Best Place to Fish Ketchican or Icy Straits

I would love to fish in Alaska......which in your experience is the best place to fish in May. Ketchikan for Salmon to Icy Straits for Halibut? All suggestions apprecaited! Thank you so much!

Michele

For salmon it is Ketchikan you can catch them right in the center of town with out any guide or excursion. You do need a fishing lic.(about 20$) and a rod if you have a pack kind they work fine .I will be happy to help you if this is what you would like to do. What dates are you going ?

The problem is whether or not the salmon will be running in Ketchikan at that early time frame of May. I'd check the Alaska fish and game website to determine predicted salmon runs first.

I'm wondering the same. We will be in Ketchikan on May 23rd and want to fish by boat. I inquired about Worman sport fishing and they are already sold out :(

Ketchikan for us, but May is likely way too early. If fishing is a prioirty than you must schedule your cruise when the fish our out.

Ken from Northen Lights is very good out of Ketchikan

I fished Ketchican and catch both salmon and trout in August. I think you would find the fishing very slow in May.

dolittle, We will be in Ketchikan on June 20. My nephews would love to fish for salmon. Can you please tell me the details of how they could fish without going out in a boat? They have equipment that they could bring to Alaska. Thank you! Debra

Last year in Ketchikan we fished for Salmon right off the bridge and dock area adjacent to Creek St. We rented gear but this time plan to bring our own this year. That being said though June 20 may still be a little early for the salmon run in Ketchikan. We were there in early August and the salmon were thick.

I usually cruise in May and have run into a ton of people who went fishing every year and they all complained about not catching anything and spending a fortune to fish there. I would be very careful to research before scheduling a fishing excursion in May in Ketchikan.

Salmon don't run in May and June in Ketchikan.

dolittle, We will be in Ketchikan on June 20. My nephews would love to fish for salmon. Can you please tell me the details of how they could fish without going out in a boat? They have equipment that they could bring to Alaska. Thank you! Debra

You will see people fishing all over town you do need a Lic. (although if they are young enough they may not ) I found the metal bridge was the best spot (you will see it) As far as the fish we were there the same week (04) and there were many king salmon in the water ,they were a little harder to catch than my first time (sept 01)when there were many pink I caught over 35 in about 3 hours. In most cases they do not use bait so tell to bring many colorfull lures and a pack rod are ideal for travel. If there is anything else I can help you with please ask . Good luck.

Thank you! Is there a close place to rent rods and purchase the licenses? It may be easier to rent instead of bringing them. Also, can you please describe how to find the metal bridge from the ship? Any advice is very welcome.

Thank you! Is there a close place to rent rods and purchase the licenses? It may be easier to rent instead of bringing them. Also, can you please describe how to find the metal bridge from the ship? Any advice is very welcome.

I bet they are referring to Creek Street and Creek Bridge.

Just walk about 3-4 blocks towards town from where the ships dock.

Thank you so much for your responses. I appreciate it

Michele

I usually cruise in May and have run into a ton of people who went fishing every year and they all complained about not catching anything and spending a fortune to fish there. I would be very careful to research before scheduling a fishing excursion in May in Ketchikan.

 

Salmon don't run in May and June in Ketchikan.

That is TERRIBLY incorrect information. May and June in Ketchikan are considered KING Salmon season. King Salmon are the BIG GAME of salmon fishing- rarer, more elusive, and thusly, more special, highly prized and more challenging to catch. That does not mean however, that they "don't run", LOL!

As a point of fact, the three weekend-long Ketchikan CHARR Annual King Salmon Derby (www.ketchikankingsalmonderby.com/) started on MAY 23 this year, and will continue for the following two weekends. Somewhere around TWO THOUSAND locals fished it last weekend. The locals wouldn't be doing it if the King Salmon weren't "running." The Grand Prize ALONE is worth about $13,000.

As another point of fact:

go HERE: (

I was just in Ketchikan on May 17th and there was no fish in the creek along Creek Street.