Southeast Alaska Fishing

Many of our guests at Shelter Cove Lodge have questions about the fish and the fishing they’ll be doing on their Southeast Alaska trip. For many, a fishing trip to Alaska is a lifelong dream, so it’s our Number One priority to realize those dreams on behalf of our guests.

Southeast Alaska fishing is recognized as some of the best in the world. Because the population of Prince of Wales Island is so small, our Southeast Alaska destination gets far less fishing pressure then some of the more big name communities in the state. For this reason, fishing for just about any northern species in Southeast Alaska is productive, and a new world record is always just a cast away.

From Ocean to Island – We aren’t Ruled by the Weather

There are unforeseeable factors that are common to fisherman everywhere. Certainly weather is at the top of the list, and if you’re planning a Southeast Alaska fishing trip there is no escaping it. Some lodges are forced to cancel a day’s fishing trip because the winds get too strong or the waves get too high. This is a bummer for everyone involved, but at Shelter Cove Lodge we aren’t ruled by the weather. In fact, from our Southeast Alaska location we can either head out into the ocean or fish the archipelago, depending on the weather.

On calmer days we will likely focus our efforts on the ocean, where the fishing lanes usually promise big salmon migrating north along the coast. The big kings are sometimes called “feeder kings” by the locals, which is a way to distinguish them from a “spawning king.” Other anglers in Southeast Alaska call them “chromers,” and some from the Northeast call them “Chinooks,” but these are the bright, beautiful kings that fight like a freight train and make for arguably the best table fare in the north.

Sometimes It’s Better to Stay Calm

It’s also possible to target salmon along the inside waters where they move between islands in the archipelago. If the weather does not permit us to travel into the ocean, we can do our fishing on the leeward sides of the islands, which act as an effective wind and wave barrier. In other words, at our Southeast Alaska Fishing Lodge – we fish smarter.

Southeast Alaska Bottom Fishing – Digging for the White and Flaky Fish

No trip to Southeast Alaska would be complete without fishing for bottom dwelling species like halibut, sea bass, rockfish, lingcod, and red snapper. We will target both ocean and inside waters for these fish, always giving our guests the best chance to tangle with a true barn door.

For many, bottom fish are a favorite for the dinner table and we process your catch the same day, so that it’s vacuum sealed, flash frozen, and ready to travel with you when you head back home.

To find out more about Southeast Alaska, or about our fishing at Shelter Cove Lodge, check out the rest of the site or book your trip of a lifetime with us today.