alaska trip in fifth wheel
Jan 26th, 2005, 12:31 PM
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alaska trip in fifth wheel
My son (age 14) and I plan to travel to alaska this summer on a rather loose itinerary. We will leave Colorado on June 28 with our fifth wheel and two 9.5ft. kayaks, travel the Alaska highway with a side trip to Dawson Creek in the Yukon. We plan to drop into Alaska, pay a short visit to Fairbanks to see a relative, then proceed to the Anchorage/Kenai area. Our primary goal is to CATCH FISH!
My wife will join us (flying into Anchorage) on July 9th, and return on July 23. We are looking for good guided fishing (2-3 days) early in her stay but I am reluctant to make reservations and then have weather problems (spelled rain!). We will also visit Denali Park during these two weeks. My son and I will head back in early August.
Is it possible to find a good outfitter in July without reservations? Secondly, who would you recommend? We want to do one day of Halibut, and one or two days of Salmon fishing. I am not afraid to spend a decent amount of money to insure a lifetime memory for our family, but I don't want to get ripped off either!
Thanks for your advice. Jack
My wife will join us (flying into Anchorage) on July 9th, and return on July 23. We are looking for good guided fishing (2-3 days) early in her stay but I am reluctant to make reservations and then have weather problems (spelled rain!). We will also visit Denali Park during these two weeks. My son and I will head back in early August.
Is it possible to find a good outfitter in July without reservations? Secondly, who would you recommend? We want to do one day of Halibut, and one or two days of Salmon fishing. I am not afraid to spend a decent amount of money to insure a lifetime memory for our family, but I don't want to get ripped off either!
Thanks for your advice. Jack
Jan 26th, 2005, 01:13 PM
#2
A couple if things...
Dawson Creek is not the same as Dawson. I assume it's Dawson, YT you want, not Dawson Creek BC. Note the road from Dawson into Alaska can be very rough, and generally is not recommended for 5th wheels or trailers.
On that subject, you need to obtain a copy of The Milepost ASAP; available through Amazon.com if you can't get one locally. Very important resource for driving the Alcan and tributaries, as well as pointing out fishing spots, rules, etc.
Planning a summer trip to Alaska and hoping to avoid rain is like planning a trip to Savannah and hoping to avoid heat. Luck happens. This is an El Nino winter apparently, so predicting summer weather in Southcentral Alaska is iffier than usual. Just plan - you won't melt.
Check out www.alaska.com for a comprehensive on-line guide to touring Alaska.
Halibut fishing and salmon fishing in July may not coexist comfortably in the same areas. Homer will likely be your most reliable halibut destination; consult the ADF&G website at http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/ for timing for local fisheries. Book guide services once you've decided where and when, and don't hesitate to pre-book, even if you have to change or cancel later. They're used to it.
Happy planning.
Dawson Creek is not the same as Dawson. I assume it's Dawson, YT you want, not Dawson Creek BC. Note the road from Dawson into Alaska can be very rough, and generally is not recommended for 5th wheels or trailers.
On that subject, you need to obtain a copy of The Milepost ASAP; available through Amazon.com if you can't get one locally. Very important resource for driving the Alcan and tributaries, as well as pointing out fishing spots, rules, etc.
Planning a summer trip to Alaska and hoping to avoid rain is like planning a trip to Savannah and hoping to avoid heat. Luck happens. This is an El Nino winter apparently, so predicting summer weather in Southcentral Alaska is iffier than usual. Just plan - you won't melt.
Check out www.alaska.com for a comprehensive on-line guide to touring Alaska.
Halibut fishing and salmon fishing in July may not coexist comfortably in the same areas. Homer will likely be your most reliable halibut destination; consult the ADF&G website at http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/ for timing for local fisheries. Book guide services once you've decided where and when, and don't hesitate to pre-book, even if you have to change or cancel later. They're used to it.
Happy planning.
Jan 26th, 2005, 03:16 PM
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Gardy's advice is very solid. The Milepost is a must for driving.
As for reservations, you might consider booking one or two of the big trips -- i.e. halibut out of Homer and a Kenai trip.
The key to finding fish is AK is flexibility. Alaska.com (under by the Alaska Daily News) has the paper's solid fishing report.
Homer is often the most consistent place for halibut, but Seward more often offers a mixed bottomfish bag (ling, rockfish and sea bass).
For salmon, it's a little early for fabulous silver salmon fishery off Seward, but you never know. These fish are as fun as it gets.
You have to play it by ear on the Kenai, the runs ebb and flow. There might be sockeye and perhaps second-run kings. The nearby Kasilof is also a less-crowded option.
If the reds are in, you and your son could probably get in some excellent shore fishing on the Russian or Kenai rivers.
(Even though parts of the Russian-Kenai are ``fly only'' this just means using a ``coho fly'' with a weight at least 18 inches -- check the regs -- ahead of the hook. Many use spinning roads -- and I've even seen a few weirdos with halibut reels on the Russian.)
The gear needed is pretty basic spinning stuff. If you want lighter stuff, Dolly Varden follow the reds up the streams and will wallop egg imitations.
There's also a lagoon on the Homer Spit that gets salmon. Not my kind of fishing, but it could be worth a try. At times, they open it to snaggers because the fish have nowhere to go.
On your way south from Denali, there might be some opportunities in the Susitna watershed.
As for reservations, you might consider booking one or two of the big trips -- i.e. halibut out of Homer and a Kenai trip.
The key to finding fish is AK is flexibility. Alaska.com (under by the Alaska Daily News) has the paper's solid fishing report.
Homer is often the most consistent place for halibut, but Seward more often offers a mixed bottomfish bag (ling, rockfish and sea bass).
For salmon, it's a little early for fabulous silver salmon fishery off Seward, but you never know. These fish are as fun as it gets.
You have to play it by ear on the Kenai, the runs ebb and flow. There might be sockeye and perhaps second-run kings. The nearby Kasilof is also a less-crowded option.
If the reds are in, you and your son could probably get in some excellent shore fishing on the Russian or Kenai rivers.
(Even though parts of the Russian-Kenai are ``fly only'' this just means using a ``coho fly'' with a weight at least 18 inches -- check the regs -- ahead of the hook. Many use spinning roads -- and I've even seen a few weirdos with halibut reels on the Russian.)
The gear needed is pretty basic spinning stuff. If you want lighter stuff, Dolly Varden follow the reds up the streams and will wallop egg imitations.
There's also a lagoon on the Homer Spit that gets salmon. Not my kind of fishing, but it could be worth a try. At times, they open it to snaggers because the fish have nowhere to go.
On your way south from Denali, there might be some opportunities in the Susitna watershed.
Jan 26th, 2005, 03:42 PM
#4
IIRC, early- to mid-July on the Kenai is a dark slot; big Kings are history, Reds maybe, maybe not. (And BTW the Russian River Red fishery is a local legend for full-combat fishing, about as "Alaska" as a FishExpo '05 show at the Staples Center.)
If you don't go salmon-cuckoo, there is marvelous Rainbow and Dolly Varden (char) fishing on the Kenai River, around Skilak Lake and Big Eddy. Some major league lunkers in there - Ms. 'Loo boated a 15-pound rainbow (I am not making that up) one time. Released so he/she could go spread his/her DNA around the watershed. Cosmic fish. No camera, so ya gotta believe me...
If you don't go salmon-cuckoo, there is marvelous Rainbow and Dolly Varden (char) fishing on the Kenai River, around Skilak Lake and Big Eddy. Some major league lunkers in there - Ms. 'Loo boated a 15-pound rainbow (I am not making that up) one time. Released so he/she could go spread his/her DNA around the watershed. Cosmic fish. No camera, so ya gotta believe me...
Jan 26th, 2005, 06:05 PM
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While the second run of Kenai kings is very hard to predict and the regulations will vary due to the strength of the run, it often starts the first week of July and the fishery closes July 31.
Here's a helpful chart:
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/regio...ubs/kenrun.pdf
The key to fishing the Russian is to go upstream from the ferry as far as you can. The worst of the combat fishing nastiness is on the Kenai below ``the sanctuary.''
If you work upstream, the Russian itself is actually a very pretty little stream. The key to avoiding crowds is to work it very early or very late. The best access is from the national forest campground.
As GL mentioned, the upper Kenai is wonderful rainbow/dollie varden fishing. It's best done from a drift boat, although rafters also do it.
I put some friends on a trip from Alaska Wildlands a long time ago and they loved it. Both dollies and rainbows are beautiful fish.
And another lesson from GL . . . take a camera.
http://www.alaskarivertrips.com/trou...ye-fishing.htm
Here's a helpful chart:
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/regio...ubs/kenrun.pdf
The key to fishing the Russian is to go upstream from the ferry as far as you can. The worst of the combat fishing nastiness is on the Kenai below ``the sanctuary.''
If you work upstream, the Russian itself is actually a very pretty little stream. The key to avoiding crowds is to work it very early or very late. The best access is from the national forest campground.
As GL mentioned, the upper Kenai is wonderful rainbow/dollie varden fishing. It's best done from a drift boat, although rafters also do it.
I put some friends on a trip from Alaska Wildlands a long time ago and they loved it. Both dollies and rainbows are beautiful fish.
And another lesson from GL . . . take a camera.
http://www.alaskarivertrips.com/trou...ye-fishing.htm
Jan 26th, 2005, 06:29 PM
#6
My last experience on the Upper Russian (actually, Upper Russian Lake was notable for a midnight encounter with a member of the Ursus Humongous Nocturnus family - a brownie that nuzzled my shoulder through the tent wall. 
Definitely a Depends moment. The morning revealed pawprints the size of dinner plates. Lesson: don't camp on sandbars surrounded by spawning red salmon. Doh!
Seriously, though, the Upper Russian has had bear trouble of late - I think some fisherperson walking near the river got ? mauled ? killed ? a couple of years ago.
Definitely a Depends moment. The morning revealed pawprints the size of dinner plates. Lesson: don't camp on sandbars surrounded by spawning red salmon. Doh!Seriously, though, the Upper Russian has had bear trouble of late - I think some fisherperson walking near the river got ? mauled ? killed ? a couple of years ago.
Jan 26th, 2005, 07:01 PM
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Yup, I remember hearing something about that. I wonder if they are updating Alaska Bear Tales?
It's a great read for visitors -- on the flight home ...
My best bear tale was on a float trip on the Unalakleet. We had a griz in our two-tent camp miles from anywhere.
Problem 1 -- Two of us woke up and were quiet as the bear roamed camp, the other guy kept falling back to sleep and snoring.
Problem 2 -- We had brought a shotgun as last-resort protection. We didn't even try to use it and didn't need it. Good thing, because I found out later it had a frozen firing pin.
But the lesson from that trip was that bear precautions work. The only night it happened was the night that we camped on the same gravel bar where we'd cooked. Stupid, but were drying out after a two-day rain.
It's a great read for visitors -- on the flight home ...
My best bear tale was on a float trip on the Unalakleet. We had a griz in our two-tent camp miles from anywhere.
Problem 1 -- Two of us woke up and were quiet as the bear roamed camp, the other guy kept falling back to sleep and snoring.
Problem 2 -- We had brought a shotgun as last-resort protection. We didn't even try to use it and didn't need it. Good thing, because I found out later it had a frozen firing pin.
But the lesson from that trip was that bear precautions work. The only night it happened was the night that we camped on the same gravel bar where we'd cooked. Stupid, but were drying out after a two-day rain.
Jan 27th, 2005, 03:09 AM
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If you guys are too busy fishing to pick Mom up at the ANC airport, she can take a commuter flight to Kenai or Homer. We were surprised that we were able to check our bags all the way thru to Kenai. We flew into ANC on United and had pre-purchased tickets with ERA air on the internet.
Sounds like you will have a fantastic summer!
There's a lot of good information on the Anchorage Daily News website and links. www.adn.com.
Sounds like you will have a fantastic summer!
There's a lot of good information on the Anchorage Daily News website and links. www.adn.com.
