When we began our Hook It & Cook It program, we offered an ecotour option for the fourth day on the water. It seemed a good way to add a dimension to the trip, especially for people who aren’t hardcore anglers.  Some of our guests arrived in Sitka excited by this idea, but by day four almost no one exercised the option. Why? Over the course of a day’s fishing they saw so much wildlife that very little remained on their wildlife checklist. We fish in a saltwater wilderness with waters rich with plankton, baitfish, and krill. That richness in the water is what makes the fishing so good and that web of life attracts everything you’d ever hope to see on an ecotour.

On your trip out each morning there’s a good chance for seeing bear, deer, otters, eagles, seals, sea lions, whales and a wide variety of marine birds. While fishing, you’ll see whales, puffins, murres, auklets, murrelets, shearwaters, albatross (offshore) and countless species of gulls. We’re always willing and able to break away from fishing to search for bears or anything else on your list, but most of our guests opt for the ecotour that includes a fishing rod in hand.

In the coming months, we’ll provide some information on the species you’re likely to see while fishing in the saltwater wilderness. In the meantime, we invite you to share stories of wildlife you’ve seen on a day of fishing in Sitka.