Last Call for Peak Salmon Season!
Calling all fishermen! If you’re looking to book a fishing trip to Alaska this season, you better act fast, as the peak salmon season is coming to a close. Peak salmon fishing season in Alaska is May through October and since Alaska is the ninth largest seafood-producing region in the entire world, fishing here will definitely be a success during the season.
Not only does the prime fishing season bring loads of delicious salmon to the area, it also happens to bring the nicest weather of the year. Now, although you can find salmon all throughout the fishing season, it doesn’t mean you will always get the same kind of salmon. Seasoned fishermen like to plan their fishing trips to Alaska based on their preferred type of salmon.
The best times for salmon
Planning a trip can be a little tricky if you’re looking for a certain type of salmon, which is why we laid out the best times for each type out there.
Late May to early July: should you plan your trip around this time you are likely to catch King Salmon, also known as “chinook salmon,” the biggest and most amazing of the salmon!
June to late July: Following a similar time frame, Sockeye Salmon are more prevalent during this time.
Mid-July to mid-August: This time of the season is prime for red, pink or chum Salmon.
July through October: Towards the end of the fishing season is when you can find great Silver Salmon runs.
Best Places to Find Salmon
Now that we have covered the best time of the year to fish for salmon, it’s important to know where to fish:
Kenai River: The Kenai River offers up silver, pink, red and king salmon from May through October. Earlier runs that start in June average around 16,000 fish and the later runs beginning in July have said to have brought through 41,000 fish. The Kenai River also sees over a million sockeye salmon annually.
Copper River: Alaska’s extensive 300-mile Copper River is another A+ spot to fish for salmon, typically around the middle of May, when kings, sockeyes and silvers begin their trek up the river to spawn and lay eggs. It is said that due to the powerful rapids of this river, the fish have the highest fat content, making them more desired than other fish.
Sitka’s Pacific Ocean: The best time to find salmon at this location is May and June. This location is said to host Alaska’s largest marine silver salmon, with their weights ranging anywhere from 30 to 126 pounds.
Kodiak Island. This legendary location boasts crowd-free fishing where your only competition for the fish is with a bear. The best time to fish in this spot is from June 1 through July 10, and these times are crucial because most of the king fish are gone by July 1. If you’re looking to book a trip later in the season, you will be able to catch four to seven pound sockeye salmon into August as well as silver salmon through late September.
As you can see, the fishing season is coming to a close and you’ll want to book your fishing trip to Alaska ASAP, before the prime fishing ends!