Alaska Salmon Fishing

Rod-Bending, Line-Stripping Alaska King Salmon

At Fireweed Lodge in Alaska, we take our salmon fishing seriously. Salmon fishing in this region is a non-stop affair, with healthy runs of fish bending rods and stripping line throughout the season. King salmon, coho (silver) salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, and sockeye salmon all migrate through the waters surrounding the lodge on an annual basis. At Fireweed Lodge, your Alaska fishing adventure will target, halibut, silver and king salmon. Depending on the time of year, guests can target multiple species in a single day of fishing.

Alaska King Salmon Fishing

Southeast Alaska King Salmon fishing heats up in May as bright feeder king salmon enter the waters surrounding the lodge. June is our peak month and limits are secured on almost a daily basis. King salmon can still be targeted in August, just as the silver salmon season is at its pinnacle. The average size king salmon caught on our Alaska salmon fishing trips ranges from 26 to 30-pounds. Guests commonly catch lunker king salmon in the 40 to 50-pound range, and every year some lucky guests tangle with a "monster king salmon," in the 70-plus pound range!

The king salmon run overlaps the start of the silver salmon run in late June to take advantage of the abundance of food. The silvers caught on our Alaska salmon fishing charters this time of year average eight pounds. Anglers soon discover the voracious feeding habits of silver salmon when the feel the sturdy hit on the end of their line. The ravenous appetites of silver salmon cause them to gain up to a pound in weight per week! When August rolls around silver salmon caught average 12 to 14-pounds, with some trophy fish topping the 20-pound mark.

Alaska Salmon Fishing Lodge

Fireweed Lodge is located directly in the middle of the path along which millions of migratory salmon return to streams and rivers in Alaska, Canada, and the Lower 48. These salmon feed and mature in the pristine waters surrounding the lodge, and are ocean bright, healthy predators.

We provide our guests with a "hands-on" Alaska salmon fishing experience. We use mooching techniques to target fish at all depths along the water column as they rip into massive bait balls to devour their next meal. This not only makes it possible to catch silver salmon and king salmon, but rockfish, lingcod, and halibut are also caught as they take advantage of the feast. Mooching allows each angler to hold his own fishing rod and multiple hookups are common. There is no need to wait your turn, or deal with the constant reeling in of lines, that is customary when trolling with downriggers.

Tackle for our Alaska salmon fishing trips consists of 8.5 to 9-foot rods equipped with 30-pound test line and five-ounce banana sinkers. We use terminal tackle rigged with double hooks and six to eight feet of leader. Cut or whole herring is attached to the hooks, and anglers simply drop their baits and reel back in. Remember to hold on tight as both king salmon and silver salmon hit hard and run fast.

We practice team fishing at Fireweed Lodge. Our boats will spread out and our captains remain in close contact while searching for optimum water and prime fishing conditions. This ensures our guests have an Alaska salmon fishing experience they will never forget. Come join us for "The Fireweed Experience."