Salmon Fishing with Wild Strawberry Lodge

Guided fishing with Alaska Premier Charters, Inc. in Sitka, Alaska is an awesome angling experience! Whether you’re a novice or extreme angler, you’ll appreciate our great guiding staff, top-quality sport fishing gear and boats, and incredible sport fishing action, featuring Alaskan halibut and salmon. We happily invite the whole family to come out, and are confident in our ability to accommodate everyone’s needs.

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Alaska Salmon Fishing with Wild Strawberry Lodge

For the best salmon fishing charters, come to Sitka. Our Alaskan salmon fishing is incredible! Sitka is known for its trophy-sized Chinook (King) Salmon, but the Coho (Silver) salmon fishing is also exciting. Our area also hosts Chum (Dog), Sockeye (Red), and Humpback (Pink) Salmon, ensuring your rod stays busy!

At Alaska Premier Charters, Inc., you will use a fishing style called “mooching.” You’ll be equipped with a 9’ salmon rod and a Shimano Tekota 600LC reel with a line counter. Your line will have a free-sliding lead weighing two to eight ounces (depending on depth and current), a bead chain swivel, a 6-8’ leader with double hooks, and a cut-plug herring. When you cast your line, the bait should spin, and the lead should slide to the lowest point.

To mooch for salmon, cast your line across the water and let it down to between 100-200 feet, then work your bait back to the surface. Alternate between five fast turns and five slow turns without jigging the line, which could tear the bait. The goal is to keep your bait moving and spinning.

Our boats are equipped with Furuno electronic fish-finders. Your captain will tell you the depth of the salmon. If you are below the depth, quickly work your bait up. If you are above it, either strip out the line slowly or reel up and cast again. For example, if salmon are at 60 feet and you are casting, send your bait to 80 feet, then reel up through the “strike zone.” This gives you two chances to get a bite.

Because the bait spins, do not free-spool your line down from any depth as it will tangle and reduce your chances of a bite.

Salmon in Southeast Alaska often grab the bait and swim upward. When they do, your lead will slide to the lowest point, and your rod tip will jerk slightly. If you see this or if your captain or deckhand tells you there’s a bite, reel quickly to catch up to your fish. It may take 50 turns before you catch up and the rod feels heavy, so keep cranking. Reel your rod tip down to the water and reel in until it gets heavy and tight.

Once the line is tight, set the hook by jerking your rod upward. Continue reeling, keeping your line tight, and set the hook again if necessary. You may need to follow your fish around the boat. With our full walk-around decks, this is easy and safe. Navigating around other people fishing is perfectly okay.

When your salmon is near the surface, your captain and deckhand will help you land or release it. If you need assistance with any aspect of mooching for salmon, just ask, and we will do everything to make your fishing experience enjoyable and successful!

Types of salmon | Alaska salmon fishing

Chinook (King) Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

This species comes on strong in the middle of May and usually stay strong until the beginning of August. Immature black-mouth King Salmon show up in late Summer and winter (in Sitka waters), feeding and growing in preparation for spawning at the end of the following Summer.

Identification: Blue-gray back, silvery sides and white underbellies and a dark gray, almost black mouth and black gums. Black irregular spotting on the back, dorsal and tail fins. Maroon to olive brown in color when spawning.

Firm, richly flavored ranging from deep red to ivory white.

Coho (Silver) Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch)

Start coming around in late June, and really become plentiful in mid-July, finally tapering off in September. The daily bag limit is six silver salmon per day for both resident and non-resident anglers.

Identification: Greenish-blue back with bright silvery sides and lighter, gray-white gums. Small black spots on back and dorsal fins and top lobe of tail. No black spots on lower lobe of tail.

Full flavored, firm textured, naturally red flesh.

Pink (Humpy) Salmon (Oncorhynchus Gorbuscha)

Available mainly in July and August. The daily bag limit is six pink salmon per day for both resident and non-resident anglers.

Identification: Steely blue backs with many large dark spots and silvery sides. Black oval spots on both tail lobes. Very small scales. Dull gray-brown (male) or dark green patchy (female) backs and creamy white bellies when spawning. Males develop a hump.

Delicately flavored, light-colored flesh.

Chum (Dog) Salmon (Oncorhynchus Keta)

This species is available mainly in July and August. The daily bag limit is six chum salmon per day for both resident and non-resident anglers.

Identification: Dull gray back with yellowish-silver sides, no distinct spots on back or tail. Large dilated pupils. Very forked tail. Olive green backs and maroon sides with irregular dull red bars when spawning.

Milder, more delicate flavored, creamy pink to medium red flesh.

Sockeye (Red) Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

This species is available mainly in July and August. The daily bag limit is six sockeye salmon per day for both resident and non-resident anglers.

Identification: Bright silver sides with a metallic blue-green back and white belly. No distinct spots on the back or tail (unlike other Pacific salmon). During spawning, sockeye undergo a dramatic transformation—turning vibrant red with a green head.

Known for their deep ruby-red flesh, firm texture, and rich, full salmon flavor—often considered the best-tasting of all Pacific salmon.