Testimonials

We had an awesome trip! Beautiful weather, friendly helpful staff, clean spacious stocked rooms on the waterfront. Hard to think of how things could have gone much better. We caught tons of fish and brought home 4 boxes of meat.

Your company is great at what it does.

I thought our trip went great! Both Sarah and James were super with the kids, helping them with anything they needed. The kids had a great time and I’m sure they will want to join us again in the future. James and Sam were also great in helping Mike’s dad, Len.

We had a wonderful trip with great memories! It was such a joy to be with my dad and brothers and Captain Chuck again this year. My personal goal for this trip was to catch and land a big king and boy did I! My 36 pound king was one of my highlights.

We had a great time. Frank who is an EVP of sales for Bombardier says it was one of his top things he has ever done. He sells private jets for a living and if you google his name and look at images you will see him with Bono, Taylor Swift, Meryl Streep, etc. Said you guys blew him away by Thursday at 10 am :-)…. Everyone had a great time this year and way better than last year. Might be because these were my friends versus I was a fill in for a group last year.

The trip was excellent as it has been every year for the past 21 years. Hart and I always enjoy fishing with Capt DJ. It is always a pleasure. Silver salmon fishing was a bit slow but not by lack of effort by DJ, also fishing with deckhand Luke McNamee, we kept calling him Luther, was a lot of fun. Very good deckhand and nice young man, hope to fish with him again.

A lot of new faces this year in Sitka, it was nice to see Bella as the office manager, she is always a joy to talk to, but everyone is the best as always. Weather was nice, all in all, fishing was good. Came back with 2 boxes of fish, a lot of black cod, ling cod, P cod and we all got our Kings and a good halibut harvest, so I am happy.

Tommie and I can’t wait to get up there in September and Fish with Capt Sarah. Hart and I are definitely coming back next year at the same time slot.

On another note fishing with Matt and Miles was great, we all clicked right from the get-go. The 4 of us went out to dinner the last night they were there and hopefully will be fishing together again next year. Thank you as always for another great AU trip, Hart made a great comment the day we arrived in Sitka saying coming up here is like getting released from prison, it feels so free, not that either of us have been in prison, but a great saying I thought.

It is impossible to adequately describe the joy we all experienced with Chuck and son Jack – what a perfect crew for my little crew!! It was a dream come true and the weather – wow – Neptune came through for us and gave us a mirror ocean for 2 of the 3 days and the 3rd was OK as well.

I thanked Chuck and Jack and told Chuck on the boat that this was the last grandkid trip – 5 of 8 came to AU and told Chuck that I would be taking July out of the yearly schedule. As you’ll remember, the days he fished with us were days that he originally had OFF – and he was so very kind to do this – SPECIAL!!

Thank you for your efforts on our behalf Kim – you are one of the key players in all of our moments of happiness – Here’s to YOU!!

Our trip was great as always and as always AU did an outstanding job!

Jaime always went above and beyond the expectations of customer service. Ellie always had a way of making us feel like we were all just one big family and wish her the best on her next adventures in life.

We would like to give a shout-out to Zach, we were impressed how well he did in his first year of being a deckhand! We look forward to seeing him next year.

Last but not least we want to say thank you to every individual at AU for all the hard work y’all do to make this happen in a free country we live in! God bless y’all and God bless Merica🇺🇸

I only have one request…..more ginger snap cookies 🤣👍🏻!

We had a great trip! Some of the best weather of any of the trips I’ve been with AU. Captain Tom and deckman Cody were outstanding as always — and I think we all learned more about the skills and nuances of angling for Kings, Halibut, Silvers, Black Cod, and uncounted species of rockfish.

Appreciate all you do to make our trip run smoothly — as always, we didn’t have a worry or a care from the moment we stepped off the plane in Sitka until we flew back to reality on Wednesday.

Had a great time as we always do!

Thanks Capt. Chuck and Jack for some great fishing. Brought home lots of fish & had a great time on the boat. Had a bunch of “first timers” on this trip, they were all very impressed and talked about others they “must bring”.

The accommodations were spectacular, we were treated like kings and queens by all the staff (AU is a sharp outfit) and the scenery and wildlife were amazing, the “First time Alaska” were stunned. I’m still amazed by how charmed I am be the whole area even after all these years.

We had a great time with Ryan & Pete.

The office rooms were very nice. 2 of us got to stay in a 2 person suite for 2 nights. Very nice of staff to offer us as it was tight with 6 persons in one suite.

Our host was very nice and helpful.

Good to see Captains – James, Tom & Chuck

Thanks again

We had a great time and brought home lots of fish, two boxes each. Capt. Chuck and his son were a great crew and good company to boot. The weather gods have rarely smiled so brightly.

Our trip to Angling Unlimited in Sitka, Alaska was everything that Kim said it would be and then some.

The fishing, weather, and hospitality was outstanding. Every person working at AU was so fun and friendly and by their actions showed that they truly love what they are doing. What a tribute to the McNamee family!!

Captain Chuck was great….. but Jack, his son, the deckhand was amazing!!!! We caught our limit every day but even if we wouldn’t have it was worth the trip to experience the scenery, the whales, the bird sanctuary, the Black Sand Beach, the luncheon that Chuck made for us with the homemade cookies each day, the ocean (two days of calm ocean and one day of “angry” ocean) and seeing how life is lived elsewhere!

We are enjoying treating our kids and grandkids to different recipes for salmon and halibut. They loved hearing our stories and they themselves are hopeful that they will be able to experience AU someday.

We made unbelievable memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives and we are so thankful to have had the opportunity to experience this once in a lifetime deep-sea fishing adventure at AU.

Thank you so much AU

My husband and I went on a fishing trip through Angling Unlimited for our honeymoon and we were so impressed by this company – we cannot say enough great things! My husband has been on multiple fishing trips and said this one far exceeds any he has ever been on. Their attention to detail, customer service, and communication is outstanding. What impressed us the most was how hardworking the staff was. Our captain, Captain DJ, and deckhand Luke were some of the most hardworking people I have ever met. While on the boat, they consistently provided the best experience for us and ensured we had everything we needed for a great 3-days of fishing. I also want to say a big shout out to our hostess, Synneva, for all her help during our trip. She was beyond friendly, helpful, and professional from the moment we met her at the airport until the end of our trip – which appeared to be a common thread with all of the hostesses! Lastly, this company is beyond streamlined with logistics. From the day we arrived, I felt like we never had to wait. They were so on top of being on time – ensuring customers got to their destination quickly and promptly. At the end at the airport, when we were greeted by two young boys who packaged our fish, I still couldn’t believe how friendly they greeted us and ensured we were all set to go to end our trip. The top-notch service never stopped! Overall, this was the best honeymoon we could have ever asked for (not to mention – we brought home SO much fresh fish!). Thank you to the whole team at Angling Unlimited for making this happen for us. I can say with 100% confidence we will be back – and hope to bring many more friends and family with us next time!

We had a great time….it felt so good to be back after missing last year. Captain Lev was outstanding…and Logan was great as well, he’s learning under a good teacher in Lev….good stuff.

We had an amazing time! Ryan and Peter were awesome! Your staff was great and the amenities and bots were nice and comfortable. It might take us a few years to eat all the fish before we need more!

Our trip was fabulous. We brought home about 300 pounds of fish, and definitely created a lasting memory for all of us. Captain Lev and Logan were great, and took exceptional care of us.

While I’m sure the accommodations at the lodge were pretty nice, staying at the Hughes House was an added bonus for us. It was nice to be able to unwind in an actual house at the end of the day that had a great view of the water and surrounding mountains to boot.

This trip was a high school graduation present for my oldest grandson Nicholas, and he’s already talking about returning to Sitka some day to hunt, fish and hike. I hope he will be able to eventually fulfill that goal.

Thank you for everything you did on your end to make this trip perfect and unforgettable.

Please let Tom and Chuck know that we were 110% pleased with every aspect of our stay.  Spencer and Hunter did an amazing job.  Ellie was great.  Your whole crew was great.  I have consistently found in all of the trips I have taken to Angling Unlimited and anyone I have recommended going all say……everything your team can control you do.  It is great to see how the business has flourished under your leadership and how your team are such wonderful ambassadors for your organization.  You have a very, very special guide in Spencer and it was a joy to spend time with him.

We had a great trip and Captain Spencer was fantastic. In addition to being a really good captain, he is super interesting to talk to and has a broad range of topics he can speak to intelligently. Overall our time on the boat was really enjoyable.

James and Sam did their usual outstanding job of finding fish and worked incredibly hard to get them into the boat, even providing curated musical accompaniment. They coped with some iffy weather, a couple of days when the fish were just not cooperating and some seasickness, and in spite of it all filled out our fish boxes. At my request Captain James made a valiant and successful effort to make sure we brought home at least one Sable Fish.

All of your staff, including the girls and the processing people, contributed to our successful trip with their cheerful, can-do attitudes.

I had another amazing time in Sitka. As always Angling was awesome all across the board. James is an incredible person and a great friend. Lev is really cool and great captain. Elle as always was such a pleasure to be around. Ryan (fish processor) was helpful at the airport and is a genuine person. The lodging was perfect. We enjoyed being in town. I wish I was able to come back this year. The time went too fast.

Our experience with Angling Unlimited was fantastic! It was helpful to be able to pick up the rain gear the night before. Captain Lev and Logan were terrific! We’ve fished with other companies and there’s no comparison! They were GREAT and on every detail throughout the day. Thank you also for including us in your lasagna dinner. That was very kind! All of your staff were extremely friendly. Lucia gave us cool hiking suggestions and spent time chatting with us. Ryan and (sorry forgot 2nd person’s name) met us at the airport and were super helpful with getting our fish on the plane. Thanks for everything!

Everyone there is fantastic and we have DJ to thank for the great fishing.

Kyle & I had a great time. The crew and staff were terrific and the fishing was very good. We would recommend you and your company. Thanks again for helping us with everything.

The fishing trip was fantastic. It was so good to be able to share this experience with my three sons.

Ryan and Gretta, Pete and Ellie all made this experience so great. I’m positive there will be future trips for the Grotbo family.

The fish arrived home in excellent condition.

The fishing experience offered by Angling Unlimited will keep us coming back.

Everything about our trip couldn’t have been better. From the time we got off the plane to assistance checking in our fish at the airport everything was top notch. Captain Jack was perfect. He got us on fish early and often and was really cool to talk to. Kaden worked his tail off to make sure we had everything we needed to be successful. Synevva and our lodging were fantastic. I would like to hold our dates for next year. We may come in a day early again but I will figure that out when we figure out who is coming for sure and book our flights. Thank you again for a fantastic experience for our entire crew start to finish.

As a group, and we all individually own business, we talked many times about the efficiency of the operation in moving people from plane, to motel, to lodge, to boat and back. Over and over and over. Our hostess picked up at midnight got us checked in. Moved us at 10am the next morning to the lodge. And checked us in there. Next morning 4am knocking on her door. Her and the other hostesses seemed to be operating without direction and supervision but yet they were always moving and doing something.

On the boat. Sarah was great. We caught a lot of fish and quickly each day. 15 kings was our best day. Over limit Lin Cod and Halibut. Just very focused on catching the fish.

I would like to mention Nick the deck hand since we spent the most time with him. He like the hostesses were always working on the boat without being told what to do. He seem to know what needed to be done. Whether it was ready bait, rinse down or scrub down the boat, and process fish on the way home. What made it really impressive is he has only been a deckhand for a month.

Across the whole operation nothing but positives.

I really wanted to focus on the staff we dealt with. Maddie, Nick and Sarah. Sarah I think is a known quality, everyone knows how she did, she was great. But we were so impressed with the young staff. End of the day we sat on the deck, drank beer and just watched their activity. People in and out. Delivery stuff to rooms. And we commented “whose in charge?” There didn’t seem to be something telling them what to do. They were just doing it. Whereas I get phone calls and texts from clients that my staff don’t call them back when I am gone. And I employ 30 year professionals.

Additionally, I did not talk about the fishing. It was phenoemenal. Second day we had limited out Kings, Halibut, Rockfish my 9:32. Sarah and I noted the time we brought in the last rock fish. So we just went back over to the King Salmon area and caught and released 6 more salmon for fun.

This group travels around the country and mexico to fish (Florida Keys- Sails, Venice, La, for Tuna, Cabo for marlin), we know some days you won’t catch fish, and we have had bad service or stay.

I forgot the fish processor. He met us everyday on the dock with a big smile. How did you do? Walked us through the processing and storage process and then was at the airport at 5:15AM loading our fish to the airlines. Again, just another rock star.

We had a truly memorable trip. The fishing, of course, was spectacular. It was fun fishing with Ryan and Peter, and we were paired up with two really nice guys from San Diego. The staff in Sitka was wonderful, friendly, and helpful and made our visit very enjoyable.

This fishing trip was everything I was hoping it would be. I have fished in Sitka a number of times and Angling Unlimited has it figured out! I would have no problem recommending them to my friends. Great friendly service and hard-working knowledgeable Captains and Deckhands. Captains DJ and Spencer were great!

It was an awesome trip for everyone! I especially enjoyed watching my grandsons landing Kings! It was their first time fishing.

Thanks to all the Angling Unlimited staff!

Another great outing in Sitka. AU was perfect as always.

Thanks for all your work making the AU experience so smooth. I know it doesn’t just happen.

I am very happy that I made sure to get back to Angling Unlimited this year…..mooching, the staff, crew all excellent…we got limits for every day and with the Halibut slot limit at 50 we really put away the Halibut.

We had a great time up there such a great group of very professional people you have on staff!! They get a 10 star from me. Our fishing was out of this world as we filled our limits all three days. Capitan James and deckhand Sam are the best! I can’t say enough about what they did for us. PERFECT JOB by them! Lifetime of memories and storytelling.

Thank you for everything you did!

We loved it! It was so great! Thank you so much for all your help with everything! My husband was on cloud nine and loved every minute of it! We had a great anniversary!

You guys have such a smooth and seamless operation, and it made the trip so much more carefree and enjoyable! Everyone there was so great!

We had a great trip!!! AU was outstanding! Our Boat Captain, Spencer was fantastic. Hunter, the deckhand, worked non-stop for us the whole trip. All the staff was super friendly and ready to help. One of the best trips I have ever taken.

The trip was great! Jamey and Jack did a great job. Kudo’s to Jamey I was on his boat the whole time and he did a great job. He worked his tail off along with Zach his deckhand. I was never on Jack & Caden’s boat but I heard the same report back from my group.

Thank you for all of the hard work. The whole staff was great and Cassidy did a great job as well.

What a great crew! James was the most hospitable captain, really enjoyed his energy and engagement out on the boat. Sam was great too and I wish I could filet a fish like Sam! Girls were all friendly and accommodating… it was big fun please share with the crew!

The Brabec group had a very unique experience.  As you may know, early June can be a challenge to find Kings.  Our guide Sarah knew where to go but it turned out our June 1 journey was rough seas for landlubbers from Ne and KS.  My wife Esther was a trooper but it was simply just too rough.  So we asked Sarah to return after reaching our destination only a few minutes later.  She was great in responding and we returned to the marina and Esther headed home for some calm and rest.

Meanwhile, Sarah agreed to take us to a calmer spot for rockfish. She is so good at finding fish!  We fished for about hours and caught our 9 limit in nice sized rock bass and also 3 ling cod.  31″, 36″ and 37″ which was our limit for the year.  We caught dozens of other rockfish we released and also lingcod it was a very enjoyable experience.  She is truly a professional Captain and we consider her and Angling Unlimited to be a great example of a sport fishing business who truly takes care of their clients.

The next day June 2 we ask Sarah to take us again to calmer waters but we would like to try for kings.  She agrees to take us north to Salisbury Sound although it is much less likely to find kings.  After about a 50 minute boat ride she nestles us in behind an island protected from rough water and searches out a bait ball.  In a matter of minutes we are mooching for kings and we are able to catch 3 kings in by 8:10 a.m..  One of which caught by Jeff measured 40″+ and weighed in at 30 to 35 lbs by measurement conversion.  He hooked it at 180 ft and it took nearly a half hour to land.  (5 times around the boat).  Sarah had to get a “bigger” net.

We finished out with catching our limit in black bass rockfish and headed home… back in the marina by 10 a.m. with a great time fishing.

— Dan

The trip was better than I could have hoped for. Captain Sarah and Deckhand Pete were fantastic. Plan to make another trip in the future and will do it thru Angling Unlimited and make a special request to be teamed up with captain Captain Sarah again. Let Captain Sarah and Pete know how much we enjoyed having them make are trip so fantastic. Entire staff from arrival to departure was great.

— Chris

The trip was fantastic. The challenging weather that the first two days gave us, was just exhilarating for us flatlanders.  With the wind, the rain, and the rollers all happening at once, and to battle a 25# king, from down below, just can’t be duplicated here in the Midwest.  And, the last day was even better, when the sun came out, to observe all of nature’s sights on the way to our fishing spot was rewarding.  But none of this would have been possible without Captain Ryan.  Truly a fine man.  Always level-headed, watched us for our weakness, gave us points to remember, and never was the center of attention.  He deflected the positives towards his customers. Would highly recommend him.

The rest of the staff were just as committed as our Captain. It was fun to watch Maddy’s bubbly personality tell us what all of her responsibilities were, and how important they were to be completed properly.

Also, Sam and Lucia were as committed as Maddy.  Truly a fine crew.  Keep it up.

— David Zerr

The trip to Sitka was outstanding. I got back to Kansas at 1:30 this morning so haven’t got my land legs yet. Captain Ryan is a real pro. He took good care of this old flatlander and I live to fight another day. Fishing is always a blast and I caught my first halibut ever. Everyone was very nice and helpful.

— Bob

We had an amazing time and enjoyed getting to know the staff. From the time we arrived, to the time we were dropped off at the airport every detail was taken care of! Capt. Lev and Deck Hand Logan were great! We appreciated how they worked so hard to help us get our fish and make sure we were taken care of. The evening social was very appreciated, and it was great to meet others from around the country and mingle. Our recommendation… Don’t change a thing!

-Shane

Our fishing trip to Sitka was amazing!

Captain Jack and Deckhand Caden were absolutely terrific – we limited out on our fish!

Synneva, Bella and the team were excellent hosts!

Thank you for everything!

-Wendy and Jeff

This was the best charter trip I have ever been on. Captain James and Deck Hand Sam were a great tandem to fish with and I haven’t seen anyone that could outwork them. I would fish with those two anytime, anywhere. The entire operation was first class and I have zero complaints. Thanks much for a great trip and thank you Aaron and HR. Spinner’s for including me!

-Steve King

Beginning to end the team from Angling Unlimited went above and beyond to make our experience the best of a lifetime. This is why we continue to come back because you never disappoint. Captain James and deckhand Sam worked their butts off to make our trip memorable. So thankful for the hard work and great attitude each and every day to make us feel very comfortable on the water. All the staff who drove us to the boat each day with smiles, picked up after our messes, and helped with every request – we can’t thank them enough for all they did. Thank you!

-Aaron

Jaime and Zack,

Thank you again for the great experience that you provided us. We made the best of some marginal weather conditions and finished up with a bang.

We especially want to thank you for taking the time and effort to make this a special experience for Adrian. We wanted to introduce him to Alaska and salmon fishing in a positive way and I can say that he is now hooked!!

Hope you have a great season,

Steffen and Peggy Haug

Trip was wonderful and full of memories and an exceptional 2 day trip of fishing, thank you! James and Sam were top of class with all their attention to detail. I really appreciated their effort to engage the entire group that included my two teenage kids. Their deliberate effort to include the kids within the ongoing conversation made everyone feel included and made the experience come together. Thank you Kimberly and please thank the entire crew that made all this possible.

The boys had a fantastic time and safe bet they are hooked. DJ is a fish hunter and I love the new outboard boat (I am an OB guy). Also, every time I get home I am amazed at the processing quality at AU. It’s still the best I’ve ever seen. Big props to Ryan & crew.

We had an incredible adventure with Captain Jaime and deckhand Zach. 2 of your best for sure. Our hostess Madie was spot on and took care of all our needs.

The chef displayed his talents to our stomachs’ delight- very delicious.

Chuck and Tom made a point to talk to us every day- it shows they care about their customers.

What an amazing adventure!! The most difficult part was getting all the fish from baggage claim to my car. Super well organized, great staff, you guys made it easy for us. Big thanks and respect to the brilliant superhuman performance of Captain Tom Ohaus and deckhand Connor!! Looking forward to the next time.

Once again we’ve had a great time!!! Lev and Logan his deckhand were amazing, the staff top-notch, great attitudes, and to spend time with my 3 boys…Priceless.

Karen and I had an awesome time at Angling Unlimited during the “Hook It and Cook It” event for 2021. After a year of COVID, it was great to come again this year to renew friendships and start new ones as well. Everyone was so nice, welcoming, and so helpful. Special shout-out goes to Captain Spencer and deckhand Hunter for making our days on the water so awesome and helped us put fish in our box for the trip home – we had a bountiful catch of king salmon, halibut, rockfish, ling cod, to bring home. Another shoutout goes to the AU Team for making our experience as memorable as possible. Our hostess Ellie did an outstanding job in taking care of all our needs. I greatly appreciate the cupcakes you all made for my birthday. That was so nice of the AU Team to do and make me feel very special. Bella did a fabulous job in making our stay extra nice, although behind the scenes. I had a chance to meet Ryan who works in the processing plant. I know that my fish will be taken care of for the long journey home to New York. Altogether, you have a great team providing an outstanding level of customer service and satisfaction. Your team works very hard.

Jeff and I would like to thank all of you for such a fantastic time. Especially Spencer, Hunter, and Liz for all the personal care. Coming from a service industry we understand what it takes. Thanks again.

My son Mathew, daughter Ali, and I really needed a safe family getaway after a stressful and isolating spring. The testing requirement to enter Alaska was a hoop to jump through but we also found it reassuring that everyone on our flight had the same. That we’d be outside for much of our time was also comforting. Two of us flew from Miami and one from California. We arrived in June, just as Angling Unlimited was finally able to operate.

The fishing was fantastic. We limited out on kings, rockfish, and halibut every day. The sights amazed us – snowcapped mountains down to the sea, endless old-growth forest, and the big North Pacific. We saw whales, otters, bears, deer, sea lions, and all kinds of marine wildlife. Coming from such a long distance, we love how the staff has everything planned with every detail taken care of. 

My son Mathew, now 26, has been coming to Sitka with me since he was 10 years old. This was my daughter Ali’s first trip. She’s not an avid fisher but she loved this adventure. We all agreed that we had one of the best family trips we’ve ever taken together. 

The friendly staff, beautiful scenery, and world-class fishing make this our favorite getaway every year.

…Thank you and the whole outfit…how impressed we were with the entire operation. My friends and I agreed that Captain James was the best guide and Captain we have ever had the pleasure of fishing with anywhere. He worked his tail off to make sure we were able to get the full experience fishing there in Sitka fishing. When we schedule a trip again we will definitely be requesting to fish with him again. Top to bottom, he was a professional that strives for the most we could get out of the trip. Please thank him again for us.

The fishing and experience exceeded my expectations and we would recommend your outfit again in a heartbeat. From being received at the airport, Suite A overlooking the water, a car to drive while in town, and the hostesses taking care of us was perfect. Again, hats off to a well-run operation and great group of people. We look forward to returning in the future! 5 out of 5 stars for sure!

The trip was simply Magnificent!! EVERYTHING turned out Perfect! We loved everything about it. I’m very impressed how you had every detail planned and carried out without a hitch! Our accommodations were perfect and having the car to use made our free time very enjoyable. We loved our captain (Sarah) and would highly recommend her to anyone! We will certainly request her again when we come back. Having the owner (Chuck) as a deckhand also made us feel like we were being treated very special. And to top it off we each brought back 2 boxes of precious fish! We just can’t say enough good things about the whole trip, THANK YOU.

The trip was excellent, there were no problems with the flights and getting picked up at the airport was great. We were lucky the weather was warm and sunny. Fishing was awesome and our crew, Jamie and Mason were friendly and enthusiastic. Could not have asked for a better experience except for when the sea lion stole my fish while reeling in. [We] were astonished anything like that could happen! Never imagined anything like that could happen.

We will definitely tell others about you when they plan a trip to Sitka.

I would rank this year’s fishing trip as the best ever. This was our 13th consecutive year, and 14th overall trip, since we returned in September in the year of the Blob.

We didn’t know until the last minute that we would be able to fish, due to the Covid-19 restrictions of the state of Alaska. The 14-day quarantine, of course, was a non-starter. Then they allowed visitors who had a negative test within 72 hours of arrival…Captain Tom organized testing with StrataClear, and that worked perfectly, with results arriving 24 hours after we submitted the samples.

Angling Unlimited did extremely well in Covid-19 precautions. We were exposed only to our hostess Colleen (who always wore a mask), and Capt. Tom and deckhand Captain Jack.

It seemed like there were only about 30-40% of the usual number of boats fishing. Fishing was the best ever, as we caught limits on everything every day and were done by 12 noon. We even released a number of kings. Unfortunately, we had to release our largest king (because we already had four in the boat). Willie caught it on rock fish gear. We had to release our largest halibut, which I caught in 100 feet of water using rock fish gear. The thing was clearly a monster, as it ran out 500 feet of line. It took forever to gain on it. When I got it beside the boat, Captain Tom estimated its weight at 100 lb. We don’t expect to catch that large a halibut in shallow water. On the second day, we released our first king. It was legal, but small. After a few hours, we had three kings in the boat and wondered whether we should have kept the first. Then we had four kings on the line at the same time—a really fun frenzy of everyone dashing around the boat, following Tom’s instructions of where to go, passing lines underneath or over top of others. We released three of the four, making our catch total four, and our release total also four for the day. On the third day, we also had four kings on the line at the same time. I believe that has happened to us only once in 13 prior fishing trips. The weather was comfortable, a little rain one day and not much wind.

I am a 75-year old retired physician, and Willie and Alex are the same age. Each of us must make our own decision about exposure risks. Personally, I rated the risk as low, and we were particularly glad for the fishing trip after months of staying at home.

DJ is an excellent captain and artist. We had a wonderful time! In addition, Ellie was an awesome hostess. She took good care of us when not on the water!

The whole Angling Unlimited team (Jenny, DJ, Ellie, you, and other hostesses) were outstanding!

We are grateful for our trip that Angling Unlimited made special! It was very special to get the opportunity to go fishing with Jack and his grandfather Ken on our last day! They are special people.

We cannot speak highly enough of our incredibly positive and [enjoyable] experience. This was the trip of a lifetime for my mother, myself, and my daughter, Amanda.

The accommodations were lovely. Staff incredibly friendly and helpful. Everything about the lodging was perfect. On-time pick up/departure, etc.

Fishing was SPECTACULAR! Our Captain and Deckhand were simply the best and I sincerely appreciate the special attention paid to Jerilyn by both James and Micah. They were both highly professional, friendly, funny, knowledgeable, and just downright cute! I was super impressed with the absolute attention to detail, always communicating the “plan” to us, and always being super attentive and supportive…

Fish processing was amazing! Cleaning, packing, freezing, labeling, boxing, splitting between the party, and meeting us at the airport. Super impressive.

We have never done an “all inclusive” trip before. Speaking for all of us, I can say that Angling Unlimited has my business, support, and I am telling everyone if they ever wanted to do this, go with AU!

My review of Angling Unlimited would be if my expectations were a 10 on the high side of a 1-10 scale I would give Angling Unlimited a 20. Outstanding and first class!! From the correspondence, assistance with flights, being picked up at the airport, the convenience of a car and comfortable clean room with all you need. To having an honorary wake up call, brought to the dock, outstanding Captain, boat ride, fishing, treats and sandwich, feeling that the Captain is always working hard and caring that your fishing, safety, and that your getting a full day of fun on the water, always being taken care of by staff members, something I am usually doing for others. All well well done! Even the messages taped on the fridge were helpful.

I know I will forget a few names. Captain DJ is terrific, he works very hard and keeps into it… What is impressive is how everyone seems to know their responsibilities and what to do job-wise. they have been directed and trained well. Besides that they are polite, courteous, smart, down to earth, and hard working.

Thank you for everything, you have a great business and great employees. I loved being on the water, catching fish, the atmosphere, the staff, and the town.

Everything was top notch from the boat, crew, and accommodations as well as the positive attitude of everyone in your organization to ensure we had a great time. I spent 37 years in the financial service industry and can be somewhat critical of customer expectations. I must say, you have an outstanding service model. Quite frankly, I can’t think of anything that needs improvement. My hats off to the entire staff and can’t wait until next year. This is coming from someone who has not been an avid fisherman over the years but my experience with Angling Unlimited has changed my perspective. Thanks for a great trip.

I could have not asked for a better Captain or deck crew. All extremely helpful and looked after all our needs. I also want to thank the entire staff at Angling Unlimited. I have been on several hunting and fishing adventures but have never experienced such great service from ALL. The accommodations were excellent…Memories live forever and great memories from all the staff again at Angling Unlimited. My best wishes to Captain Sara, deck hands Jack and Colleen, and last but not least Ebby for taking such good care of us at our apartment and one last wish to your entire staff. Thank you ALL for a GREAT and MEMORABLE trip.

We had a great time again this year. Capt DJ and Leo were great to work with and made the trip very fun for us. DJ is a very skilled captain and did a fantastic job of getting on fish when things would slow down in other area’s. Leo did a great job of keeping all our gear fishing and handling all the fish we caught. He also makes a pretty mean sandwich. We are looking forward to next season.

Last year I wrote a short novel about how profoundly amazing the trip was. I won’t this year because this trip is now “a thing” for us and it will just build and build.

Spencer remains the perfect captain for our fishing and bonding experience. And WOW! What an awesome addition Connor was to our time on the water. He is so knowledgeable, so attentive and aware. He is a great teacher, a pleasant companion, and someone we are all glad to have shared time.

We have only one bucket list addition (Kings all around) but couldn’t be happier with our catch or our time with you. It was fun to see familiar faces this time around!

Thanks so much and please extend our gratitude to everyone on the Angling Unlimited team. Everyone we meet makes us wish we were there longer!

My experience with Angling Unlimited far exceeded my expectations. Both captain and deck hand made this trip for an 81 year old individual with Parkinson’s disease the trip of a lifetime. Not only was the fishing excellent the catching was superb too. From the time we landed until the time we departed the support staff made us feel welcome and treated us like family.

Thanks for the experience of a lifetime.

Simply put, my daughter and I had an incredible time and memorable experience at the 2019 “Hook It and Cook It” event at Angling Unlimited. What made it so awesome? It was a lot of things. This is our third year in a row attending “Hook It and Cook It” and it feels like an annual family gathering with familiar faces and new friendships to be made.

Before we get to the fishing let me give a shout out to the folks behind the scene who made our experience so memorable. The entire staff is so warm, friendly, hardworking, and extremely helpful. It starts off with Kim McCollum in Minnesota who makes the arrangements for us and ensures everything runs smoothly from the time we first touchdown in Sitka, Alaska to the time we depart with our boxes of fish. Spoiler alert – we had 4 boxes of fish to bring home this year. Our Sitka hostess Kendall was fabulous. From the time picking us up at the airport, transporting us to/from the docks, and taking care of our rooms she was working non-stop to make our stay very enjoyable. No detail was overlooked. The guys processing the fish did an awesome job as well. You really appreciate what they do when you open your boxes of fish and see how expertly all the fish were carefully cut, vacuum packaged, labelled, flashed frozen, and stuffed into the protective boxes. The fish were still frozen, hard as a rock, by the time we arrive home in NYC more than 18 hours later.

Now, let’s get to the fishing. Our captain and deckhand were the same crew as last year per our request. Over four days of fishing, Captain Spenser did an outstanding job in putting us over the fish and giving us a chance to nail our limits. The numbers tell the story. Between my daughter and I, we caught our annual limit of King Salmon, and our daily limits of halibut, rockfish, and other assorted species. At the end of the trip, we brought home 4 boxes of fish that weighed more than 130 pounds. Now that’s a lot of fish. The King Salmon bite was definitely better this year than last year. Where we were fishing you could see that other boats were catching the Kings as well. Its always a great feeling to hooked up a King Salmon and see them jump out of the water and swim around the boat. We couldn’t have done it without Captain Spenser’s superb knowledge of the waters surrounding Sitka. He has a love and strong respect for the Alaskan waters, wildlife, and land and it shows. He and his wife are year-round residences of Sitka. Connor was our deckhand and works extremely hard on the boat. He was doing everything on the boat, and I mean everything – dropping the anchor, pulling up the anchor, setting up the rods, changing bait, netting the fish, filleting the fish, and even making awesome sandwiches on the boat as well. I can’t say enough about how hard he works on the boat.

What makes us come to Angling Unlimited this time of year? It’s because of Chef Ludger Szmania and “Hook It and Cook It”. We had four awesome nights of Ludger’s creative and delicious dishes featuring the fishes caught off the waters of Sitka. Combined with his lovable personality and the flowing wine and beer, each night was a culinary experience and lots of fun with Ludger cooking right in front of us.

Last but not least, many kudos to Captains Tom Ohaus and Chuck McNamee for running a first-class operation. As they say in business, it always starts at the top. Many thanks to both guys for running a great operation and thinking about the future as well. P.S. The pavilion looks great and the new boat Petrel is a beauty.

We had a wonderful experience on all levels with Angling Unlimited. Captain DJ and his deckhand Leo were fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience for my first time visiting Alaska. We caught a ton of fish, king salmon, halibut, rockfish, lingcod, yellow eyes, and a variety of others. We had sore arms at times but huge smiles on our faces. They took care of everything and even brought our frozen fish packaged and ready for the plane to the airport. We definitely plan on coming back.

Amazing trip! We had a great 3 days of fishing. Cpt. Lev and Spencer put us on the fish and the deckhands made sure the lines were in the water! Some outfits don’t provide deckhands which means lots of time waiting instead of fishing. This is a top notch organization! License and fish processing was included which also varies by company. We will definitely be back next year!

Hands down the BEST experience I’ve had with a fishing charter. The process is seamless from landing at the airport to taking off to go back home. We had a great fishing experience and the crew was efficient and knowledgeable. Everyone is incredibly friendly and make sure that everything is taken care of. Definitely fishing with them again next year!

Amazing outfit. Fantastic experience. 6 of us on a cruise decided to go fishing while in Alaska. Everyone at AU were amazing and helpful from the very beginning. Picked us up as promised when our boat docked. Captain James and Mica were the best. We all had a blast.
We caught King Salmon, Rock Fish, Halibut and to top it off one of the guys hooked a Salmon Shark which we finally managed after about 40 minutes to on the boat. Not sure who was more excited the crew or us.

We had the most awesome trip!!!!  We didn’t know what to expect but it was nothing but a perfect trip…The laughter, stories, wildlife sightings were perfect!!!! We certainly would like to make it [back in] one year but with 3 boxes of beautiful fillets….we are good for a while. Kudos to everyone on the Angling Unlimited Team!!!  Cora and crew on site are awesome!!!! We have no suggestions as to how to make improvements as everything went so very well. Thanks so much for everything…!!!

I had a great time in Sitka, and especially fishing/staying with Angling Unlimited. DJ and Kara were fantastic and top notch. They work very hard and are very knowledgeable. They showed a lot of concern to assure we had a good time and good fishing. I would highly recommend them. I would also compliment the rest of the staff, everyone was very polite, friendly, organized, and helpful. The room was clean, comfortable, and lots of nice touches(coffee ready to go etc.,) (best homemade cookies ever on the boat)customer service goes a long ways with me. I liked the happy hour we had that day and  I enjoyed my group I was with as well and I liked the town of Sitka.

We had a delightful time with nice fishing weather and great fishing. We continue to be amazed at the efficiency of the Angling Unlimited Staff.  This year, our hostess, Emily,  was fantastic, handling everything with a huge smile and lots of giggles.  She was the best hostess I have worked with in the many years I have fished with Angling Unlimited.  Having the list of local restaurants and telephone numbers was a terrific idea and we ate at the Pub this year for the first time which was delightful.

DJ was his usual wonderful skipper and certainly found lots of fish for us.  I even set a record by catching five different salmon species in one day. Kara was an exciting deck hand for us to see again since she was on our boat with DJ last year.  She was absolutely terrific, handling all of our fishing needs with happiness and efficiency.  The one day that Sarah helped out as Deck Hand, everything stayed the same with a big smile and eagerness to make sure we had everything we needed.DJ was the same super skipper that he has always been, making sure we were fishing in the right spot and coaching us about all aspects of fishing. I am very excited about returning over Labor Day with my son and his two sons, so the dream events of the summer will continue for another month for me.

We couldn’t have had a better trip. Captain Bryan did a great job getting us to the fish. We almost limited out everyday. Bryan answered any questions we had and was great at helping with anything we needed. I would highly recommend him to anyone. We also had a great time with him. He and Dave came by and cooked us dinner one evening and we took him and Dave to dinner the next evening.

Dave was our deckhand and did an excellent job. He worked his butt off to get our fish in and bait the hook to get right back into the water. Dave was also great to be around. He never stopped working as did Bryan to make our trip a success.

Thanks for the good times.

As usual, fishing with Capt. Tom is a unique and highly fulfilling experience. It’s uncanny how he knows what’s going on on the boat at all times and he is able to foresee events before they happen. I especially enjoy the teaching moments which tend to make the experience all that much better. He runs a tight ship, very professional, yet fun and I never have a doubt we’re going to score big on fish.

I’d like to compliment his deck hand, Tyler, especially. He’s probably the best deckhand I’ve fished with with Angling Unlimited and that’s going a long way after experiencing Bo and Sarah both of whom I thought were unbeatable. Tyler is uncanny, he shows up with a new bait almost before you know you need one, is on top of tangles like a shadow and never misses with the net. If he decides he doesn’t want to be a mechanical engineer, he should seriously look into your business.

And last, but not least, I’d like to compliment you all, the staff, hostesses, cooks (cookie makers) on how amazing you are. I’ve travelled a lot, experienced a great deal of service operations and there is NO ONE that is better than you folks. What can I say, you are flawless!
I got someone to show me a picture of you and your husband while I was up there because after all these years talking to you on the phone I wanted to polish my mental image…:) even better than I imagined.

My dad (Duane) is 79 years old and has had some health issues. This was a “bucket” list trip for myself, brother (Jon) and my dad. It was an unbelievable trip that exceeded my expectations from start to finish. CAPT Tom made accommodations so my dad could fish comfortably since he has artificial hips and poor balance. Tyler the deckhand was awesome as well. On the way home I was thinking if there was one thing I would change to make the trip any better and could not think of one thing. If there ever was a trip that scored a 10 out of 10, this was it. We made memories to last a lifetime. Hope to be back in a couple of years. By the way, the fishing was phenomenal….much better than I had even imagined it would be.

Thanks for running a great operation!

My visit to Sitka and fishing with Captain Bo was fully enjoyable. Bo was an excellent Captain. He found us our limited catch on both outings. But more than delivering us to the fish and the fish to us, he was easily one of the most pleasant Captains I’ve experienced in Salmon chartering (all of my experience prior to Sitka has been off the Oregon and Washington coast). Bo was pleasant, informative, and generous in sharing details of effective fishing, the habitat, scenery, and environs. He was always attentive, often noticing things I ought to tune to, to improve my success. Mike was also very helpful, always quick to aid us–sometimes he and Bo would come to help before I could ask. Both Bo and Mike, I think, have keen eyes behind their heads–a great asset when in the middle of the action.

The lodging we were given was fabulous, and a major contribution to the overall beauty of the visit. The schedule of fishing one day, sightseeing the next, and going out again was the perfect combination for someone like me who appreciates combining fishing and catching my breath–visiting, seeing things, and reflecting. At perfect set up!

It was a great trip. On the first day we had all of our salmon by 8:40 a.m. We had our halibut by 9:50. We then got our rockfish and were back early. Tremendous fishing. The Kings were small but we got them.

The 2nd day was a little bit slower but we got all our fish, minus one king. We then spent about 3 hours in search of that king but never found it.

The weather was the best I have had during my Sitka visits. We had to convince the newbies on the trip that the fishing and the weather are not always so good. I am not sure they believed us.

Bo is a great captain. He works hard to get us our fish and is fun to work with. Mike is an equally good resource. I was, once again, was very impressed with the way he handled himself and handled us. Many thanks to both of them.

I am sure Joenne and I will be back next year.

My dad (Duane) is 79 years old and has had some health issues. This was a “bucket” list trip for myself, brother (Jon) and my dad. It was an unbelievable trip that exceeded my expectations from start to finish. CAPT Tom made accommodations so my dad could fish comfortably since he has artificial hips and poor balance. Tyler the deckhand was awesome as well. On the way home I was thinking if there was one thing I would change to make the trip any better and could not think of one thing. If there ever was a trip that scored a 10 out of 10, this was it. We made memories to last a lifetime. Hope to be back in a couple of years. By the way, the fishing was phenomenal….much better than I had even imagined it would be.

Thanks for running a great operation!

LT Mike Shelden

This was my 3rd trip with AU and they didn’t disappoint on any of the trips.  The Captain’s and deckhands were great every time.  We caught our limit of kings in 10 minutes, ling cod in 30 minutes.  The owners are very approachable and make sure that they have a good team from picking us up at the airport, the accomodations and the captains and deckhands.  All have great attitudes and work really hard to get you to the fish.  They really do make it a catching trip and not just a fishing trip.  They process the fish on the dock.  We have never had an issue with any of the fish getting freezer burn.  They really run a quality organization.

I’m late to the party on this but while I’m rarely at a loss for words I’m not sure how much I can expand on what Brad had put down.  In fact, since getting home I’ve struggled with trying to relay to the family just what a great experience it was.  It really goes beyond the fishing.  Truly could be the trip of a lifetime but one I hope to make an annual event.

I will second Brad’s indication that Captain Eric was exceptional.  Really everyone I came into contact with was top notch and provided a high level of service.  I guess my perspective is what I can add that would be different from Brad’s.  From as far back as I can remember I have loved to fish – from dunking bait off my grandparent’s dock through fly-fishing exclusively during my junior high/high school years – but I’ve never fished the style that Angling Unlimited employs and have essentially no experience with saltwater fishing.

Eric, Ken, and Dave provided help without making me feel uncomfortable or preventing me from finding my way.  I’d guess everyone is different and that some clients trend toward wanting folks to do it for them while others want to be left entirely to their own devices.  They seemed to intuitively know and provide what was just right for me.  Maybe my best endorsement of the experience would be that I’ve nothing to compare it to but have zero desire to look around at what else might be out there.  Only 360 days until I get to return! – Mark Kristin

We really enjoyed our trip with Capt. Eric (Viking) and Deckhand Sarah. Quickly I gained confidence in their abilities and they were very attentive. The tone on the boat was great – no stress and lots of laughs. I also appreciated that when the fishing was slow in a spot we relocated to somewhere new.
Sarah was the best deckhand I’ve fished with and made a mean “Sarah Special” sandwich!
– Will & Judy Marken

Everything about it was absolutely top notch. From pickup with Emma, Emily, and Kenzie, to our dinners with Tom, Chuck, Ludger & Family and the other guests, to fishing with Captain Ryan, deckhand Zack, and our boatmates Al & Ralph, to finally being taken to the airport and meeting the fish processors to get our boxes for the trip home, everything was great. I can’t say enough nice things about the overall experience and each member of the staff that helped us during the week.

A trip like this was a first for me, but I can’t think of a single thing that you didn’t absolutely nail in how the week was executed. Thank you for helping schedule this trip for us, and please extend our thanks (again!) to all members of the AU staff that helped make the week so memorable. It was great.

I can’t express my total satisfaction and enjoyment I experienced on this trip.  What wonderful memories.  Far beyond my expectations.  From the moment we got off the airplane we were greeted with a class organization.  Beautiful young women holding up “Angling Unlimited” signs to greet us and take us to the lodge.  Everything was explained very well.  We put our things away and went to dinner where we found several other guests already enjoying the evening.  The meals were well planned.  Everyone could do breakfast as they pleased and there was sufficient choices available and the coffee pot was ready to go every morning.  Lunch on the boat was terrific.  Fresh made sandwiches with fresh ingredients was perfect.  I always say, “If you want to catch fish just try to eat a sandwich or read your Bible.”  I can’t even begin to share my feelings about supper.  Wow!  What a wonderful end to the day.  I do believe as good as the food was, the fellowship had a greater impact on me.  Fishermen and fisherwomen all sharing their experiences and highlights, what fun.  Met a lot of people I hope to see again.  The lodging was exquisite.  The equipment was clean and well cared for.  D.J. and Kara were wonderful.  Kara is the hardest working woman/person I ever saw and with a smile.  I think D.J. could put you on fish in a mud puddle and tell you how to catch them.  They are both “keepers”.  We didn’t see our fish again after we caught them until we got home and dumped them in the freezer.  Well done.  Worry free.  Trouble free.  Outstanding!  I have recommended “Hook it and Cook it” to several already  and I will continue to do so.  I hope to see Ludger at his restaurant in Wenatchee this summer and I may get to go fishing with Kara on the Clearwater River for steelhead.  And I haven’t been home a week and I get a wonderful Thank you card from the A.U. Crew  and Kara and Alli.  I could kiss you all right on the lips!  Thank you so much.  John and I have already talked about coming back again.  I am sure you will be hearing from us again.  Have a wonderful season and God bless you all.  Take care.

You and your crew are awesome! First class all the way and we really appreciate it. I’ve worked in 5-star resorts and I can recognize great service when I experience it. We will recommend your outfit to everyone.

Capt. Spencer and his deckhand Aaron were top notch. Besides locating the fish (which they did) and being courteous, they went above and beyond in many ways. One being that they never showed any frustration when untangling our lines (which happened frequently) or how many times we missed or lost a fish that should have been in the box. The second, which meant a lot to me, was that they took an interest in what we wanted to fish for and how we wanted to fish. In short, they cared about making it fun and not just about the fish.

The accommodations were good, clean, and the staff was friendly. The last day of having to move to another hotel was not a great experience, but in the big picture was a small detail.

I have fished in Alaska for the past 6 years, with 3 different companies, and I will be coming back to this one. I will and would recommend this company to anyone, and feel confident about my recommendation, but at the end of the day it really comes down to the captain, his deckhand, and how they treat their clients. As I stated before, Capt. Spencer and Aaron were the best I have ever seen.

Our trip was amazing! I could not have asked for a better experience with my dad. Capt. Ryan was great and I think by the end he got used to (and maybe found some enjoyment) my random bust out of a song. I really appreciate that he took the time to go over and see the whale that was close by when we were fishing for rock fish. It was the cherry on top to the already great trip.

Thank you to all your staff. You have a great people working for you!

This was the BEST fishing trip I had ever been on. That was my third trip to Alaska. From the time we were picked up at the airport until we left, we were well taken care of by your staff.

I really want to thank you for putting us with Captain Bryan (Cobra) and Eric (Viking). They put us on fish and we caught them. Plus they are great guys! Thank you again for a memorable Alaskan fishing trip.

We had an absolute fabulous experience at Angling Unlimited! The customer service, super-friendly staff, attention to client details, was second to none.

Our host Lindsay was excellent! Our fishing Captain Spencer and deckhand Aaron were excellent!

Our parents also had an equally wonderful experience. They have fished all over Alaska and said Angling Unlimited was the crème de la crème of places they have fished at. They have never experienced the superb guide/host service from the time they got off the place through helping check boxes of fish at the ticketing counter.  We were all extremely pleased!  We will all be back for more Sitka and Angling Unlimited!

I had the best time up there. Your company is number one in my book. I will be back, just need to save up. Spencer & Aaron were great! Had a great time fishing with those two. You have a great team there. The hostess were top notch as well.

We’ve been sharing our pictures and stories with lots of friends and family, everyone is amazed by the experience we had with Angling Unlimited – we are BIG FANS of AU!  I wouldn’t be surprised if others start booking too – you have a best-in-class outfit!  We had so much fun with Chuck, Aaron, and the entire AU staff.   We can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed the trip.

We had a fantastic time! As I describe the trip to others, I’ve been stuck by how you really thought of everything– there wasn’t much we had to worry about once we landed in Sitka airport! Captain Tom was great, as was Spencer. Sarah was a great hostess, too. The fish will keep us thinking of the trip for a while!

We had a great time! The team of James and Jack was great to get to know. I really enjoyed the hours spent and conversing with James. He really knows what is going on and what to do. He is a great captain. Jack’s parents should be proud of him. What a polite young man. He is a real asset to your organization. James is lucky to have him on board.

We really enjoyed the fishing, the boats, the people, and the first class quarters and accommodations. The young ladies made the stay easy. Thank you for the use of the car. Without the car the time not fishing would not have been complete.

We all have told people about your first class operation and hopefully it will help you attract new customers. I cannot thank you enough. Hope you have a great summer.

I’ve never fished in my life, but Captain DJ made sure I caught everything on the list.

We had a great trip. Limits of kings, halibut and rockfish all three days, and the silvers came on toward the end. Captain James and Ryan did a great job of getting us on fish and maintaining good humor on the boat.

I had the best time imaginable with Angling Unlimited.  All the dreams I had in fishing for Salmon in Alaska with my son came true, thanks to Angling Unlimited.

As my only son grows older, I hope to repeat this trip with him to Angling Unlimited. Our visit was overwhelming gratifying.

Looking back now, your video truly does describe what a fantastic group of people make up Angling Unlimited, and the personal attention to detail we received from the moment we arrived until the moment your team dropped my son & I off at our next stop in Sitka. Top shelf people & experience all the way! Thanks again for an incredible experience from start to finish.