Alaska has a well-earned reputation for being one of the premier fishing locations in the world, with thousands of tourists coming every year to catch one of the many species of fish that call Alaska home.
However, visitors often find it challenging to identify the best angling spots before arriving, making vacation planning in Alaska a bit tricky. Where is the best fishing in Alaska? Do I need a fishing license?
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To help you answer those questions (and more!), here’s one of the best Alaska fishing guides with seven of the best fishing spots in Alaska, as well as a few notes and tips about each location.
1) Enjoy The Best Fishing In Alaska With Hoonah Travel Adventures
If you’re looking for the best charter fishing opportunities in Southeast Alaska, look no further than an Icy Strait Fishing Adventure with us. Join Captain Billy, a local Tlingit captain who has sailed these waters for his entire life, as he takes you to the best Alaska fishing spots, especially for halibut fishing.
After your return to shore, you can join us for another of our land or water-based tours around Chichagof Island. We offer wildlife viewing, nature hikes, whale-watching tours, and more. No matter how you want to experience the beautiful Alaskan wilderness, Hoonah Travel Adventures has something for you, so book with us soon before these trips fill up!
Good To Know: We have all the fishing gear you’ll need and we’ll get you an Alaska fishing license. Don’t forget to prepare for the weather, too! It can get a little windy sometimes.
2) Enjoy Year-round Sport Fishing Near The Copper River
If you’re looking for salmon near Anchorage in Southcentral Alaska, the Copper River is the perfect place to find them. It’s estimated that over two million fish travel through the river on their spawning runs every year, making it perfect for silver salmon fishing and much more.
Unfortunately, the Copper River itself is reserved for subsistence fishing and is only open to Alaskan residents with a permit. The good news, however, is that the Klutina River is a 63-mile-long tributary of the Copper and allows you to (legally!) catch the same Alaska salmon and other fish.
Good To Know: The Klutina is home to the famous Copper King Salmon, dolly varden, sockeye salmon, and more. The best way to get here is on the Richardson Highway (Alaska Highway 4).
3) Catch King And Silver Salmon, Pink Salmon, And More In Prince William Sound
On the eastern side of the Kenai Peninsula, you’ll find a section of the Gulf of Alaska known as Prince William Sound. It offers some of the best fishing trips in Southcentral.
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Cordova is one of the best fishing spots in Alaska, as you can find halibut, lingcod, and all five types of Pacific salmon (Sockeye salmon, pink salmon, king salmon, chum salmon, and silver salmon). Alaska Airlines serves the airport here, too, so you can fly in from Anchorage, Juneau, or Seattle.
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South of Anchorage, you’ll find Whittier, another great place for king salmon fishing and more. The locals are very friendly and will be glad to help you find a place to fish, but please don’t ask if they all live in the same building. They don’t and they’re tired of being asked.
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Valdez is the largest city on Prince William Sound and is a great spot for trout fishing. There are lakes here stocked by the state’s Department of Fish and Game; your chances of getting a rainbow are roughly 100%.
Good To Know: All three communities are served by Alaska Marine Highway System ferries. They only travel in the summer, though, and usually only about once a week, so you may want to take a ferry up to see the sights and fly out of Cordova.
4) Land Sockeye Salmon, Silver Salmon, And More In The Upper Kenai River Area
On the Kenai Peninsula, where the Kenai River flows into Kenai Lake, you’ll find Cooper Landing, a city near to one of the premier Alaska fishing spots, especially the northern part, commonly called the Upper Kenai River.
June and July are the best times to catch sockeye salmon, as these are the months they head out on their spawning runs. In August, you’ll find a run of silver salmon. Throughout the Alaska fishing season, you’ll also find plenty of rainbow trout and Dolly Varden in the Upper Kenai River and the surrounding bodies of water.
Pro Tip: There are several lodges and hotels in Cooper Landing if you like extended fishing trips. It’s only about two hours south of Anchorage, but if you rent a car, make sure the fish is packed tightly to avoid leaving odors behind in your rental!
5) Combine Alaska Fishing With Hiking Near The Russian River
Another great place for trout fishing, salmon fishing, and other species of marine life is the Russian River, which connects with the Kenai River. Make sure to pack your hiking boots, though, as (depending on which part of the river), you’ll need to hike between 0.5 and 3 miles from the nearest road, unless you pay to take the ferry.
Because of the lowered accessibility, it’s one of the best places for river fishing on the Kenai Peninsula because you’ll usually find fewer people here than in the more popular locations. If you don’t enjoy combat fishing, consider the Russian River.
Pro Tip: Like most rivers in Alaska, the Russian is pretty shallow and great for fly fishing and salmon fishing. Halibut prefers deeper waters, so you probably won’t find them here. However, for king salmon fishing on the Kenai Peninsula, you’re in for some great fishing trips.
6) Catch A King At Ship Creek In Downtown Anchorage
If you’ve ever dreamed of king salmon fishing just a few minutes from your hotel room, Ship Creek is the perfect location for shore fishing.
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The waters here flow from Cook Inlet into the Gulf of Alaska, which means May and June will be the best months for silver salmon, sockeye salmon, and others heading to open waters for spawning runs.
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The Wingate by Wyndham is an excellent hotel about a block from the pier. You can catch some Alaska salmon, put them in your cooler with ice, and walk back to the hotel.
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Fishing in Ship Creek is open from January until June 13th every year. Ice fishing season ends in March.
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There are several lakes near Anchorage that are stocked with chinook salmon (also known as king salmon) during the winter for ice fishing, including Jewel Lake.
Good To Know: Just up the hill from Ship Creek in Downtown Anchorage, you’ll find several businesses that will process your salmon fishing or other catches for you and package them up nicely so you don’t have to smell fish for the rest of your trip.
7) Enjoy Fly Fishing At Deep Creek State Recreation Area
Deep Creek State Recreation Area, found along the Sterling Highway almost halfway between Soldotna and Homer, is home to some of the best halibut fishing in Southcentral Alaska. It’s also one of the best places to fish in Alaska for fly fishing and ice fishing.
If you prefer to stay dry, you can also fish from a boat here. Steelhead salmon, which is a type of rainbow trout and not Pacific salmon at all, is the most popular target, although many other species of fish are available here.
Pro Tip: Always check current Alaska fishing regulations and catch limits. These often change year-to-year to make sure the local fish populations remain healthy.
Hooked On Hoonah – Your Ultimate Fishing Adventure Awaits!
Whether you’d like to catch fish like silver salmon, halibut, pink salmon, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, or any of the other amazing species of fish found in the Pacific Ocean through ice fishing, boat fishing, river fishing, or shore fishing, you’ll find the perfect location for the sport fishing of your choice somewhere in Alaska.
Hoonah Travel Adventures offers visitors to experience the best fishing opportunities in Southeast Alaska. We’ll get you an Alaska fishing license, we have all the fishing gear you’ll need and we know that some of the best places to fish in Alaska are in the waters near beautiful Hoonah.
Our fishing trips sell out fast, especially during peak tourist season. Don’t get left behind – book your next amazing Alaska fishing expedition with us today!
