Prince Of Wales Sport Fishing - Craig, Alaska Fishing Reports

We just came off another great week of fishing here in Craig, Alaska with daily coho limits and wide open action on both halibut and ling cod.  King salmon fishing is starting to fizzle, but there are still a few kings around here and there.  Yesterday we got into a completely stupid coho bite on the Polar Bear…one of those scenes you just never forget.  Every pass we made past a particular kelp patty was producing one to three hookups and then a massive school moved in with silver salmon finning all over the surface and crashing bait in every direction. The guys were dropping their baits over the side and watching the silvers zip in and grab them right next to the boat. On the last circus bite one big coho was twisting around in the kicker motor, two more were literally ripping monofilament across the surface as they slashed and jumped wildly around the boat, and the fourth fish (a king) was screaming line off the Tekota until it finally stopped around 200 feet.  As I quickly tried to uncoil a 14 pound coho from the kicker motor propellor Stu exclaims, “Mikes got a king!” Mikes 26 pound king jumped from the water and landed with a Ka-Wooosh!  I quickly gaffed the fish next the prop, cut the line, grabbed the two other ‘hos and off we went to get Mikes king.  Three big ‘hos on the deck and a king in the bag. That would be the definition of coho chaos!

Halibut action has been absolutely wide open right now for chicken halibut from 15 to 35 pounds right now and there are bigger flatties around if guests want to put in the time. The ling cod fishing has also been very, very good and we’ve limited the last two groups on keeper ling cod, releasing plenty of bigger ones.  Both the lings and the halibut are stacked in the areas the trollers are working and the action on heavy scampi tail jigs is fast, very fast.

Mike Hammes and his 26 pound king salmon 

Stu Heatons 82 pound halibut, winner of the Ram group halibut jackpot

Stu also took the Ram king salmon jackpot with this 29 pounder.  The jackpot money all went to our fish cutter Tim “Slice and Dice” Koentop, who’s wife Nan is fighting cancer right now. Our prayers are with them!  

Rod Tople with a big ocean fresh 14 pound silver salmon

Always a good time with the Marshall group. They also were kind enough to donate their group jackpot to Tim’s family.  Thank you so much guys and we look forward to seeing you again next summer!

Fishing in SE Alaska is about more than filling up the freezer. The wildlife and scenery our guests enjoy here is second to none and whale shows like this one occur almost daily.  This big humpback was slapping it’s tail repeatedly on the surface on the way in a few days ago and we were able to grab some great pics.

Look closely and you’ll see the bubble ring around this feeding humpback whale. This whale was bubble feeding along the same kelp line we were hammering the coho on yesterday and on several occasions we had to move because the bubbles were getting a little too close for comfort. 

Capt. Rob Endsley

www.princeofwalessportfishing.com

Tags: Alaska, Charters, chinook, coho, Craig, Fishing, Halibut, herring, humpback, island, king salmon, ling cod, ocean, prince of wales, report, Salmon, saltwater, silver, southeast, whales.

Each and every day we’re seeing an improvement in the king salmon action here in Craig.  The key to success lately has been the “stick and stay” program and we’ve been sticking to a deep troll lane off of Baker Island that has been producing king salmon all day long.  We’re mooching in anywhere from 200 to 240 feet of water and the bites are occurring anywhere from 30 feet deep to right on the bottom.  Paul’s big 36 pound hawg was caught just off the bottom today in 210 feet of water and shortly after landing that one we doubled up on king salmon in the low 20’s at 80 feet.  The beauty of mooching is that we can cover it all!

The silver salmon are also making an excellent early showing and with this many fish around now I can only imagine how the fishing will be in July.  Our cohos have been running anywhere from 4 to 8 pounds and I’ve heard of a couple of bigger fish already.  A nice bonus to the king salmon this time of year!

Trust me…I know how hard it can be to not set the hook immediately when a fish grabs your bait on the drop.  Click the reel into gear and reel, reel, reel like son of a gun until the line comes tight…then reel, reel, reel some more to get it even tighter…then set the hook once the fish is already on and peeling line.  Sounds easy doesn’t it!  Fish that hit a mooched bait on the drop are the hottest fish in the ocean, yet they can be the toughest fish to hook because the insulation usually melts off the wires and the fuses blow the second the bait goes “thunk” and the brain says “SET THE HOOK DUMMY!” 

Paul’s arms are about tuckered out after the fight on this 36 pound king salmon.  At one point the line counter read 360 feet…that’s when we decided to chase it : )

The doctors, Barry, Bruce, Bon, and Paul with an early limit of 16 to 36 pound king salmon on a glassy Pacific Ocean. 

Rob Endsley

WWW.PRINCEOFWALESSPORTFISHING.COM

Tags: Alaska, Charters, Craig, cut plug, endsley, Fishing, herring, island, ketchikan, king salmon, lodge, mooching, prince of wales, report, rob, Salmon, silver, southeast alaska fishing report.