It’s been a minute, my friends! We checked a big one off our Fort Wainwright bucket list and spent this past weekend salmon fishing in Valdez, Alaska. The fishing in Alaska is world-class – something I knew before, but it’s something you don’t really understand until you experience it firsthand. We were so excited to be able to spend this weekend exploring one of the most gorgeous areas of Alaska as a family and, the cherry on top, salmon fishing together.
Salmon Fishing Season in Alaska
Color me crazy, but I didn’t really know that there was an actual timed salmon fishing season here in Alaska. I mean, I knew it, but I didn’t really know that it’s such a short, timed season. If you Google it, you’ll see that the salmon fishing in Alaska is best from May through September. If you check the salmon fishing charters in Valdez, however, they tighten that significantly.
For example, if you want to take a silver salmon fishing charter, that timeline is tightened significantly from late July through early-mid September. Valdez is hailed for its fishing – specifically halibut – but we opted for salmon fishing for a few reasons. First, it was about $100 cheaper per person. Second, the salmon are smaller than halibut, making it easier for younger kiddos. Third, we weren’t really aiming for the derbies (more on that later), so salmon fishing seemed a little more chill.
Salmon Fishing in Valdez, Alaska
When we first made our bucket list, we knew this was a big-ticket item. Fishing (and hunting, for that matter) is an expensive industry in this state, but we really wanted to experience this as a family, and we love salmon. Like, love love it. So, this felt like the right pick for us. There are dozens of fishing charters in Valdez, but we opted for Valdez Saltwater Adventures because they were hailed as a company great with beginners.
We booked our tour in early June because they sell out fast, and we managed to secure five of six slots on one of their boats. It’s worth noting that a lot is up in the air with a fishing charter. The weather could turn and cancel your tour. Sometimes you’ll limit out, and sometimes you won’t catch anything. What is guaranteed, however, is a great experience, seeing the epic beauty of Valdez up close and personal, and quality time on the water with great people.
Our Experience Salmon Fishing in Valdez
There was initially a bit of a snafu with our reservation. The boat broke down the night prior to our tour, and our guides had suggested splitting us into two boats, which we weren’t down for. In the end, we compromised and squeezed onto a different vessel with two other great gentlemen, and we eliminated Mieke from our salmon count, which meant she could fish, but we couldn’t count her in our catch.
It was an early morning. We had to be at the pier at 6:15 AM, and it was cool and misty. We were decked out in rain and cold-weather gear, but the cool morning gave way to a really warm day on the water and, after about an hour and a half boat ride, we found ourselves at Glacier Island where we cruised around fishing for about 5.5 straight hours. We took turns reeling in catches, and Ryan and I let the kids take the bulk of it for our family – though Spencer and Mieke both also fell asleep halfway through the tour.
Porter caught the first fish, a Pacific Cod, and it led into a strong catch up about nine silver salmon in a row. Spencer reeled in the biggest, weighing in at 11.2 lbs! If we had bought a derby ticket, he’d have been one of the strongest catches for the day. We also caught four pink salmon as a group. Our family ended up with almost 30 lbs of salmon, and we were pretty happy with that haul! Does it make up the cost of the charter, itself? No. But it was absolutely worth every penny for us.
Our Salmon Fishing Trip Details
Charter: We chose Valdez Saltwater Adventures, and we had a great time. The cost was about the same as most others, but we also inquired with Valdez Outfitters and Big Alaska Fishing Charters.
Price: $1,775 total; Each ticket was $335, but we ended up getting a refund for Mieke’s ticket because we couldn’t count her in our total fish haul.
Details: The total trip was scheduled from 7-3 PM. We were told to arrive at the pier at 6:15 AM due to a bit of a longer boat ride out to the fishing point. We fished from about 7:30 to 1:30 with 6 lines attached around the boat. We’d watch them for a dip and pull, then we’d reel them in. We had a number of unsuccessful reels with fish breaking away at some point in the process, but we ended up with a great haul.
Extra Costs: Fish processing on the dock is tip/cash only, and is usually $1 per fish. We ended up giving our processor $25, and they make quick work of it. Then, we took our fish in a wheelbarrow down to Fish Central where they froze it and vacuum sealed it for travel (picked it up the next day). For 29.4 lbs of fish, we paid $57 cash.
Tips: Be prepared for any and all weather. We had sweats and hoodies on, as well as rain gear for all of us. We ended up not needing the rain gear, but I’m still glad we were prepared because wet and cold is a terrible combo. Bring dramamine if you get motion sick. We had no issues. Bring food, snacks, cameras, and water, and you must have your Alaska fishing license on hand. They won’t sell one the day of. Kids fall under parents’ licenses.