What’s Cooking at AU? 2026 Specials, Blackcod and More!

The Rise of Blackcod

How did blackcod get to be “a thing” with AU’s guests? For our first 25 years they weren’t even a thought. The answer lies in three converging forces.

1. In the 2010’s we started fishing on the edge of the continental shelf in 700 feet of water for halibut. The action was fast and the halibut were the right size. In that depth we caught incidental blackcod – some days none, some days a few, and some days a lot. They weren’t the target.
2. In the early 2020’s, three big year classes of blackcod began showing up in less deep halibut spots of about 550 feet. We’d fished these spots for decades without encountering blackcod, then suddenly they were present. They weren’t big, but they were abundant. These incidental catches gave our anglers a taste of blackcod and the desire for more.
3. The big year classes that fueled the catches on the continental shelf graduated to their final haunts – deep, deep-water of 1100 feet or more. We began using electric reels and figuring out how to effectively target them.

Thus, blackcod are now a “thing”. More guests request that we target them and each year we hone our skills. The catches in 2025 were particularly dependable in May and June. We caught plenty of blackcod in the second half of the season but it wasn’t quite as consistent. For those of you who have the blackcod urge we have electric reels onboard to make catching more efficient and less labor intensive.

Things to consider in the pursuit of blackcod:

1. You have to carve out approximately 4 hours of your fishing day. It’s a long trip out to 1200 feet. It takes time to drop the baits and bring them back up with fish hooked up. Anchoring at that depth is time consuming.
2. Because of the depths involved and the distance offshore, this is a calm water fishery. You can’t do it on rough days. Our captains know the conditions suitable for deep dropping and will let you know which day is “the day” for blackcod fishing.
3. Before you spend too much time on it, be sure you like eating them. Blackcod are rich and have a softer texture which earns them the nickname “butterfish”. Many people find them delicious cooked in the oven or smoked. Some, Captain Tom included, find them too rich and don’t enjoy eating them. Before you spend the better part of your days on the water doing deep drops, make sure you like eating them.

Smoked Blackcod

Captain Spencer Chute

Night Before:

1. Take out any pin bones with pair of tweezers.

2. Cut blackcod into medium size pieces and pat dry with paper towel.

3. Mix up 5 parts brown sugar to 1 part salt with a small amount of garlic powder for taste.

4. Mix fish with dry brine until all parts of fish are covered. Let sit in refrigerator overnight.

Next Morning:

1. Take fish out of the refrigerator, do a quick rinse to remove excess salt, and place on top of cookie cooling racks. Place a small fan on medium speed on fish to create a “pellicle”.

2. Set smoker temp to 180-200 degrees.

3. Place fish in smoker. Every 2 hours add a light layer of honey or teriyaki to fish.

4. Smoke time varies depending on thickness of the fish. Blackcod takes longer to smoke than salmon due to the oil in the meat.

Big But’ Battle

There’s a new type of competition coming to Sitka, and it’s all about size, skill, and bragging rights. Upcoming May, Angling Unlimited is proud to launch the first ever But’ Battle – a halibut showdown where every hook set counts and every catch could be the one that crowns you champion.

This isn’t your average fishing trip. It’s a true head-to-head competition designed for anglers who live for the trill of the fight, the pull of a massive halibut, and the rush of reeling in something extraordinary. Whether you’re a long-time AU guest or new to our Sitka waters, this is your chance to test your skills against the best – and maybe walk away with more than just an unforgettable fishing story.

Event Details:

You’ve got two chances to join the action – or double your odds and join us for both!

Trip 1: Arrive May 20 | Fish May 21–23 | Depart May 24
Trip 2: Arrive May 23 | Fish May 24–26 | Depart May 27

Each boat will also receive a complementary GAF Halibut.

Each trip will crown one Grand Prize Winner, earning:

A FREE return trip for May 2027 to defend your title. Bragging rights for landing the biggest halibut of the trip.

That’s right – reel in the biggest fish, win a free trip, and secure your spot in AU history as the first-ever But’ Battle Champion!

The Challenge:

The rules are simple: catch the biggest halibut of your trip.

You’ll compete against fellow anglers on your boat and go fin-to-fin with other AU crews in this friendly – but fierce – fishing face-off. Your AU captain will to Sitka’s most productive halibut grounds, giving you every opportunity to land that monster fish.

AU Captains Cook

This June, experience the best of Alaska’s coastal waters with Angling Unlimited’s first-ever AU Captains Cook Event in Sitka.

Early summer brings peak fishing for king salmon, halibut, blackcod, lingcod, and rockfish — and over three unforgettable days, you’ll be right in the heart of it. Guided by AU’s expert captains, enjoy world-class angling, hands-on instruction, and the thrill of landing trophy fish in one of the most scenic fisheries on earth.

Each evening, celebrate the day’s success with a fresh-catch dinner prepared by your captains — the perfect way to relive the highlights and swap stories from the water.

Event Details:

• Arrive May 30
• Fish May 31-June 1-2
• Depart June 3
• Includes 3 full days of fishing for salmon, halibut, and assorted bottom fish
• Evenings enjoy fresh, locally prepared meals featuring your catch
• Bonus: One complementary GAF halibut per boat

Off-Season Crew Updates

Captains Jack and Luke McNamee visited Captain Tom in Massachusetts in late September. The targets? Striped bass and funny fish (aka bonito and false albacore). They hit the ball out of the park with stripers up to nearly 30 pounds on light spin tackle and fly. On their last of four days, they ran into schools of bonito and check the funny fish box. The weather threatened to go bad, but never did. Going fishing to relax after a fishing season? What could be better?

Captain Jack McNamee with his Elk shot in Idaho.

Office manager Bella and Hostess Molly finished the Wild Duluth 50k, running 31 miles each.

Second annual AU Fall Fest. Crew joined the McNamees at their hunting land for a weekend of good food, great friends, and unforgettable times.

Record-Breaking Short Raker Rockfish — 2013

In 2013, Captain DJ and long-time guest Henry Liebman made Alaska fishing history with a record-breaking short raker rockfish. The fish weighed 39.08 pounds, surpassing the previous state record of 38.68 pounds.

Initially estimated to be between 50 and 175 years old, scientific analysis later confirmed the rockfish’s age at 64 years.