, yellow eye to name a few. These, like the pacific cod, are also found in large schools and are abundant throughout the entire season, and unlike the cod, can be found at almost any depth. It is important to be able to identify which species since some are illegal to catch and others have small limits.

If you are curious about the fish that can be caught around Alaskan waters, why not come catch some and see them for yourself? You can book a fishing trip to Alaska now and see what types of Alaska Fish Species await.

Weekly Report Ending January 22, 2021

The Lodge, Travel / By

Busy week interviewing. The staffing lists are filling up and our guests will appreciate all the great staff they will encounter this year. We are super excited about this coming season. The next step for Mark and Kristina will be to put the final touches on the food menus; that will occupy another couple of weeks. We will try and write about some of the new food options as we finalize the items.

Mark did get all of the foundation concrete and steel ordered for the new powerhouse and drying room floor. He is not looking forward to pouring 30 yards of concrete from 80 pounds bags by hand.
Fortunately, he has some good helpers.

We have been receiving some of our fishing supplies at the office this week. One of the items that we are adding is rubber nets (easy to untangle hooks from). Not being able to able to touch and feel at a trade show made ordering difficult but from the picture, you can see that they will be big enough to handle a big sucker fish! The handles are in a separate box. Don’t worry, we will attach them before you arrive.

Lynda has been busy working on reservations. She has been working on truing up the reservations for this year and she noted that the 2022 season is already starting to fill quickly. We are thankful that so many of you are planning ahead. Lynda has also been looking at ways for people to do payment plans rather than get nagging emails from us when payments are due. Our hope is that we have more conversations about fishing and less about money when our guests call! Fishing calls are always more fun.

What are Alaska Fishing Lodges Like?

The Lodge, Travel / By

The Alaskan wilderness is beautiful. It’s known as the “Last Frontier” for many reasons, one of which is that the best fishing in the US can be found here. Your Alaskan fishing lodge will serve as your home base throughout your vacation so we would like to give you a quick description of what a lodge will look like, what purpose it serves, and what amenities it should have.

Fishing lodges can vary wildly from simple cabins to full-fledged resort facilities. This makes the general makeup of an average Alaska fishing lodge something difficult to determine on the whole, but there’s three main things that make a lodge what it is, and we’ll go through each one with you.

Alaska Fishing Lodge Locations

First and foremost the location of the lodge can make or break your trip. If you’re looking to get away from civilization, then take that into consideration. Here at Doc Warner’s we’re far enough away to help you disconnect, yet close enough to have access to health services if needed.

Whichever the case for any specific one, all Alaska fish lodges share something in common: beautiful vistas. The 49th state has natural beauty in abundance, and you can go to lodges that take you near glaciers, snow-capped mountains, forests, rivers, waterfalls or all of them. Whenever and wherever you’re fishing in Alaska, be prepared to feel goosebumps with all the beauty around you.

Accomodations in The Last Frontier

You can count on comfort and safety while going to most Alaska fishing lodges. There are various options for accommodations in a fishing lodge, from shared dorms to small cabins, to luxurious rooms. As they are, most lodges have much more than just the basic amenities for you. You can stay in separate private cabins within a lodge’s grounds, or a spacious dormitory with common areas.

Not only will you be able to keep warm and keep clean with comfortable living quarters, there’s also much more that has to do with the task of fishing itself. For Alaska fishing lodges that pride themselves on their name, as ours does, you’ve got meeting spaces, gardens, a fire pit, and dining facilities to sit down together and share stories. And speaking of sharing stories…

Meeting Amazing People

Most of what makes an Alaska fishing lodge is the people who work and stay there. These people love two things: Alaska itself, and fishing in Alaska. Having these two things in common means you’ll be in the perfect place to share your passion for angling and having a great time with people who appreciate a good catch. There’s always good conversation to be had at a fishing lodge, and there’s always something to learn while spending some time with fellow anglers.

If you enjoy fishing in Alaska and are looking for a lodge to have a great fishing experience, you’re more than welcome in our Alaska fishing community at Doc Warner’s Alaska Adventures! Visit our website and check our availability!

How Easy is it to Get An Alaska Non-Resident Sport Fishing License?

Fishing Tips, Self Guided Fishing, Travel / By

If you’re going fishing in Alaska, you might want to make sure you have all the necessary paperwork and licensing for your trip to go on without a hitch when preparing a fishing trip. When coming in from out of state, you might be wondering how the process works for getting a non-resident sport fishing license in Alaska.

What are Alaska state fishing licenses for?

Fishing licenses have existed for a long time as part of common fishing regulations as a way to raise funds for the conservation of waterways and fishing habitats. Money earned from the purchase of fishing licenses is designated to the cleaning of trash from water reservoirs, supplementing species at fishing ponds, and funding conservation efforts that allow for the beautiful fishing places of Alaska to remain beautiful and stocked with fish to catch.

Where to find an out of state Alaska fishing license

For the State of Alaska, both residents over the age of 18 and non-residents over 16 need a sport fishing license, but you might be wondering, how does one get around to acquiring it?

Well, it’s not really too different from getting one from any other state, with the advantage of having the process available online for purchase in the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. You can visit here for more on the process of getting your out of state license online.

Another option is to find an Alaska fish permit in sporting goods stores and Fish and Game offices in Alaska. If you find yourself in the Last Frontier without a license, there’s no reason to panic! You can simply visit any sporting goods stores and even some grocery stores where you can buy such licenses.

As for Alaska’s big catch, king salmon, you may want to get what is known as a King Salmon stamp. This stamp is the special permit that allows you to fish for king salmon during its seasonal fishing period. Easy enough to find the same way you can find your Alaska non-resident sport fishing license.

While making reservations at an Alaska fishing lodge, the lodges themselves can offer licensing and have them all setup for your personal use. With Doc Warner’s, for example, you can be assured we’ll set up your alaska non resident sport fishing license and have it ready for you by the time you come up to fish with us.

If you want to focus on just getting up here and having the best experience possible, Doc Warner’s Alaska Adventures has you covered! We’ll take care of all of the logistics for you.  Visit our website to learn more.

5 Reasons to Go on an Alaskan Fishing Adventure

Travel / By

If you’d like to go fishing with your friends and family, but aren’t sure if Alaska is worth the trouble, we’re going to give you our top reasons for you to schedule Alaska fishing trips with Doc Warner’s Fishing adventures right away! 

Why You Should Plan An Alaska Fishing Trip

1.Huge Variety of Fish

The main fish to be found is Salmon, with 5 different types you can find in Alaskan waters. Among those are the Silver Salmon, Pink Salmon, the huge King Salmon, and more. But they are not the only species you’ll find, there’s also Dolly Varden trouts, Pacific Cods, Rockfish, and of course, a lot of Halibut.

2. Less Crowded 

One of the greatest aspects of a fishing trip to Alaska is the ability to disconnect from everyday life for a few moments to spend time with loved ones and in nature. Doc Warner’s lodge is 30 miles off Juneau, along the Excursion Inlet Shoreline. Close enough to civilization for comfort and far enough away for solitude and complete relaxation. 

3.Mind-blowing Scenery

While finding the ideal space for fishing, you’ll be able to enjoy magnificent scenery. Alaska is surrounded by mountains, forests, lakes, and clear-blue skies that will allow you to enjoy the natural wonders like no other place in the States.

Our nearby fishing areas are surrounded by the beautiful snow-capped St. Elias mountains, as well as glacier valleys and the verdant forests of the region. Truly, there’s no fresher air, no clearer skies, and no more beautiful flora and fauna than those of the last frontier.

4.More Outdoor Activities

You might want to go to Alaska specially for fishing but you might also want to try different outdoor activities like hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and other adventures that will make this trip the best of its kind.

The great Alaskan outdoors is out there waiting for you.

5.Trying New Food

A good Alaska fishing adventure is not complete without a handful of hearty meals. With the great variety of fish, you’ll be able to try new and unique dishes like smoked salmon chowder, Black Cod, King Salmon, and Dungeness Crab Legs. 


If you would like to stay in an all inclusive lodge, contact us and we’ll be happy to help you plan your trip and help you give your orientation.

Packing Fish Home

The Lodge, Travel / By

Many of our first time guests have two pressing questions before they arrive. 1) How much fish can they expect to take home? and 2) How do they transport that fish home?

The first answer is up to you. If you catch your daily limits, you will be taking home plenty of fish. …

Packing Fish HomeRead More »

Traveling to Alaska

Travel / By

Congratulations! You have officially booked your trip of a lifetime with Doc Warner’s. You might be wondering what comes next, so we have put together some travel tips that we’d like to share with you to help answer some commonly asked questions. …

Traveling to AlaskaRead More »