Fishing in Southern Alaska

[Dan Magdoff]

Hey everyone
I am slowly gearing up and getting the needed equipment for my trip to Alaska in this coming August. I am going to be around Juneau. I am going to be backpacking up towards Windfall Lake, Windfall Creek, Herbert River and Possibly Peterson Lake. THEN…I am going to go Kayaking out to Shelter and Lincoln Islands off the Coast.

The main reason I am going is to experience the Alaskan Wilderness and FISH!!!! I would consider myself a good fisherman when it comes to freshwater fishing in California for bass and all type of trout. However, I am unsure of how to approach the fishing I am going to experience in Alaska. I am hoping to fish the lakes, rivers and creeks for Rainbow and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden and any salmon that might be running. I would also love to fish off the Kayak in the ocean and shore fishing from the islands, but I am unsure of what I would be fishing for, and how to go about it.

I am hoping I could be pointed in the right direction. What to fish for? where? when? What tackle to use? tips? tricks? Anything would help me out a lot!

Thanks!!
Dan

[Josh Newkirk]

A couple years ago I caught like 8 trout in windfall lake in like 40 min with just pixies and red spinners.

Off the south side of shelter long skinny lures can attract the cohos like crazy.

The north pass between north shelter and i think lincoln but not sure is also really good fishing, i have only really used double hooks with a herring there.

they did have a canoe at windfall, but it was all shot up last i heard, maybe it will be replaced before you get there.

[Dan Magdoff]

Josh
Thanks for the tips and advice. Any recommendations for what type of gear to use? lb test? rig set ups? In the beginning of August is there anything that is really biting at that time?

[Josh Newkirk]

A 12lb test would probably give you your best shot at getting both salmon and trout.
Lures with red and pink seem to do pretty well. I think they call them red devils and then there is one that is like a oval shape with bright silver around the outside and a solid color on the inside, not sure what they are called but we used to catch dollies like crazy with them.

The cohos hopefully should be showing up by then. Might catch a humpy or a dog, humpys are fun to catch but not the best eating. August is probably the best alround fishing month.

At windfall i have caught brook trout, cutthroat and they catch salmon in the river and the lake, not sure if it is sockeye or something else.

dolly varden are probably your best shot off the beach but people have caught some pretty decent salmon though as well.

Unless you try to troll though salmon could be sort of hard to get off south shelter and north pass but those would be the areas to go. Im not sure if you can troll in a kayak.

If you do try trolling, the easiest set up would be like those gang hooks i think they call them that have two hooks like 6 inches apart or whatever and you put one hook through the eye and one down near the tail of the herring and then use like an 8 ounce weight.

Are you just taking like a casting rod? The trolling set up probably wont work on one.

[Max Downen]

I've applied for a seasonal position at Glacier Bay National Park for this coming summer (college kid). I'm an avid fly-fisherman and if all goes as planned I'll be up there working by early June. What can I expect as far as fishing goes? I won't be able to travel far from the park.

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