Alaska Fishing Resort – Ketchikan
Your adventure begins with a short float plane ride from Ketchikan to this historic Alaska fishing resort waiting for you and your family. Nestled next to a seaside waterfall, this Alaska fishing resort is located on the west coast of Prince of Whales Island. It was originally a wild salmon saltwater fishing cannery founded in 1912. Later the cannery was converted to become one of Alaska’s premier fishing resorts. 52 acres of wilderness surround you during your stay. In it’s day the cannery broke world records for the sheer volume of seafood it caught and exported all over the globe.
Three words define what makes this a top fishing resort: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Fish for king salmon, silver salmon, halibut, Ling Cod, Red Snapper and more. Annually halibut and salmon return to this location on Prince of Wales island. Anglers of all skill levels, from novice to avid as well as celebrities and professional athletes are drawn to return year after year.
Along with exceptional fishing, imagine the beauty of the area adjacent to Alaska’s Inside Passage. Beyond fishing, imagine seeing whale breach right beside your fishing vessel! See lovely waterfalls in the area as well as elusive bald eagles. Sometimes you might even see brown bears on the shorelines. Hike to the nearby waterfall and try your hand at some salmon fishing on your own or hit golf balls into the pond. Tell tall tales in the lagoon saloon after a fun day of fishing or play some pool or ping pong. 
On the front end and/or the back end of your stay spend some time in Ketchikan. Ketchikan offers some fun activities such as flight-seeing Misty Fjords or visiting the Neets Bay Bear adventure. The Tongass National Forest hiking and wildlife encounters for black bears and bald eagles is a fun outing.
Guests from all over the world return here year after year to enjoy personalized service and one to one guide to staff ratio. You may customize the length of stay at this lodge from two nights to as many as you would like. For the family, where everyone in the family enjoys fishing, this is a great opportunity.
Best suited for families with children 10 years and older but any age is allowed. It is up to you and your family as you know your children best!
Love the idea but want an even more intimate setting? Look at our sister lodge at Alaska Luxury Fishing Lodge where we host smaller groups of 8-16.
Accommodations & Meals
After an exciting day of wild Alaska sport fishing, relax in your comfortable accommodations including renovated Historic Boardwalk Cabins, Oceanfront Lodge Rooms, Executive House Suites, and Family Sized Townhouse Condos.
All accommodations come with daily housekeeping, a private bathroom and in-room amenities including a coffee maker and mini-fridge. Every room is within a short stroll (or courtesy golf cart ride) of the docks and cabin cruisers, panoramic guest dining room and popular saloon.
Large groups and corporate events also have access to a selection of meeting rooms and specialized business services.
Fishing
Along the West Coast of Prince of Wales Island where the resort is located, extreme tides and surging ocean currents create a habitat for millions of bait fish that attract annual returns of trophy-sized Salmon, Halibut, Red Snapper and Ling Cod.
These natural phenomena, which first attracted commercial fishermen, offer premier fishing grounds in Alaska for some of the best saltwater Salmon and Halibut Sport fishing in the world.
In fact, the resort was originally a Cannery and was once the most productive Salmon fishing canneries in all of Alaska.
Anglers of all skill levels from first time fishermen to expert anglers are catered to.
All fishing is from boats with excellent equipment provided by the lodge. No more than four anglers per boat.
Fishing Equipment: Included in your stay!
Each guest is outfitted with the very best equipment. You’ll enjoy custom designed Almar Aluminum Cabin Cruisers, Furuno Marine Electronics and perhaps best of all, Alaskan certified and professionally licensed Guides are happy to provide you with one to one service.
Tournament:
Open to all guests only, the resort has a $100,000 Salmon tournament!
Taking fish home:
You may take all the Salmon and Halibut home that you catch!
Fish Timing Chart: Lodge opens June – August typically
Halibut: May-Sept
King Salmon: June & July Pink Salmon: August
Silver Salmon: July & August Red Snapper: May-Sept
Ling Cod: May-Sept
Bottom Fish: May-Sept
Government Fish Limits: Announced in the spring of the fishing year. These limits mean the number of fish you can bring home but do not include catch and release.
Typically…1 king per day limit of 3
Typically…6 Silvers per day minimum length limit
Typically…1 Halibut with a slot limit but a Bonus Halibut tag can be purchased
Activities
The main activity here is fishing! But other activities include:
- Game room
- Beach combing
- Hike to the waterfall
- Take a fishing rod and fish in the waterfall stream for salmon on your own
- Golf tea box
- Whale watching
Ketchikan:
Before or after your trip to the lodge, enjoy some time in Ketchikan!
This lively port town engages visitors with everything from historic Creek Street attractions (galleries, saloons, lumberjack shows, fresh-from-the-sea fish and chips) to extraordinary totem pole parks and Alaska heritage centers to museums chronicling the origins of the region’s famed salmon fisheries and infamous red light district.
And farther afield for the adventurous visitor: the glacier-carved wilderness of Misty Fjords National Monument, the splendors of the Tongass National Forest, hiking and wildlife encounters with black bears and bald eagles, and more.
Take a look at the Ketchikan visitors bureau for more amazing ideas!
Length of Stay / Itinerary
Most trips are 2 – 4 nights.
Day 1: In most cases guests will spend a night in Ketchikan, AK on the way up to the lodge.
Day 2: The following day you will check in around 11:30 for your float plane flight to the lodge. Flights depart around 12:30 for the 45 minute flight to the lodge. You will check-in at the lodge and hit the water for fishing until 5:30.
Day 3 +: Other days fishing is over at 4:30 PM.
Departure day: On departure day you will fish till 9:30 or so and then return to the lodge. Lunch is 11:00 to 12:00. Flights back to Ketchikan will start shortly thereafter.
For example, a 3 day/ 2 night schedule would be arriving at the lodge after lunch day 1 for PM fish, overnight, full day fish, overnight, AM fish & depart back to Ketchikan.
Travel Details & Location
Most people fly through Seattle to arrival and departure airport is Ketchikan, AK. From Ketchikan, the lodge arranges your float plane to/from the lodge.
Internet & Communications
Free Wi-Fi internet access is available to guests but can be spotty. Due to limited carrier coverage in this region and occasional weather, wireless and cellular signal strength may vary. Verizon is much better than AT&T.
There are places out on the water where you get better reception than at the lodge. The lodge does have a land line available for credit card and collect calls.
Changing Generations
We secure our marine, air, and wilderness environments and their natural resources by…
- Enabling guests to safely experience authentic wilderness and wildlife environments.
- Providing U.S. Coast Guard trained guides, who engage and educate guests about local environments and species.
- Adhering to all regional, state, national, and international regulations regarding fish and game.
- Contributing to selected nonprofit organizations that improve the environment and help sustain area wildlife.
- Using green construction practices where feasible and cost-effective and within the context of historical integrity.
- Applying the use of sustainable business practices as a criterion for selecting suppliers.
- Moving toward zero waste through reducing, reusing, and recycling.
- Minimizing output of nonbiodegradable materials such as plastics where practical for the business.
- Reducing energy usage costs and carbon impact by increasing efficiency.
We preserve regional history and heritage by…
- Selecting business locations that have preserved and continue to preserve and feature regional history and traditions.
- Maintaining and safeguarding historic sites, artifacts, and records.
- Showcasing the handmade work of regional artists, artisans, and craftspeople in our properties and offices.
- Educating guests about area history, heritage, and traditions.
- Contributing to selected organizations that promote local cultural traditions.
We support local communities and economies by…
- Operating in a fiscally responsible manner to ensure continuity of positive economic impact.
- Participating in professional organizations and associations that promote local tourism.
- Providing local residents with fair-wage employment opportunities.
- Sourcing goods and services from locally owned businesses.
- Contributing to selected philanthropies that provide services to local communities.
Trip Insurance & Cancellation Info
Trip insurance is highly recommended to protect your investment on this trip. We will assist you with trip insurance upon booking. See links at the bottom of this page for the two providers we suggest for our clients.
Family Expeditions, LLC confirmation and refund policy:
If your trip is more than 90 days out from date of departure, a 50% non-refundable deposit confirms your reservation and must be received within 10 days of booking to confirm your dates. All trips must be paid in full at least 90 days prior to the departure date. If your trip date is within 90 days, FULL payment for the trip is required. All payments to Family Expeditions are non-refundable. Should you need to reschedule or cancel your trip, we will do everything in our power to assist you in finding a suitable substitute or transferring your dates per the lodge/providers/government requirements. Trip insurance protects your investment!
