The Ketchikan area offers a wide variety of fishing environments to interest the visiting angler. By Alaskan standards, Ketchikan has a good road system and is home to many fishing charter companies and guides. Like all regions of Alaska, during the summer months Ketchikan has prodigious runs of migratory species. High fish numbers and easily accessed fisheries make Ketchikan an ideal base for day-trip fishing.
Species
The Ketchikan area offers an array of fish species of interest to the day-angler. The area has large runs of all five species of Pacific salmon. King, chum, Coho and pink salmon can all be caught in Ketchikan's fisheries. Sockeye salmon are rare. King salmon can only currently be caught in saltwater. The famously hard-fighting steelhead also run Ketchikan's rivers in good numbers. In addition to the migratory species, Ketchikan has resident populations of cutthroat, rainbow and brook trout as well as healthy populations of grayling and char.
Where to Fish
The Ketchikan area offers day-anglers both fresh and saltwater fisheries. Locating salmon in saltwater can be extremely difficult. The Alaska Department for Fish and Game advises fishermen to use a charter service or guide. The Ketchiken road system provides access to a number of productive fisheries. The Ward Creek Logging spur provides day-anglers access to the White River, Connell Lake, Harriet Hunt Lake and Perseverance Lake. These fisheries have stocks of pink, Coho and chum salmon and steelhead. Cutthroat and rainbow trout also are present.
When to Fish
Ketchikan's Pacific salmon run during the summer months. King salmon can only be caught in saltwater and are present from April to August. Coho arrive in Ketchikan waters in late June and leave in October. Pink and chum salmon run from June to October. Steelhead have two distinct runs, April to July and September to December. Rainbow trout are at their best from May to July, and cutthroat are most abundant from May to September.
Tackle
Spin tackle for king salmon should be powerful and capable of fishing 25- to 50-lb. breaking-strain line. Steelhead, Coho and chum salmon require spin rods of medium strength with 15- to 25-lb. breaking-strain line. Fly rods should be 9 feet in length for an 8- to 10-weight line. For pink salmon, rainbow and cutthroat trout, spin rods should be light and capable of fishing 6- to 12-lb. line. Fly rods should be 9 feet in length for a 6- to 7-weight line.
Guides and Charters
The Ketchikan area has many guides and charters who offer both full- and half-day fishing trips. In saltwater, expect to pay in the region of $130 for a half-day and $175 for full-day trip as of 2010. Freshwater guide services often offer road-side fishing rates and fly-out fishing rates. For road-side fishing, expect to pay around $300 for a full day. For fly-out trips, fishermen must pay for the flight and the guide. A flight will usually cost in the region of $500. A guide, once again, will be around $300 for the day.
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