July 2017 reigns as the calmest month we’ve ever seen in Sitka. We went weeks on end fishing a dead calm ocean and the wind only blew a few days during the month. We pretty much ran all over the ocean at full cruising speed. The fishing from the beginning to the end of the…
DetailsCalm Seas, lots of silvers, easy halibut, and a bit more struggle than normal for kings. The pattern of the first half of July continues. How long the extreme calm can last? Who knows, but not forever. It appears the silver run will just keep racing along. The kings remain easy one day, hard the…
DetailsI look at times of the salmon season by which species is the cake and which is the icing. June through at least mid-July, kings are typically the main event – the cake. Silvers are the bonus fish – the icing. The first two weeks of July this year, we’ve had a sort of upside…
DetailsThe last 10 days of June have been marked by excellent numbers of silvers and mostly good catches of kings. The king run continues to present the occasional hiccup which seldom lasts more than a day. Even on those days, kings are landed, we just work harder at it. The silvers numbers have been building…
DetailsA guy I know has been fishing king salmon from Washington, through British Columbia and all over Southeast Alaska for over 40 years. Until the early 90’s he cruised the coast in a live-aboard yacht fishing anywhere he wanted. He keeps meticulous records of every fish they catch and his catch rates. After careful…
DetailsThere are signs to watch for. Some show up on our sounders – big schools of baitfish, layers of krill, and marks that are clearly salmon. Some are quite visible without electronics – whales, birds, and well-defined rip lines in the water. After an unusually challenging week in early June, all the signs came together…
Details1. Pacific salmon are different: They don’t behave like most fish and it has to do with how they drive through their feed. Most fish drive into baitfish, grab and turn away. Salmon just keep swimming straight ahead, looking for more. They react to something not being right with what they ate by swimming…
DetailsWe at Angling Unlimited were honored to have six veterans join us for a fishing trip on June 1-4. It was jointly sponsored by the Brady Oberg Legacy Foundation, whose mission is “to promote a happy and healthy life for combat victims who suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).” The event was not only…
DetailsAwesome, incredible, and outstanding are some of the words that I would use to describe our entire experience at the 2017 “Hook It & Cook It” event at Angling Unlimited in Sitka, Alaska. It’s 4 great days of fishing and 4 great evenings of three-course gourmet dishes, all consisting of local fish, prepared and cooked…
DetailsOur season is underway! A full house of guests enjoyed night number one of Hook It and Cook It with chef Ludger Szmania. They are out on the water today. The AU staff has been working hard for the past three weeks, getting all the parts of our well-oiled machine running smoothly. We are ready. The…
DetailsThe adage has it that “most fish are caught the night before”. As for Angling Unlimited’s 2017 season, this time in spring is the night before. Careful, precise, and conscientious preparation is a requirement to take the best care of the people who fish with us and guarantee the best outcomes. That’s what we’re up to…
DetailsThe AU crew in Sitka headed out on the ocean and fished for 3 1/2 hours. The sounder lit up with clouds of baitfish. Individual kings plus one school were also marked. The crew landed 5 halibut and 4 kings, plus they missed or lost a couple more kings (nobody is perfect). This is…
DetailsLet’s begin by gathering our ingredients for Greek Salmon Phyllo Wrap: Ingredients: 1 package frozen chopped spinach 1 package crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup Greek vinaigrette dressing Phyllo sheets salmon fillet 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill Heat the oven to 425º F and layer cookie sheet with…
Details1. In the fall of 2014 my friend Captain Keith Robbins came back from Louisiana with enticing stories of big redfish in shallow water caught on fly rods. Keith charters on Puget Sound for both salmon mooching and salt water fly fishing. 2. In the spring of 2016, my youngest daughter Evelyn (better known as…
DetailsAfter a long fight with a prized king salmon, the last thing you want is the heartbreak of losing the fish at the boat. The proper technique for netting fish involves teamwork between angler and netter. Let’s look at the basics for getting the job done. Fish don’t volunteer for the net – they must…
DetailsWe covered why line counter reels are essential for mooching salmon in our last blog post and wanted to follow up with 6 reasons for mooching with a line counter (LC) reel: 1) Virtual Sight Fishing No it’s not exactly like spotting a bonefish on a flat and putting a fly two feet from its…
DetailsLet’s begin by gathering our ingredients for Sarah’s Smoked Salmon Chowder: Ingredients: half stick of butter 1 medium white onion, chopped 4 carrots, peeled and diced 3 celery stalks, sliced into small pieces ½ cup white wine 6-7 potatoes, washed and diced 1½ teaspoons dried thyme 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups milk 1 tablespoon…
DetailsMooching is our method for fishing salmon at Angling Unlimited. Over the course of 25 seasons, we’ve taught a lot of people how to fish for salmon the “hands-on” way. We know it’s effective and we know that people who feel their own bite and hook their own fish have more fun and get a greater sense of satisfaction. Here are the 10 most common pitfalls aspiring salmon moochers run into:
DetailsLet’s begin by gathering our ingredients for Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms: Ingredients: 15 mushrooms 1/2 cup goat cheese 2 tbsp mayo 2 tbsp shredded parmesan 1/4 cup smoked salmon 1 tsp lemon zest 3 green onions 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp minced garlic Preheat oven to 350º F. Carve out…
DetailsPlan your fishing adventure early and save money. Fall specials at Alaska Air and Delta make fall the time of year to book and reserve your flights. We’ve found incredibly low rates from all over the country. Booking early not only reserves you ideal dates for 2017, but also helps you save on airfare! Check out these great round-trip deals! $286…
DetailsStill the Best It’s early August, late in the morning with light rain, a 10 knot wind from the southeast, 3 to 5 foot seas. The day started out well, but we’re wondering when we’ll get the next bite which will hopefully end up being the next salmon. I’m pondering when a day will come…
DetailsWe finished our season with an eventful two weeks in September. This was the busiest our September schedule has been, with nearly all eight boats running until the end of the season. The days became shorter and the fall chill was in the air. We were fortunate to hit a favorable stretch of weather allowing us…
DetailsWe continue to fish the Cape when it allows, but with a consistent south wind, it hasn’t been easy. August has been a month of wind and rain. If the Cape allows, it’s the most productive area for salmon. If the wind blows us off the Cape, we’ve heading north, fishing Beaver Point, Shelikof Bay,…
DetailsLet’s begin by gathering our ingredients for Thai Halibut Cakes: 1 halibut fillet 3 tbsp coconut butter (package of unsweetened shredded coconut and 2 tbsp coconut oil – blend in food processor until forms a buttery texture) 3 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp water 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root 1…
DetailsWe’re beginning that exciting time of year where the silvers are 15-18 pounds and they are hungry. The Cape has changed to mostly silvers, pinks, and shark action while we’re salmon fishing. Sometimes when we’re fishing, anglers will hook into a fish only to have the line go slack shortly after. Upon reeling in, they…
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