Big Thrills, New Surprises, and Season Grades
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Like every year in Sitka, our 2025 guests thrilled to exciting fishing for kings, halibut, rockfish, silvers, and lingcod. They experienced the beauty of the saltwater wilderness backdropped by the northern temperate rainforest. Families and friends spent time bonding and enjoyed camaraderie with the help of top-flight captains, crew, and land help.
On the flip, the more things stay the same, the more things change. In 2025, we experienced unexpected and challenging-to-navigate king salmon regulations. Our guests also enjoyed great success with blackcod fishing (weather permitting). The biggest surprise was the late-season catches of albacore tuna 20 miles west of Cape Edgecumbe. Captain Jack McNamee guided the Erik Peterson party off the continental shelf 30 miles west of Sitka, where they caught a dozen of these delicious tuna. While albacore aren’t unheard of at Sitka’s latitude, the waters of the North Pacific were unusually warm and clear in late August and early September this year. We doubt this is something to count on, but we’ll keep our eyes out late season from here on in.
Drum Roll Please…Here are the Grades for 2025
The biggest king salmon of the season – caught by 15-year-old Hudson Lattin while fishing with captain Sarah in June – weighing in at 38 lbs.
King Salmon – B
After a spotty start in May, catching kings ranged from good to lights out through early August. The average size was up slightly from recent seasons. The big issue was the regulations, which were the most restrictive we’ve experienced due to a low abundance index from the Pacific Salmon Commission. Our guests still thrilled to the challenge of hooking and releasing the strongest game fish in the North Pacific. We’ve got our fingers crossed that the abundance forecast for 2026 will come in higher than 2025 and deliver more favorable regulations.
The Martin party with their 76-inch GAF halibut caught while fishing with Captain Ryan in May – biggest of the season!
Halibut – A
We found fast halibut action from the beginning to the end of the season except for the first week when a dogfish invasion made it challenging. Even with dogs, limits were the rule. Early season, the best catches came from deep offshore water. By mid-June, the fast action moved to a location near the salmon grounds. By August, we fished a spot where the halibut action heated to a boil – the second the baits hit the bottom, you were hooked up.
Catches of big halibut permitted through the GAF program also hit the dock regularly. To get the big ones, you might have to put in time soaking, yet the reward of a barn door proved dependable.
John Holder with a beautiful silver salmon caught with Captain Tyler in September.
Silver Salmon – A-
The silvers made their first appearance in late June, generating high hopes for a continuous run. For a brief time in July, they got a little scarce, but they returned. That inconsistency brought down the grade to an A-. The mobile nature of the silvers also brought the grade down a tiny bit. That said, the disappearances were only a change in location. Tough days for coho were followed by hot bites the next day. We found excellent coho fishing in highly protected areas, which helped during a stretch of brisk northwest winds in the later part of August. The size of the coho was spectacular in September, with some in the mid-to-high teens.
Andrew Gabryszak with a beautiful slot lingcod caught with Captain Spencer in late August.
Lingcod – A
Abundant is too weak a word for what our guests experienced with lingcod. They were caught while we fished for salmon, rockfish, or halibut. They were sometimes off the bottom chasing bait. We hope the State of Alaska will conduct a new population study that might reflect this abundance in liberalizing regulations and opening more of the season to retention.
Long-time guest Jim McLendon with a prized yelloweye rockfish caught with Captain James in mid-August.
Cathy Peterson and Katherine Crudo pictured with tasty blackcod and a shortraker caught with Captain Jack McNamee in early September.
Blackcod – B
Our guests enjoyed excellent catches of blackcod in May and June – weather permitting. We added two electric reels per boat to make fishing in 1000 to 1200 feet of water more fun, productive, and manageable. Due to the depth involved and the distance offshore, blackcod fishing is very weather-dependent and requires taking time away from other pursuits. The results for blackcod weren’t as consistent in the second half of the season, dragging the A+ of the first half down to a B. We’re still learning about blackcod, but based on 2025, it appears that the first half of the season is a better bet for guests who place a high premium on bringing home these rich and delicious fish.
Exotic
In early September, rumors of albacore offshore were confirmed by online posts. We sent a boat out and caught 14 of them 20 miles west of Cape Edgecumbe. Captain Jack McNamee had guests willing to take a day away from salmon, halibut, etc. to pursue these strong, delicious tunas. They brought in a dozen. The North Pacific is heating up. We don’t know if albacore will become a seasonal presence, but it sure was fun in 2025. Runner-up was a soupfin shark caught by the Miller party fishing with Captain Jack McNamee aboard Albatross in June.
A Different Approach to Grades
Captain Spencer sent in his grades and they tell an equal if not more important story:
Smiles – A
Scenery – A+++
Variety of fish offered in Sitka waters – A++++
“Heading out to the albacore grounds we passed the rockfish fishery, the salmon fishery, the halibut fishery, the blackcod fishery, and then found a group of boats in blue water. Pretty incredible to have all those options out of one port.”
2026 Specials
Big ‘But Battle
Join us in Sitka, Alaska, for the first-ever halibut competition! Get ready for a halibut showdown like never before! Compete against anglers on your own boat and battle it out with other AU boats in our first-ever ‘But Battle – a head-to-head halibut showdown where size really does matter.
The Challenge:
Hook and land the biggest halibut of the trip. Each boat will receive one complimentary GAF halibut permit.
Two Date Options:
- Arrive May 20, Fish May 21–23, Depart May 24
- Arrive May 23, Fish May 24–26, Depart May 27
Choose your preferred trip date – or double your odds and join both!
Each trip will crown one Grand Prize Winner, earning a FREE return trip for May 2027 to defend your halibut battle title! Bragging rights. Big Fish. Even bigger rewards.
Captains’ Cook Event
Experience the thrill of the catch, then savor your success – expertly prepared by AU captains. Early June has it all – king salmon, halibut, blackcod, lingcod, and rockfish.
Over three unforgettable days, experience world-class fishing with captains who guide, assist, and expertly prepare your catch for a truly immersive coastal adventure. It’s more than just fishing; it’s a sea-to-table adventure you’ll never forget.
When?
Arrive May 30, Fish May 31–June 2, Depart June 3.
Three days of world-class angling for salmon, halibut, and assorted bottom fish.
Three evenings of cooking instruction and dining on catches of the day prepared by Angling Unlimited’s own captains.
Each boat will receive one complimentary GAF halibut permit.