By: Christopher Batin
Unlike the big-name destinations in sportfishing, Alaska’s Rainforest Islands often draw a question mark from anglers who generally don’t know where or what type of fishing such a place offers. I had first fished these islands, located in southeast Alaska, in the early 1980s, while researching the first edition of my book, “Fishing Alaska on Dollars a Day.” The area was remote, but like most anglers, I found great fishing, but never returned because ample, remote fishing existed elsewhere.
It is a decision I have since regretted. It’s easy to understand why.
Excellent, remote fishing is becoming harder to find in many popular fly-out fisheries of the 49th State, yet the fishing pressure in this region of southeast Alaska has remained minimal over the years. Tons of fish in remote waters with few anglers. For many anglers, myself included, fishing away from the crowds is of greater importance than catching lots of fish. When you can have both, it’s nirvana.
For two weeks, I planned to rediscover the coastal waters of these islands, using the cities of Petersburg and Wrangell as “base camps.” Perhaps I would again find the remote Alaska fishing I enjoyed in the 70s.
The tourists who fly to Alaska each year from Seattle are usually oblivious to Wrangell and Petersburg as they zip overhead. Petersburg and Wrangell have 2,900 and 2,400 residents, respectively. Both cities have survived economic boom-and-bust cycles, the latest being a timber industry downturn in Wrangell. Both cities are now poised to be the gateways of what I predict will be a sportfishing Gold Rush for this area. As a bonus, adventure tourism and sightseeing await non-fishing families or grandparents who want to tag along.
During my exploration, I fished waters rich in halibut and salmon, with no other anglers in sight. Even after sampling the first day’s fishing, I was still skeptical.
“Why don’t more anglers know about this place?” I asked Petersburg tourism director Liz Cabrera. My question oozed with incredulity.
“Most visitors to Alaska have yet to discover the rainforest Islands,” she said. “Anglers fly farther north to places they know, where they think the fishing is better. Petersburg is only 700 air miles from Seattle, so no long three-hour-plus flights to Anchorage and beyond. It’s one of southeast Alaska’s best kept fishing secrets. We have many opportunities for do-it-yourself anglers who want to rent a car and enjoy superb salmon and trout fishing at Falls Creek and Ohmer Creek. For the fly angler, there are ample opportunities for fly fishing for king salmon at Blind River Slough on the road system to remote salmon, steelhead and trout streams that don’t receive fishing pressure.”
Liz’s words rang true. Here’s what I discovered.
On the road system near Crystal Lake Hatchery, I observed two anglers fishing, about a quarter mile from each other, and they were hooking salmon on nearly every cast. Within a week, I saw a 40 to 1 ratio of eagles and bears fishing to anglers.
Guided opportunities offer great fishing for the price. Petersburg Sportfishing is a small, family-owned-and-operated lodge overlooking the coastal islands. Owners Donn Hayes and son Don Hayes fish Frederick Sound and Sumner Straits, with most hotspots within 30 minutes to an hour from the lodge.
On my trip with Donn, halibut hookups kept me busy the entire day. I fished halibut jigs and lures in 180-feet or less of water in protected coves from a comfortable boat. I hooked two large halibut that shook off, but I vowed to Donn to return for a rematch.
After Petersburg, I didn’t think the fishing could get better. I took a water taxi over to Wrangell, where Wrangell tourism’s Carol Rushmore provided further evidence of the sportfishing opportunities.
“We receive a limited number of anglers each year compared to other areas,” she said, “which makes our sportfishing remarkably attractive, one of the jewels of this part of Alaska.”
The next day, guide Marlin Benedict and I trolled miles of remote shoreline. Amazingly, I didn’t observe another charter boat the entire day. We enjoyed good silver salmon fishing, with two kings hammering my Berkley PowerBait jigs fished on light tackle. Benedict said he also offers a wide selection of freshwater and intertidal fishing for salmon, cutthroat trout and char.
I regrouped for the night at the Stikine River Inn, had a fabulous meal, and met Dan Roope of Southeast Alaska Flyfishing Adventures for a week-long trip on the Stikine River. I was fishing with friends from the east coast who previously fished with Roope. It’s no surprise why this group returned.
Here’s what I discovered.
The mainland’s Stikine-LeConte Wilderness Area offers freshwater fishing and the wildlife opportunities of a Denali National Park, but without the crowds. In essence, our small fishing group had the nearly 448,841-acre wilderness to ourselves. We observed two riverboats belonging to local residents, and observed no other anglers sharing the watershed, let alone the same stretch of river. The U.S. Forest Service restricts permits and guides in this region, offering the best of wilderness Alaska with limited access via motorized vehicles.
Roope arranged for various fishing adventures, transporting us to fish Stikine tributaries before returning us to his remote camp at day’s end. We observed bears, moose, and countless eagles. A wolf came out of the brush and watched us fish for salmon. We soaked fish-fighting muscles in a wilderness hot springs, had Dungeness crab for dinner one night, and enjoyed the luxury of a cabin and bunks. The 70-year-old anglers in our group as well as younger family members enjoyed roughing it in style.
We saw no sign of human presence as we caught chum and pink salmon, tons of Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout. On occasion, a 7-weight fly rod would double over on a hookset. Hiding with the in-migrating chums were 30- to 40-pound king salmon, and these kings would oftentimes dart out and with seething aggression, grab a fly. We’d have to quickly release the fish, as actively pursuing king salmon in these freshwater areas is not permitted. Nevertheless, the occasional and accidental hookup gave an unexpected thrill. Roope pointed out that these waters also offered prime silver salmon and steelhead fisheries at other times of the year.
I left Alaska’s Rainforest Islands with a vow to return each year to rediscover and enjoy these marvelous fisheries, away from the crowds. Enjoy the magic of these Alaska Rainforest Islands fisheries and see for yourself.
Chris Batin is editor and publisher of The Alaska Angler and author of numerous books on Alaska fishing including “Fishing Alaska on Dollars a Day,” available at www.AlaskaAngler.com. For information on Alaska fishing, keep updated with his blog or e-mail him at ChrisBatin@AlaskaAngler.com.
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