The brown bear 20 yards away is living its best life. The gravel road provides an elevated perch to watch, with great awe, a bear in a creek up to its neck, standing on its hind legs, as hundreds of migrating salmon swirl and swim by. For this sizable animal, the eddy is both cold plunge and buffet. Nearby, untold numbers of silvers stack up in a shallow stretch, unable to pass over the rocks despite their thrashing and tail beating. When the next rain comes, the creek will rise and these salmon will be able to move farther upstream as they instinctively head back to the location where they hatched.

“It’s incredible,” says Joshua Badder, co-owner of Wild Strawberry Lodge in Sitka, Alaska. “The life that they have… and the life they give.”

It’s late August in Sitka. With the exception of the gunmetal gray peaks of the nearby mountains, everything is verdant. Unlike the distant, northwestern expanses of the Frontier State, Southeast Alaska (a three-hour flight from Seattle) is a temperate rainforest that’s home to a rich and diverse biomass. Bear sightings are constant. Bald eagles are as common here as seagulls in South Florida. And this time of year, the salmon run inspires anglers to join a phenomenon unlike any other in nature. 

“It’s hard to explain. It’s like magic,” says Badder. “Thousands and thousands of these fish run upstream. It draws in the birds, the bears, and the people. Being in those streams in your waders, surrounded by these fish, is surreal. There’s nothing like it in the world.”

Alaska’s Wild Strawberry Lodge in Sitka

For Badder, it’s also surreal that he now has a front row seat to this magical migration. In February, Badder and his friend and business partner Justin Karleski bought Wild Strawberry Lodge. The two lifelong outdoorsmen and former heavy equipment salesmen were at their favorite pizza place back home in Kansas City, Missouri, when their broker called to inform them that after eight months of negotiations, the deal was done. They were now the owners of a legendary getaway that’s been a Sitka staple for more than 30 years.

“Did I ever dream of owning a fishing lodge? No. But it’s pretty awesome that this came to fruition,” says Karleski. Within days of the deal’s closure, Badder and Karleski were packed and headed to Sitka to get to work. 

Alaska is well known for its salmon fishing lodges, which range from homespun to luxurious. Wild Strawberry feels like you’re staying at a relative’s home. Located in the heart of Sitka a short walk from the marina, Wild Strawberry offers expertly organized multi-day, immersive fishing charters. The fleet consists of aluminum pilothouse boats built for the rough and tumble waters of Baranof Island. But the payoff is considerable. “Each client is leaving the Sitka airport with 50 to 100 pounds of fish,” says Badder. (The culinary yield of a processed salmon is 45 percent.) While king and silver salmon make up the bulk of the poundage, lingcod, halibut and rockfish are a regular part of the mix.

Best Fishing in Sitka Alaska

While trolling used to be the strategy of choice for salmon fishing, these days it’s all about mooching. The rig consists of a two-hook leader, mooching sinker and cut herring. The captain sets up a good drift, marks the salmon on the MFD, and directs the anglers to drop the bait to the target depth and reel up slowly. (All the reels have line counters so anglers can dial in their depth.) From here, it’s not a matter of if, but when.  

Once you’ve limited out on kings and silvers, the entrails of a few pinks end up as bait for the barn doors. “Everyone has their own favorite fish. For me, in salt water, the obsession is halibut,” says Badder. The strategy is simple: Open the bail until you feel the thump on the bottom, reel up twice, and start jigging. “It’s the elusive fish that might get away, or maybe you’ll catch a state record,” Badder says. “What I’m sure of is you’ll have a great time doing it.”

One misty morning, a few members of our crew pile into Karleski’s side-by-side (which are street legal in Sitka). The drive goes from asphalt to gravel to dirt to untamed wild. The UTV crawls over downed trees and through mud pits. The destination is one of Karleski’s secret spots: a waterfall that empties into a quiet, elevated pool. Trapped by the water level and waiting for more rain, the salmon swim in circles. Armed with fly rods, we cast into the pool while precariously balancing our deck boots on wet rocks. If you saw this scene in a movie, you’d swear it was CGI. A natural vignette that seems impossible. 

“Is this heaven?” I ask.

Karleski chuckles. “Close,” he says. “It’s Alaska.”

Planning a Trip to Sitka, Alaska

When to Go: Peak season is June 1 to August 31. 

How to Get There: Alaska Airlines offers direct jet service year-round from Seattle, with a flight time of approximately three hours. Delta Airlines also operates one daily flight from Seattle. 

Cost: Wild Strawberry’s base package is two days fishing and three nights lodging for $2,525, plus taxes. The all-inclusive package includes airport transport, meals, tackle and rain gear, fishing licenses, and processing/shipping your catch. 

What to Expect: A wide array of weather. Fog, drizzle, wind, intense sun, rain, chill—that’s just one of the ways a summer day can unfold in Southeast Alaska. You’ll likely go from bundled up under foul weather gear in the morning to stripping down to a T-shirt and pants by the afternoon. Even with all the wardrobe changes, the sock hat was the one item I consistently wore all day, every day.

The post Sitka’s Salmon Bonanza appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

“Straight ahead is Poland and to the left is Estonia,” said Capt. Björn Persson, as he navigated the calm waters en route to the Baltic Sea. We were on our way to catch Baltic salmon, which are the same species as Atlantic salmon — ray-finned fish in the Salmonidae family. The Baltic’s Atlantic salmon are known for their massive size, with world records caught in Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Russia. And we were targeting the big ones: 30 pounds and up.  

We left minutes prior from the port of Trosa, located about an hour southwest of Stockholm. The boat ride through the Stockholm archipelago (Skärgårdens in Swedish) was calm and picturesque with World War II cannons visible on several of the small islands. This area forms the second largest archipelago in the world, containing approximately 30,000 islands. On this day, there were just as many sailboats as motorboats on the water.

Within 20 minutes, we arrived at the deep waters of the Baltic Sea. Persson switched over to the trolling motor. One by one, the captain let out line on his Abu Garcia Alphamar LC level winds, line-counting reels with large artificial spoons rigged to them.  

Unsure of the exact depth of the Atlantic salmon, we set out eight lines at depths of approximately 130, 165 and 195 feet. The captain used fluorescent planer boards to ensure the lines did not tangle and to help stagger the lines at different depths. Four more lines were set deeper, clipped to a pair of downriggers off the stern of the 21-foot center console. With twelve lines out in total, we were optimistic.

Soon enough, a rod bent over and the captain uttered something in Swedish that probably meant “fish on.” I grabbed the rod. The fight was fun, but I quickly reeled the fish to the boat. The captain looked at it and immediately flipped it off the line. We were on a mission for giant salmon, and Persson wanted a 2-plus-footer to keep, not what we had landed. Not the fish we were looking for. No time for pictures.

“You should have been here last week,” summed up the reminder of the day. Eventually time ran out, and the captain cooked up hamburgers and hotdogs on the bank of a small island. He told stories of giant Baltic salmon he caught in these waters, the size of the fish only limited by the length his arms stretched.

When to Go

Baltic Salmon season in Sweden is from June through August. It’s also a great time to catch northern pike and hundreds of European Perch in the many lakes in Sweden. If you are looking to make it a family trip, or want to do some sightseeing, I recommend going during the festival of midsummer that marks the summer solstice. That’s when one of the earth’s poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun and thus the longest day of sunlight in the year. Midsummer also happens to be one of the biggest holidays in Sweden. The locals dress in traditional Swedish outfits and sing and drink throughout the day.

Where to Go and How to Get There

The New York airports typically have several direct flight options into Sweden’s capital of Stockholm. If your bucket list is to see a pristine 196-foot, 400-year-old Viking warship, visit Vasa Museum in Stockholm. From there, take a car or train to Trosa, a lovely fishing and coastal town about an hour southeast of Stockholm. The area offers local markets to buy fresh seafood and produce from vendors and plenty of restaurants. 

What to Expect

Visiting Sweden in the summer is similar to going to the Great Lakes or Canada, so bring plenty of layers in case a hot summer day turns cool. A good day trolling for Baltic salmon might result in one or two keepers. Mix it up by scheduling a day of catching lots of perch and large pike at nearby lakes. Don’t worry, most of the locals speak English and are happy to point tourists in the right direction.

The post Trolling for Giant Salmon in the Baltic appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Capt. Hugh Harris, of True North Outdoors in Portland, tells me that a chinook salmon can smell one drop of its ancestral stream in 50 gallons of water. In Harris’ home waters of the Columbia River, chinook might get that scent as they ride tides between the ocean and the river early in the season. By summer, many fish stage in the ocean near the Columbia River’s mouth before surging upriver past Buoy 10. In summer’s warming river waters, they find respite in cold-water sanctuaries. Late summer rains bring the scent of their home waters into the river’s flow, drawing the salmon to their spawning grounds upstream. Through the seasons, Capt. Harris targets chinook and coho as they move from nearshore waters off the beach to the fast currents near Buoy 10 and those cold-water refuges upstream.

Kayak Fishing for Salmon off Oregon Beaches

A seasoned kayaker before his days charter fishing, Capt. Harris’ top beaches for kayak fishing along the coast are:

1. Pacific City (north coast)
2. Depoe Bay (central coast)
3. Seaside (north coast)
4. Social Security Beach (mouth of the Columbia River, north coast)
5. Long Beach, Washington (south coast WA)
6. Sunset Bay (southern Oregon)

“Ocean salmon off the Oregon Coast feed aggressively. They’ll bite a variety of offerings if presented correctly,” Harris says. “When I’m heading off the beach, I’ll look for temperature changes, temperatures around 50 to 55 degrees F, salinity changes, and currents that corral schools of prey fish for the predators. Rips, slicks, changes in water surface texture, and actively feeding birds will get my heart racing.”

A properly cured or partially frozen anchovy or herring for bait with a tight spin “is money,” Harris says. He wants the bait’s scales intact and the bait firm, so that its action looks like an injured bait. An anchovy or herring helmet will help a bait last longer without “blowing out,” and losing its perfect roll, especially at faster trolling speeds or currents.

“My second go-to rig is a hoochie spinner with a small chunk of bait (herring, sardine, or anchovy) on the hooks. Place a dodger or flasher 24 to 40 inches above the bait to attract fish’s attention and even give the bait some action.” In addition to salmon, kayak fishermen off Oregon’s coast target Dungeness crab, halibut, greenling, flounder, cabezon, sablefish, ling cod, and rockfish, among others.

Never underestimate the dangers of kayaking in a cold ocean. Even with extensive safety equipment, knowledge, and necessary precautions, Harris has hit a few storms miles offshore that had him riding the swells. Though he still kayaks, starting a family years ago and having children shifted his focus to sharing his time on the water with friends, family, and clients on his boat, a 26-foot aluminum River Wild sled, built in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Buoy 10 for Chinook and Coho Salmon

The famous Buoy 10 fishery is a 40-square-mile estuary at the gateway to the Pacific Ocean. Buoy 10 marks the demarcation line for recreational fishing at the mouth of the Columbia River. Beyond it stretches about six miles of jetty for the Columbia River bar, one of the most dangerous waterways in the world.

The Buoy 10 season usually begins around August 1 and lasts into the first week of September, though that depends on state regulations influenced by projected returns of salmon. Chinook salmon make up the majority of the early August returns, with cohos (silvers) coming in later in August and September and salmon fishing lasting into fall. This 2024 season, it looks like the limits will be one chinook (hatchery fish) and one coho (hatchery fish) per person. Please double-check local regulations.

“Last year, ocean conditions were good at the start of the season, so I ran across the bar where the majority of the fish were staging,” Capt. Harris said. “You have the option to do that under good conditions. You can be out there for an hour and limit the whole boat, it’s that good. You have a lot of opportunities at Buoy 10.”

The Buoy 10 area can be difficult to navigate with its strong tides over shallow river bottom. Rapidly changing currents and tides, coupled with crowds of trolling boats, lead to actively changing conditions.

“When a boat captain is familiar with the tidal influences of the river’s anatomy, avoids the crowds of boats, and understands the dangers of hydrokinetics over a shallow mass of water,” Hugh says, “they may avoid the inherent dangers of this fishery. There are fish to be caught everywhere throughout the system and avoiding the pack mentality can pay off with safety and success.”

Harris uses Talon Rods, handmade in Woodland, Washington. He likes a 9- to 10-foot, 6-inch rod rated for a 10- to 40-pound test line with parabolic action, a forgiving tip and strong backbone to set the hook and withstand heavy trolling weights. For reels, he uses Okuma Coldwater SS Low Profile Line Counters and Daiwa Lexa 300 Line Counters. He’ll spool 60-pound braid for mainline and 40- to 50-pound Maxima Ultragreen mono for leaders.

Fishing Techniques for the Columbia River Tide

“The aspect that makes or breaks Buoy 10 is understanding where the fish hold on the tidal flow,” Harris says. “Thousands of fish are rolling through there, but you have to understand the tide and current, not only for safety’s sake but to get your gear in front of the fish.

“Around high slack tide we can target fish suspended or just off the bottom by mooching bait while drifting at the speed of the current. The fisherman provides the tight spinning action by short lifting and dropping the tip of the rod. This is an active method of fishing that’s exciting when you set the hook on a big one.”

In another method, the angler presents the terminal gear just off the bottom during a fast ebb on days with severe tide exchanges. During a strong outgoing ebb, Harris says, the boat and presentation will be moving way too fast at 4 to 5 mph speed over ground.

“Boat maneuverability is key because you need to move at the slowest speed possible to keep your gear on bottom while still working. The warm fresh river water will be ebbing with the boat at a fast pace, while the colder, dense saltwater will be slower moving at 20 feet down. Initially, the angler’s line will drop straight down and tangle as it’s being pushed with the outgoing fresh water. If deployed painstakingly slow at 1 foot per second or less, the line will eventually begin to angle out away from the boat as it reaches the cooler ocean water below. The captain positions the boat perpendicular to the current to slow down the drift and match the current’s speed. Fishermen position their rods on the upstream side of the boat, finding the bottom and reeling up once. The captain maintains the position of the boat to match the speed of the current. This method is extremely effective when the trolling speed cannot be maintained at less than 3.5 mph SOG (Speed Over Ground) even with the trolling motor in idle.”

It’s that kind of careful approach that takes fish in big water.

Summertime at the Columbia River

It’s about a two-hour drive from Portland’s airport (PDX) to the Lower Columbia River area. Harris moors his boat in Warrenton. Other towns near the mouth of the Columbia include Astoria and Hammond and on the Washington state side, Ilwaco and Chinook. It’s a rich, wonderful scene in summer with seafood, fresh produce, ample sunshine, and plenty of places to visit off the water. Plan and reserve lodging in advance as vacancies are limited during the fishing season.

Astoria has a vibrant nautical history. There are state parks like Fort Stevens and Fort Canby nearby and other scenic spots. The Peter Iredale shipwreck is at Sunset Beach, Oregon. Ilwaco is a bustling commercial fishing marina at the gateway to the Pacific Ocean, with plenty of fresh seafood available.

Harris suggests a hike up the stairs of the Astoria Column, “to review the history of the area with an amazing view of the Columbia River estuary. There are local breweries, like Fort George Brewery and Buoy Brewery, and great restaurants and shops. The Maritime Museum is very interesting and highlights the history of the Coast Guard and mariners in the region. All told, it’s the best of our Pacific Northwest fishing culture.”

The post Oregon Bound for Chinook and Coho appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Scotland is widely regarded as a premier destination for Atlantic salmon fishing. And it’s easy to see why, with its multitude of rivers and lochs (lakes) to choose from when chasing this anadromous fish. From the intimate, small streams of the Scottish Highlands to the larger rivers like the Tay, Tweed and Spey farther south, there’s a body of water for everyone. Scotland is also the birthplace of the famous double-handed Spey cast, originating as the name suggests, on the River Spey.

Scottish Salmon Fishing Seasons

The salmon fishing season in Scotland runs from January until November. During the early part of the season, anglers target “spring” salmon. These fish are known for their size and fighting qualities, ranging from 10 and 30 pounds. Most anglers fish for spring salmon with fly tackle. During the summer months — especially June, July and August — Atlantic salmon are more plentiful, but smaller in size. Toward the end of the season, larger fish show again when the autumn run starts, although fall numbers have diminished in recent years.

Fly Fishing Tackle for Scottish Rivers

In terms of angling, the vast majority of Atlantic salmon fishing in Scotland is fly fishing with a double-handed rod. However, some rivers do allow spinning gear. Each river has its own set of rules. On rivers like the Spey, Tay and Tweed, fishing from a boat is a popular and practical option.

Fly fishing tackle often starts with a 13- to 15-foot double-handed salmon rod. Smaller rivers with shallow water are where anglers can utilize single-handed fly rods. The fly rods are paired with floating or intermediate fly lines, terminating with a 10- to 15-pound-test leader.

For fly selection, anglers have a host of options. A few famous salmon flies in Scotland include the Willie Gunn, Cascade and Stoats Tail. These flies are usually tied on a double or treble hook, or even in a tube fly style. Fly choice and size depends on the water depth, temperature and time of year.

Spin Fishing for Salmon in Scotland

However, fly fishing is not the only option for anglers targeting Scottish silver. Some rivers, mainly located in central and southern Scotland, allow spinning gear. When it comes to spin fishing, a 10- or 11-foot spinning rod is a favorite. For lures, cast a spoon weighing 18 to 30 grams. The weight of the lure depends on the water depth and current strength. Other popular lures for salmon include lipped crankbaits like those from Rapala or Megabass.

Fishing from a Boat in Scotland

Angler can fish from a boat — not just land — on Scotland’s larger rivers. On the River Tay, there’s a specific method of fishing called “harling.” This tactic involves having three or four rods out at ounce with lures behind the boat. The boat then moves from side to side across the river whilst gently floating downstream. Harling is effective, especially when trying to cover expanses of water. There’s also available loch fishing for salmon in Scotland. On many lakes, anglers drift in a boat while fly fishing. On some of the larger lochs, anglers troll along the banks to effectively find fish.

For plenty more about salmon fishing in Scotland, check out a resource and fishing provider such as Salmon Fishing Holidays Scotland. Anglers and tourists traveling to Scotland can really shorten the learning curve by setting up a guided trip.

The post Chasing Scottish Silver appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

This month marks the 39^th anniversary of Les Anderson’s world record king salmon catch on Alaska’s famed Kenai River. On May 17, 1985, Anderson, an auto dealer from nearby Soldotna, hooked the salmon fishing from his boat, then took to shore to land the 97-pound, 4-ounce Kenai king. Though bigger king salmon have reportedly been caught and released by anglers since then, Anderson’s world record stands. It also stands for a magnificent fishery now gone. These days, the fight for kings is to save them.

“We’ve seen a severe decline in the king salmon stocks in the Kenai and in other Alaskan river systems,” says Shannon Martin, Executive Director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association (KRSA). “We’ve had complete closures to sportfishing for kings on the Kenai and other rivers. On some rivers, only hatchery-raised king salmon may be harvested. These days, I won’t target kings anywhere,” she said.

Chinook (King) Salmon See Major Declines

Called kings around the Kenai, the species is commonly called Chinook across its range in the North Pacific. In many locations in Alaska, Chinook’s decline has been so severe in the last 30 years that the wild fishery is in peril. The stocks are diminished by all measures, including the numbers of fish returning to rivers each year, the size of those individual fish, and the seasons to catch them.

 “I remember the Kenai,” says Peter Westley, an associate professor in the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. “You could put your head into the mouth of one of those big fish. People are feeling pretty pessimistic, saddened, depressed, longing for the good old days.

“Across the entire North Pacific region, Chinook are not doing well,” he said. “The story is told river by river, but there are big patterns, and Chinook salmon in lots of places are circling the drain.”

Threats to Chinook

The threats to Chinook are multifold, complex, and many decades in the making — commercial trawling, degraded habitat, dams, rising sea temperatures, and increasing predation by protected sea mammals. Add to all that fishing pressure and hatchery-raised salmon that compete with native fish. Westley says, “Unless something fundamentally changes with how we interact with them, the future for Chinook is really grim.

“On some level,” he adds, “there are Chinook, but they’re hatchery fish. The habitat is so messed up that there wouldn’t be Chinook without those hatchery fish. The evidence is saying that the hatchery fish diminish the wild fish though. In places like the Kasilof and Ninilchik, you can fish for hatchery Chinook, but the problem is that no one can distinguish what gets caught.”

Westley presents a comprehensive vision of the threats facing Chinook when he says, “The ocean has always been dangerous and risky, but in recent years, it has become even more dangerous for fish. The Chinook’s life-history strategy of growing slowly and being in the ocean most of its life isn’t benefitting the species lately.”

The Future of Alaska Fishing

Both Westley and Martin suggest that anglers shift their expectations of Alaskan fishing and realize that the kings need help and that there are plenty of other incredible fish to go for across the state and the region.

“We need to do our part to take the pressure off Chinook salmon,” says Westley. “If they want Chinook, people should go to places where the fishing has as little impact as possible on the wild stocks, places like Ship Creek, where it’s all hatchery fish,” he says. “There are also some healthy fisheries for wild sockeye. That’s a different ball game.”

Martin, from KRSA, said she is seeing a change in mentality in many anglers.

“Anglers are looking for other species, trying to protect that run of kings returning from the ocean. At the same time, our organization advocates for fishery managers to implement paired closings with commercial fisheries to include additional restrictions and protections. This would share the burden of conservation amongst all user groups. What matters is to get eggs in the gravel and that’s what we’re looking for.”

An Uncertain Future

The fight will be long and hard to help protect Chinook, one of the Western World’s totemic sport fish, food fish, and a lynchpin of Alaska’s coastal ecosystem. Only recently, in March, the State of Alaska Board of Fisheries voted to lower the spawning escapement goal for the late-run Kenai River king salmon to support additional commercial fishing opportunities for other salmon, a decision that Martin and the KRSA lamented, painfully. Martin called it a “dark day for conservation in Alaska.” She said, “We’re essentially signing off on the managed decline of a species that has defined our region.”

Anyone who’s ever seen the broad, pink-green back of a Chinook salmon rising in a turquoise-colored, glacial river’s flow, while connected to that fish only by a thin line, knows the fear and the heartache that the fish might just break off and be gone, forever.

The post Alaska’s Kings in Peril appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Ireland offers wild opportunities for traveling anglers, from big-city river fishing in Galway to sight fishing in isolated, rural streams to trolling lakes (loughs) for sea-run fish. The country has some of the best Atlantic salmon runs in Western Europe and over 80 rivers open to fishing this year, and most locations can be reached within a few hours’ drive from Dublin or Shannon airport. Two Irish angling pros, Munster Blackwater River guide Conor Arnold and Myles Kelly of Inland Fisheries Ireland, gave their top salmon fishing destinations for visitors to Ireland.

Irish Salmon Pro Picks

Myles Kelly is the Angling Advisor at Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the state agency responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources. IFI runs a valuable online resource, basically a one-stop shop for Irish angling, including lists of tackle stores, guides, charter boats and more.

River Moy, County Mayo

“The Moy is Ireland’s most productive salmon river,” Myles says. “There are lots of fisheries with plenty of water to suit everything from fly to worm. Best of all there is good availability of permits. You can buy these online (East Mayo Anglers and Ballina Salmon Anglers). The river runs peak when the smaller grilse arrive in June and July. If you book early you can get on the Moy Fishery in Ballina where the pints of Guinness are within casting distance of the salmon pools.”

Munster Blackwater, Counties Waterford and Cork

“There have been years when this mighty river surpassed the Moy in numbers of salmon caught. The majority of the fisheries are between Fermoy and Lismore. Depending on floods, this river can get going earlier in the year and fishes well through to September, as long as there’s rain to get levels up.”

Galway Fishery, Galway

“The Galway Fishery is part of the Corrib system. Lough Corrib is Ireland’s biggest lake and famous for its brown trout, but its productive rivers crank out a lot of salmon smolts. It is in the heart of Galway city and probably the single most productive fishery in the country. Booking early is essential. The evening sessions are often overlooked and can be wonderfully productive.”

River Laune, County Kerry

“This system consistently features in the top five fisheries for salmon angling catch year in, year out. A good number of salmon are taken on the troll in the lake, but there is also plenty of fishing in the Laune (outflowing) and Flesk (inflowing) rivers. Permits are easy to get and there is a good network of guides.”

Smaller Irish Waters

“I get great satisfaction fishing smaller waters in wilder places. Some are parts of Ireland’s angling heritage and can be fancy enough, while others are just plain wild and rugged. My wild card list is as follows – Carrowmore Lake in Mayo, Erriff Fishery and nearby Delphi Fishery in Connemara (or Inagh, Ballinahinch, Screebe, Costello – any fishery in Connemara!), Lough Beagh in Donegal, Caragh system in Kerry (spring salmon), or Dingle’s Owenmore fishery (summer salmon and sea run trout).”

Top Spots for Salmon in Ireland

Conor Arnold has fished for salmon throughout the Western hemisphere. He owns the Arnold Angling Centre on the Blackwater River in southern Ireland where he guides, teaches, and runs his day ticket salmon fishery, along with his work for Loop Tackle, a flyfishing company. For any locations in Ireland, Conor can give detailed fly tackle and fly selection advice.

Delphi Lodge Fishery, Connemara County, Galway 

“The Delphi Lodge fishery, located in the heart of Connemara in the west of Ireland, consists of the Bundorragha River and two lakes, Finn Lough and Doo Lough. The fishing is completely private and nestled in stunning countryside. There is also a hatchery program where 50,000 smolts are released into the river each year. These fish are fin-clipped and may be harvested on being caught. The accommodation, also on the estate, is a beautiful Georgian house.”

Cloghan Lodge in Donegal, Northwest of Ireland

“Cloghan Lodge is located mid-river on the River Finn. It has the spectacular salmon leap falls toward the lower end of the fishery. Just above the falls, the river splits into the Finn and its major tributary, the Realan. Both rivers meander through farmland and open moorland and mountains. Cloghan Lodge has fishing on both rivers. Peak season would be from mid-May until mid-August. The Finn is catch and release so single barbless hooks only are permitted.”

River Owenmore, Bangor Erris, County Mayo

“The River Owenmore is only about 10 miles in length but the angling club in Bangor Erris has approximately four miles and sells day tickets from the pub in the village. The river is catch and release and has some of the nicest fly water an angler could wish to cast a line in. Salmon arrive late March with peak time from May to the end of the season.”

River Owenmore, Castlegregory, County Kerry

“The river is situated in the west of County Kerry, right underneath the Conor Pass with stunning mountain and sea views. Even though the season opens on the first of April, the main runs don’t enter the river until around the end of May. The fishery has two lakes which are both equipped with boats for salmon and sea trout fishing. The whole system is quite intimate and will stay with you long after the trip is over.”

Upper Bridgetown Salmon, River Blackwater, County Cork

“My own fishery, based mid-river on the famous Munster Blackwater, is basically two fisheries managed together. It comprises four beats in total, spread over approximately six miles. One of its most endearing aspects is that it restricts the number of anglers to three rods per beat. This allows the visiting angler to have the freedom to fish at their own pace and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the countryside. The fishery operates on a catch-and-release basis. Some of the largest fish are caught from mid-May until the end of June. July and August see predominantly grilse entering the river. The Blackwater is very user-friendly and has mostly a gravel bed with easy wading. Accommodation is available on site in Ballyhooly Castle or any number of B&Bs or hotels locally.”

Irish Rules and Regulations

“In terms of keeping a salmon,” Myles says, “we advocate 100% catch and release. But our science supports the limited harvest of fish where a surplus allows. This means we can have a sustainable fishery and if an angler wants to keep a fish or two across the season, they can do so knowing that they will not be having a negative impact on stocks.”

On most rivers, the season runs through September. Access to fishing is very open. Anglers do need licenses, and most fisheries are controlled by private owners or clubs but have day tickets available. For licensing details, check out https://permits.fishinginireland.info/.

The post To Ireland for Salmon: An Angler’s Guide appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Although merely 100 miles as the crow flies from Seattle to the sounds of southwestern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, it can take the better part of a day to drive there, including the two-hour ferry crossing. But for fishing enthusiasts, it should prove to be a well-spent day.

Clayoquot and Barkley—the two sprawling sounds to which BC Route 4 extends down the island just over 100 miles from the ferry landing at Nanaimo—are filled with islands and inlets, and reefs and channels. For any experienced fisherman, that description spells fishy habitat.

Whether one drives in for guided fishing or tows a boat, he’ll find mostly the same species here as are caught in Alaskan waters. It could be said that these sounds, just north of the Lower 48, offer a taste of Alaska without the long trip.

For many, salmon are king. Of five species of salmon, chinook are king, also because they’re called king salmon. While the legal minimum size here is about 18 inches (45 centimeters), anglers look for 10- to 30-pound fish and occasionally much larger. The other major salmon target for anglers are coho (aka silvers), a schooling salmon typically weighing 5 to 15 pounds. In August, pinks (3 to 5 pounds) may abound.

Salmon range widely along the coast, but are consistently found nearshore—sometimes right off the kelp. Trolling with downriggers, pulling large flashers ahead of herring, anchovies, plastic squid, spoons or plugs, accounts for the great majority of salmon caught.

In addition to salmon, bottomfish abound. Among those species, halibut is in a class by itself, in part by virtue of its size. Although they can be encountered nearshore, the best chances for success for the great flatfish occur over deeper offshore banks with smooth-bottom areas. Anglers targeting halibut will drop herring or salmon heads with heavy weights or large leadhead jigs with big plastic tails. Halibut also eagerly strike heavy-metal slow-pitch jigs. Braided line of 30-pound-test or heavier is warranted, since the next strike could be a fish well into three digits on the scale.

Perhaps no species can better be counted on to help a slow day than the lingcod. This elongate, toothy predator is unique to the Pacific Coast, from Baja, California, to Alaska. Expect to catch lings of 5 to 20 pounds, but monsters at least twice that lurk around rocky, current-swept reefs. Very commonly, these bottom dwellers will follow up a hooked fish of any type, grabbing it in their jaws and refusing to let go, often until they’re on a gaff or in the net.

The ambush predators will pounce anything that moves in their domain—any sort of metal jig or plastic bait—and they’ll often swim up toward the surface to snatch baits trolled for salmon. Lingcod are superb to eat. Sometimes boating the limit of three (legal size: 25.6 inches) can be easily accomplished. After that, catch-and-release is still an option since lings have no swim bladders and the hardy fish can quickly return to the depths.

Then there are the rockfish. Dozens of species of the genus Sebastes are found in the north Pacific, many in these waters. The aggressive nature and many varieties and colors of rockfish make for a light-tackle angler’s bonanza.

Unfortunately, many visiting anglers don’t come equipped with gear light enough to maximize the sport this action should offer. Twelve-pound braided line is plenty and will allow relatively light jigs (slow-pitch or leadhead with plastics) to sink 50 to 250 feet. And these rockfish are, like most of the fish caught here, delicious.

Planning a Trip

Where To Go and How To Get There: Visitors with large, seaworthy boats can, of course, sail right to ports in either sound. The great majority of visiting anglers arrive by car. Wherever you are driving from, you will need to get to Vancouver Island, which most likely requires a ride on a huge ferry. It’s a considerably longer drive up from Victoria, so your best bet is the ferry that runs from Tsawwasen to Nanaimo. In the summer, reservations are a must: Make them online at bcferries.com.

A bit of searching online will reveal various resorts, many with moorage, as well as a variety of homes available to rent. Rates drop precipitously in late fall through early spring, but so do the odds of good ocean conditions. That said, there are plenty of fish to be caught in colder months, and for those with time to stick around for a while, the chances of some good days are pretty fair.

What To Expect: Ucluelet (“people of the safe harbor” in the indigenous Nuu-chah-nulth language) is the main jumping-off point for Barkley Sound waters. Tofino is at the northern end of a peninsula that juts into Clayoquot Sound. It offers a similar infrastructure for visiting anglers as Ucluelet. Find general information at discoverucluelet.com and tourismtofino.com.

Between Tofino and Ucluelet is the Long Beach Unit of the vast Pacific Rim National Park Reserve—10 miles of pristine sandy beaches (longest such stretch on the west coast of Vancouver Island) where cold-water surfers ply their sport.

The post British Columbia: Fishing The Sounds of Southwestern Vancouver Island appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

About 100 miles southwest of Juneau in southeast Alaska (the state’s Panhandle), Sitka sits at the edge of the north Pacific on Baranof Island. To the north and east, the rugged islands and mountains are all Tongass National Forest and Wilderness Area. The island remained part of Russia until 1867. Signs of that are still in evidence, such as St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral.

A major port for commercial fishing, Sitka is also a center for tourism and, with a considerable fleet of charter operations, sport fishing. Salmon are the main draw; while it’s possible to catch five species of salmon here, Chinook (king) and coho (silver) are the primary targets, along with halibut and other bottom fish.

While there are no roads in or out of Sitka, 14 miles of local roads offer many spots to fish without a boat — lakes and streams for trout and grayling, and coastal areas for salmon (notably pinks) and trout (particularly Dolly Varden), but also with catches of king salmon, sea-run cutthroat and other species.

Along with Sitka’s great fishing, it’s reasonable to expect to observe or encounter a range of marine wildlife, including humpback whales, orcas, eagles, sea lions, bear, sea otters and more.

Planning a Trip

When to Go: With the climate less than appealing for visitors much of the year, mid-May through mid-September is the real tourist season in Sitka, when the population swells and things get quite busy.

For anglers, timing is significant. That is, those looking for trophy king salmon (30 to 40 pounds) will focus on June and July. Anglers hoping to get in on the main run of coho — smaller than kings but more numerous and wild battlers on lighter lines — will book in July, August and September. Mid to late summer also gives enthusiasts shots at sockeye, chum and pink salmon. Halibut can be taken throughout the summer, along with many species of rockfishes. Lingcod may be kept only mid-May through mid-June and again mid-August through November.

Where to Go and How to Get There: Although boating to Sitka is possible, the vast majority of visitors fly in with regular air service from Seattle on Alaska and, seasonally, flights on Delta as well.

You’ll find a number of hotels in Sitka, with an online search, along with some resorts that cater particularly to sport fishermen. But the number is limited and with such a short season, competition for bookings is fierce. If you can commit nine to 12 months ahead on a reservation, the chances of getting your first choice should be pretty fair.

One of the first places you should consider is Kingfisher Charters and Lodge. The lodge provides comfortable accommodations right on Sitka Sound. Their charter fishing specializes in salmon (kings and silvers), halibut, lingcod and rockfish. Windy or not, they have a trip planned and species to target. If you’re looking for a new species to catch, consider the tasty sablefish — Sitka is one of the few places in the U.S. where it’s not too hard to catch one.

What to Expect: Granted, mid-summer days may be sunny and hit 70 degrees, but for the most part, expect cooler and gray days, with rain seldom out of the picture (even May through July, when precipitation is the least). When heading out on the water, two essentials: foul weather gear and, to adjust to ephemeral conditions, layers. And good rubber deck boots will serve you well.

While quite a few charter/guide boats operate in Sitka, once again, advance booking is wise. Most charter boats have dry, heated cabins from which anglers have the option to watch downrigger rods in the cockpit in inclement weather. It’s also possible to rent boats — such as a 21-foot aluminum Hewescraft Pacific Cruiser — for self-guided fishing.

While in states like Florida, anglers are off the hook (so to speak) for licenses if fishing with a licensed skipper, in Alaska any angler over 16 must have a license when fishing. You can buy a license or explore the options.

More adventurous (and financially flush) enthusiasts can book a floatplane to fly to lakes and rivers for char, steelhead and trout. Besides fishing, visitors can hike through forests and to glaciers; many wilderness trailheads are accessible from downtown Sitka. There’s also bicycling, sea kayaking, “flight seeing,” hunting and more. Also consider a taxi (or a tour) to reach the Fortress of the Bear, a unique and fascinating facility, as well as the Alaska Raptor Center.

Helpful Links

• Kingfish Charters and Lodge
• Visit Sitka

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“In a state where I can go to jail for not taking enough meat off the ribs of a moose I hunt, or I can receive a ticket for taking a king salmon out of the water if I catch one while trout fishing, Alaska’s ‘Big Trawl’ has been documented chucking dead bycatch over the side of their boats. This action by commercial trawlers is completely legal under current regulations.” — Cody McLaughlin

Alaskan Bycatch By The Numbers

What is bycatch? For the uninitiated, it’s when a fisherman catches a fish species they didn’t intend to or, in the case of factory fishing vessels, can’t sell and have to discard. According to NOAA’s website, “Bycatch is a complex, global issue that threatens the sustainability and resiliency of our fishing communities, economies, and ocean ecosystems.”

The group of commercial trawlers in Alaska, what I call “Big Trawl,” produce millions of pounds of bycatch each season. We’re talking wasted and dead iconic gamefish such as halibut and salmon, species that have enormous economic value to local communities and recreational anglers.

FACT: Since 1991, 1,774,800 king salmon have been documented as trawl bycatch in Alaska. To break it down further, 1,117,800 of those fish came from the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and 657,000 of them came from the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This data was compiled from weekly bycatch reports.

It is important to note that those numbers are just observed bycatch — and only 15 percent of bycatch is observed on these vessels. Estimates of complete trawl bycatch are likely 10 times higher than current documented numbers. That’s because trawl regulators don’t factor in unobserved bycatch — all the fish, crab, plants, coral and marine life mowed down by the net that doesn’t make it to the surface to be tallied. Currently, regulators slot in “0” for unobserved bycatch.

In addition to king salmon’s observed bycatch, Big Trawl in Alaska has reported wasting 141 million pounds of bycatch per year over the last 10 years. The numbers don’t lie — commercial fishing operators throw away millions of pounds of fish every season. And its harmful effects are staggering. On the other hand, recreational anglers continue to see their seasons shortened in efforts to save salmon and halibut populations. The difference in how commercial and recreational sectors are managed is maddening.

A Quick Halibut Fishing Comparison

For context, charter boats in Southcentral Alaska can’t keep halibut on certain Tuesdays or Wednesdays from June to August to help save the resource. And there’s been minimal howling from the small-business sportfishing operators. The entire Southcentral sport charter halibut quota for 2023 is 1.89 million pounds.

Meanwhile, Big Trawl has already dumped 3.14 million pounds of halibut as bycatch year-to-date in 2023. As of late June, they’ve shoveled over the sides of their vessels nearly double the quota for the entire sportfishing fleet. Plus, trawlers are still allowed to fish in designated halibut nursery areas of the Bering Sea, places where everyone else is banned from halibut fishing in order to protect young fish.

A Weak Response By Regulators Angers Fishermen

Salmon numbers are down at an alarming rate. Where do regulators fall on the issue? In a move many see as too little and too late, federal fisheries managers created a Federal Research Task Force to find the cause of the decline.

Sport fishermen have taken it on the chin through all this. We’re entering the second summer with the legendary Kenai River closed to king salmon fishing. This fabled river fishery is synonymous with the king salmon species. The current IGFA all-tackle record chinook is 97 pounds, 4 ounces, caught on this river in May 1985 by angler Les Anderson. In 2009, a potential replacement world record was caught and released on the same river.

Other world-class fisheries in Alaska also saw increased regulations. The Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers are both closed to subsistence fishermen who depend on the resource for food security. King salmon retention in lower Cook Inlet was reduced from 2 to 1 on March 2, before the run even started. The fishery was later closed in all Cook Inlet salt waters. On top of all of this, at least one misguided environmental group is asking that chinook salmon receive endangered status over crashing stocks, after succeeding in stopping trolling efforts in Southeast Alaska because endangered orcas. (A U.S. appeals court eventually halted the lower court ruling, allowing the trolling season to start on July 1.) 

Citizen anglers are finally taking a stand. The STOP Alaskan Trawler Bycatch Facebook page just reached the 25,000 member milestone in recent weeks and receives support from conservation groups in the state. You can also directly support organizations such as the Alaska Outdoor Council, fighting these issues on the ground. In addition, Salmon State has started a helpful “stop bycatch” take-action tool for concerned anglers.

Cheap Protein for China at the Expense of Iconic Fish

What’s the driving force behind commercial trawlers? How can cheap pollock take precedence over salmon or halibut? (Salmon costs consumers a whopping $20 to $40 per pound in the grocery store!) In a word? China. The Amendment 80 bottom trawl fleet is the top halibut bycatch offender. All participants in that fleet are registered in Seattle, with more than 80 percent of their catch going directly to China for cheap protein. They also ship $45 per ounce pollock roe caviar over for China’s growing population of billionaires. The rest, essentially, goes to McDonald’s as Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. McDonald’s claims its fish are 99 percent sustainably caught, and the pollock fishery might be doing fine, but the bycatch fisheries are cratering.

So what’s the recourse? In short, anglers and conservationists concerned about this issue need to let policyholders know where they stand. The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) has the power to stop this. Congress needs to consider acting, and it will take more than just Alaska’s representatives to get this done. That means contacting your state’s federal representatives to let them know the waste and destruction of Alaskan salmon and halibut fisheries is unacceptable.

Lastly, the governors of Alaska and Washington (where the trawl fleets are regulated) have influence here, especially over the makeup of the NPFMC and the future direction of commercial fishing. Both states are sportfishing destinations. The sportfish wasted by commercial trawlers negatively impacts the economies of these states. Visiting anglers will not bring their tourism dollars if there are no salmon.

As I have said on more than one podcast this month, this issue deserves every angler’s attention. Commercial trawlers catch or waste the majority of king salmon while recreational anglers continue to get pushed out of fishing opportunities. If you’re looking to catch a wild king salmon, you should hop on a plane to Alaska in the next five years before these historically mighty runs of fish disappear.

About the Author: Cody McLaughlin is a noted conservationist covering public policy issues related to hunting, fishing and the environment. He currently serves on the board of the Alaska Outdoor Council and is a former board member and lead spokesman of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, representing the state’s 1.2 million sportsmen. McLaughlin recently launched Trout Stream Studios as an executive producer for podcasts and livestreams in the hunting and veterans’ affairs spaces.

The post Bycatch Is Killing Legendary Alaskan Fishing appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Thomas Morrison and his son, of Winterport, Maine, were ice fishing on Jan. 28 at a secret lake in eastern Maine, not far from the coast. Just 20 minutes into their trip, the pair hooked and landed a prized Atlantic salmon, according to a report in the Bangor Daily News.

The heavily-spotted fish was photographed, then released alive and healthy. That’s a good thing because the 5-pound, 28-inch-long salmon has been listed as an endangered species since 2000. Harvesting sea-run Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is unlawful in Maine, while landlocked salmon in rivers and streams have different regulations.

“It was warm that day, and the fish was released alive and well,” said Morrison.

The Bangor newspaper reported that Morrison was unaware of the significance of his catch until he posted a photo of the fish on a state fishing Facebook page. Someone who saw the fish photo noted the salmon had a piece cut out of the fish’s adipose fin. That’s a fin-clipping practice of the Maine Department of Marine Resources (MDMR), used when counting fish in its Atlantic salmon fisheries program. Such “clipped” fish are documented as sea-run mature fish.

Maine’s Atlantic salmon are anadromous fish, spending most of their adult lives at sea, but they must return to fresh waters to spawn. Sea-run salmon experts in Maine say some mature Atlantic salmon survive in the state’s lakes and rivers through the harsh winter months — but it’s rare for anglers to actually catch one there while ice fishing.

Atlantic salmon are among the world’s most esteemed sport fish. Morrison never saw his salmon jump due to the ice covering the lake, but the species is known for its surface fight. In fact, the Romans called the fish “salio” (The Leaper). Morrison’s catch is an important sign that sea-run Atlantic salmon are still hanging strong in Maine, a state with the only native Atlantic salmon population in the U.S. Atlantic salmon have been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act for 23 years. For anyone in Maine to catch an Atlantic salmon is an important event, but one from under the ice makes this catch remarkable. According to MDMR, such a catch “only happens once every couple years.”

The MDMR believes more than 1,300 Atlantic salmon sea run fish passed through Penobscot River dams in 2022. That’s the second-highest return in over a decade in the Penobscot, which was traditionally considered the center of the state’s Atlantic salmon sportfishing (back when they were abundant).

“Based on the photo and the size indicated, it appears to be a sea-run Atlantic salmon that has spent multiple winters at sea versus a grilse, which would have spent only one winter at sea and would be smaller,” a MDMR spokesperson said about Morrison’s fish. “While the body of water is not identified, we do know sea-run Atlantic salmon overwinter in some lakes in Maine.”

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