Rugged landforms make Southeast Alaska a beautiful place to fish, and the deep, cold waters of the Alexander Archipelago are home to enormous halibut and schools of salmon. Inland waters feature rainbow trout, and rivers often have Dolly Varden and steelhead.
Here's a look at what's available near Southeast towns each summer:
Angoon -- This village on Admiralty Island has kings and halibut, plus lake fishing for trout. The fishing in Admiralty Island National Monument is so-so, mostly for Dolly Varden. Fishing charters are available, as is air taxi service from Sitka.
Craig and Klawock -- These towns on Prince of Wales island share a king run in May and April. Fishing charters and air taxi service are available.
Coffman Cove -- Prince of Wales Island has Alaska's largest oyster farm, and fresh lobsters are available on the island. Anglers can rent a car in Craig and drive to Coffman Cove.
Gustavus -- Gustavus, the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park, is known also for its salmon and halibut angling in Icy Strait. Fishing charters and air taxi service are available in Gustavus and Juneau.
Haines -- Haines has a king salmon derby. Also there is good fishing for halibut and red, silver and pink salmon in Chilkat, Lutak and Chilkoot inlets. Charter boats might be needed, as winds and currents can make the waters inhospitable to smaller craft. Fishing charters and air taxi service are available.
Hoonah -- This Chichagof Island area has halibut and trolling for salmon. Fishing charters and air taxi service from Juneau are available.
Juneau -- Kings run in May and June, pinks from mid-July through August, silvers from August through mid-September. There also are Dolly Varden. Fishing charters and air taxi service are available.
Ketchikan -- Revillagegido Island waters are host to salmon, halibut, steelhead, Dolly Varden, rainbow trout, grayling, as well as Dungeness crab. Although the fishing is still good, it's but a shadow of the booming 1930s, when Ketchikan called itself the "salmon capital of the world" and a dozen canneries put up the catch. Overfishing tempered the fishing fever in the 1940s. Fishing charters and air taxi service are available.
Pelican -- Pelican sits along a narrow fjord on the northern end of Chichagof Island. It features salmon trolling. Fishing charters are available, as is air taxi service from Juneau.
Petersburg -- This Norwegian-influenced town has salmon, and there is good fishing also at Falls Creek, Blind Slough, Scow Bay and Petersburg Creek. Fishing charters and air taxi service are available.
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