We’re 4 weeks from our fishing season and our favorite time of the year. By mid-May, all systems will be ready for lift off – boats, lodging, processing, and hospitality. The kings will have moved into their feeding zones on the ocean and in Sitka Sound. The weather will have turned to spring, and our captains and staff will be raring to go.
May and June are prime king season when guests enjoy a three annual limit, excellent catch rates, and the highest percentage of the prized ivory (white) king. Halibut fishing, especially for big GAF flatties, delivers impressive results. Offshore we find concentrations of blackcod to add to your catch when the weather permits. Lingcod are open and the rockfish always oblige.
AU makes May and early June even better with a series of unique events:
Hook It & Cook It
Exciting angling and the freshest fish you’ll ever eat! Join us in Sitka, Alaska for Angling Unlimited’s annual Hook It & Cook It.
Arrive: May 15
Fish: May 16, 17, 18, & 19
Depart: May 20
$3,295 per person
Chef Lucas and wife Rocio
Big ‘But Battles
Enjoy some friendly angling action as part of our first-annual ‘But Battle. It’s all about the experience on the water – with one standout angler earning a free return trip in 2027. Two date options:
Arrive: May 20
Fish: May 21, 22, & 23
Depart: May 24
or
Arrive: May 23
Fish: May 24, 25, & 26
Depart: May 27
$2,895 per person
Captains’ Cook
Experience the trill of the catch, then savor your success with expertly prepared dinners by AU captains.
Arrive: May 30
Fish: May 31, June 1, & 2
Depart: June 3
$3,545 per person
Join us this Spring. We love what we do. We think you will too!
Spring In Sitka
Bubble Feeding
Each March Sitka’s bays come alive when vast schools of herring return to spawn. This attracts predators from all over the Pacific including big pods of humpback whales. They take advantage of the massive concentration of herring, using a unique hunting strategy called bubble feeding. A group of humpbacks get below the herring schools and blow spiraling curtains of bubbles which corral herring into tight, concentrated shoals. The whales swim upwards, mouths agape, into the confined herring. It’s all about teamwork.
Herring provide a high-energy food source and form a key component of the whales’ spring diet helping them rebuild reserves after long migrations to the tropics to breed and calf. Jenny McNamee got lucky with her trip to work on AU’s buildings and witnessed the peak of the herring spawn along with multiple bubble feeding events.
Deck Updates
This April, captains Chuck, Ryan, Jack M, Hayden, Conner, and DJ rolled up their sleeves and took on the work of replacing the lower deck on our waterfront suites. According to Chuck, all is going well and the weather has been typical of Sitka spring: rain, sunshine, and occasional snow. Work comes first and the gang hasn’t gone fishing yet. They did see two king salmon swim through the shallows in front of the Suites on Monday morning. Let’s hope that’s a sign of good things to come?
Airport Updates
Those of you who visited last year couldn’t help noticing that our airport was undergoing a big transformation. We’re excited to share that the new two-story terminal is complete and serving both arrivals and departures. Guests will have the opportunity to ride the first escalator in Sitka’s two century history.
The expansion provides visitors with much-needed space before boarding and weather protection when deplaning. It’s a more comfortable and less crowded experience for our guests.
Addison and Jack Engaged
Captain Jack McNamee and hostess Addy Lindow announced their engagement this March. They were on a family trip to the British Virgin Islands. One night they slipped off for dinner. When they returned, Addy had a ring on her finger. They will be getting married, November 2026. We wish them a lifetime of happiness together.