| WHAT TO FISH AND WHERE: Alaska offers | | | | April to September, especially on the Kenai |
| some of the most diverse and incredible fishing | | | | Peninsula. |
| opportunities in the world. You can drop a line into | | | | FISHING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: |
| a roadside river and catch a nice size rainbow | | | | - An Alaska sport fishing license is required for all |
| trout. Or charter a boat and reel in one of | | | | nonresidents 16 and over, and most residents |
| Alaska's giant Pacific halibut. You also can treat | | | | from 16 to 59 (see below), to fish in all Alaskan |
| yourself with a freshly caught shellfish- shrimp, | | | | fresh and salt waters. It is valid for a calendar |
| crab, clam. There are almost 400 fish species in | | | | year. |
| Alaska's fresh and salt waters including all five | | | | - Sport fishing licenses and king salmon stamps |
| species of Pacific Salmon: King (chinook), Silver | | | | may be purchased from a license vendor (most |
| (coho), Red (sockeye), Chum (dog, keta), Pink | | | | sporting goods stores), by mail from the |
| (humpy). It is not uncommon to catch a 50-pound | | | | ADF&G Licensing Section, P.O. Box 25525, |
| King salmon, the Alaska record was set by a fish | | | | Juneau, AK 99802-5525, (907) 465-2376, or online. |
| weighing 97 pounds. Arctic greyling, sheefish and | | | | Licenses, stamps, and tags are non-refundable. |
| northern pike are easy to find in many inland | | | | - A sport fishing license permits you to take or |
| streams. Diverse Alaska geographic areas offer | | | | attempt to take any finfish or shellfish in fresh or |
| adventure for everyone, give us various choices: | | | | salt waters, except anadromous (sea-run) king |
| INTERIOR ALASKA. From mountains and rolling | | | | salmon, for which you must also have a current |
| hills , river valleys covered with forests to the | | | | year's king salmon stamp. In order for the stamp |
| vast spaces of treeless tundra at higher altitudes | | | | to be valid, anglers must sign their name, in ink, |
| and in the far north. Temperaure varies greatly | | | | across the face of the king salmon stamp and |
| throughout the year, from -50 Celsius (-58 | | | | stick the stamp onto the back of their current |
| Fahrenheit) in the winter months to +30 Celsius | | | | year's sport fishing license. |
| (+86 Fahrenheit) during summers. There are just | | | | WEATHER: On the whole Alaskan summers are |
| a few highways in the interior part of Alaska. | | | | cool, the average temperature is +14 deg.C (58 |
| Most of the area can only be reached by plane, | | | | F) in summer and -12 deg.C (11 F) in winter but it |
| boat or by foot. Almost every settlement has a | | | | can vary greatly between different regions of the |
| good all weather airport served daily by small | | | | state. Winters are cold and dark. Early spring can |
| commercial air carriers. Summer is warm but | | | | be cold, but often days warm to above freezing |
| short, it is the best time for fishing in the land of | | | | with a lot of sunshine. It receives midnight |
| the midnight sun. Pacific salmon enter the Yukon | | | | sunshine during the part of summer and goes into |
| River in early June and move almost 2,400 km | | | | 24-hour darkness during the part of winter. |
| (1,500miles) up the river. They spawn along the | | | | Summers are the wettest time of the year, |
| way, provide best fishing in June and July for king | | | | south regions are well known for their dampness. |
| salmon, and in August and September for silver | | | | You can check next week weather forecast for |
| salmon. Chum salmon can be caught throughout | | | | Anchorage here. |
| summer and fall. Catch sheefish in July and | | | | GETTING THERE: There are direct or one-stop |
| August, especially in the Kobuk River. Best fishing | | | | flights to Anchorage from many major US cities. |
| season for lake trout and arctic char is May and | | | | Most of the Alaskan interior and coast are |
| early June. Ice fishing fans can take pleasure in | | | | accessible by Alaska Aircraft Charters, Bush Pilots, |
| good fishing for trout and burbot. | | | | Air Taxis. Many small villages and towns have all |
| SOUTHEAST (the narrow and long part between | | | | weather airports served daily. |
| the Pacific ocean and Canada). Consists of | | | | ACCOMODATION AND GETTING AROUND: You |
| mainland and many treed mountainous islands | | | | can rent a hotel in Anchorage. Remote areas |
| along the coast. Inland waterways are well | | | | have a vast number of Fishing Lodges and Camps |
| sheltered from the Pacific ocean. The main fishing | | | | with fishing guides and necesary equipment. For |
| trophies are all the five species of Pacific salmon | | | | those who prefer to fish offshore there are |
| and the Pacific halibut. Rainbow, cutthroat, brook | | | | Alaska Saltwater Fishing Charters. |
| and steelhead trout are easy to catch in some | | | | TRAVEL TIPS: Northern weather can be |
| inland streams. We can add arctic grayling and | | | | unpredictable. Consider taking with you and |
| Dolly Varden to the list. On the coast crab and | | | | wearing multiple layers of clothes in response to a |
| lingcod are available. | | | | wide variety of temperatures and weather |
| SOUTH and SOUTHWEST (to the south and west | | | | conditions. Marine weather conditions can change in |
| of the Yukon river). Mountainous inland with many | | | | minutes and a once calm sea can become a |
| rivers and lakes, ragged coastal line dotted with | | | | nightmare of an ordeal. Coastal waters this far |
| numerous islands. The region offers the widest | | | | north are also very cold and there is little hope |
| variety of saltwater fishing and inland fishing in the | | | | for survival if your boat goes down in rough seas |
| state. The Bristol Bay area is well known for | | | | and you don't have the proper survival suits. It is |
| outstanding rainbow trout fishing. Lake trout and | | | | always wise to consult the current conditions and |
| northern pike are abundant in some lakes in the | | | | predicted forecast for the area you will be boating |
| area. Arctic grayling, burbot, arctic char and Dolly | | | | in. Obtain detailed maps of the area beforehand. |
| Varden can be found in some waters. June and | | | | Do not forget to pack first-aid and survival kits as |
| July yield the best fishing results for Pacific salmon. | | | | well as bear repellents. |
| You can catch Pacific halibut in Gulf of Alaska and | | | | Enjoy your trip! |
| some inlets. Razor clams are best to dig from | | | | |