Fishing
Trout & King Salmon Early Season - Mid-May to End of June
As temperatures warm and juvenile salmon head out to sea, the char and trout (sea-run cutthroat and Dolly Varden char) follow to feed in the local estuaries and beaches. Casting 4 to 6-weight rods with floating line and Clouser Minnow-type baitfish imitations to actively feeding fish can provide plentiful action when conditions are good. June is also one of the driest months of the year, making it a wonderful time to wander estuaries and hike to beaches in search of feeding fish.
After a short open season in 2024, the return of DIPAC hatchery chinook in 2025 is forecast to be back to normal. The fish are brutes ranging from 10 to 20 pounds on average, with a few outliers well above that. It's not for the faint of heart though - fishless days are common, as are lost fish, the bugs can be horrific (head nets are a necessity!), and chucking heavy flies on a 10 weight sink-tip for hours on end is the only way to do it. Consider yourself warned! But if that doesn't scare you off, we'll take you (and we like you!). If you hook into a chrome bright brute in shallow water, you'll never forget it!
Chum & Pink Salmon Season - July & August
July usually marks the arrival of chum salmon in the waters around Juneau, followed closely by the pink salmon. Both species reveal themselves through frequent surface jumps far away from shore. As numbers increase and spawning destinations are targeted, bright chums can be had in the salt. Long casts with 8-weight rods can yield chrome-bright fish at times with long runs, occasional jumps, and frequently bruised knuckles. Pinks follow a similar pattern over the following weeks, and are usually found in shallower water closer to shore, making them the ideal target for novice and beginner fly fishers stripping streamers with both 6-weight and 8-weight rods. Over the last decade or so, pink salmon runs have oscillated from weak on even numbered years (we only caught a handful in 2024) to strong in odd numbered years (like 2025!) The abundance of fish most years is accompanied by similar abundance of wildlife. Whales, sea lions, seals, and eagles actively feed in nearby waters quite regularly. If it all comes together, you'll have it all - willing fish, active wildlife, and spectacular scenery - in one memorable day!
Fat, Colorful Dolly Varden and Bright Silver Salmon Season - September
September brings the last salmon run of the year, silver salmon, into our local streams, estuaries and hatcheries. While not as plentiful or as easy to catch as pink and chum salmon, they are aggressive feeders when conditions are right and dynamic fighters when the line comes tight. Silvers tend to mill longer in the salt within casting distance, feed actively while doing so, and keep their fight longer than most salmonids when returning to fresh water. These fish average in the 6-8 pounds with some in the 10-12 pound rang at times. Big flies and 7-8 weight rods are the right match battle.
While often forgotten during silver salmon season, Dolly Varden char also return to fresh waters in September. After a full summer of feeding on salmon fry and eggs, and with their own spawning season rapidly approaching, they're broad shouldered, fat bellied and beautifully colored! It's one of my favorite times of the year and a great way to wrap up the fishing season.