Fishing Kodiak’s Islands and waters is accomplished in a number of ways. Here at Kodiak Raspberry Island Remote Lodge we sub categorize our fishing into salt water fishing and fresh water fishing. Salt water fishing typically utilizes Savvy and Serendipity, as both our fishing platform as well as a comfortable way to get to the best fishing areas. Though we have caught a number of different species right in front of the lodge, we won’t hesitate to travel 20 minutes to over an hour away if that is where the best fishing is. We do not need to travel “off shore” to find the most fish and typically find the schools within a mile from the shore. We are very tuned into weather and tides and place your safety and comfort first.
Halibut, Lingcod, Grey Cod, and Yelloweye Rockfish fishing is typically in 20-200 feet of water, with short, stand up rods. We use circle hooks with bait, or jigs, depending on the fish and preferences of the fisherman. Further, our Accurate two speed reels and Diawa electric reels make reeling up the big ones a lot easier.
Salmon fishing in the ocean is done by trolling or mooching. Trolling, or controlled depth fishing, utilizes our electric downriggers on the Savvy and Serendipity. A downrigger is simply a big winch with a 12 lb lead ball on the end. A cloths pin type release attaches your fishing line and lure to the ball, which is lowered to the desired depth, often down to 80 feet deep. The boat is maneuvered at a slow speed along the salmon’s migration route and/or through bait balls. When a fish strikes the lure, its weight releases your line from the release, and fish on! It can get very exciting when we have multiple hook ups, or a large king slams the line and levels the rod.
Mooching is like jigging, with the boat adrift in an area we feel will be productive, and the lines are lowered and jigged, or jerked up and down.
We also have a full compliment of spinning gear on board for casting lures into schools of fish or jigging for lighter species, like Black Rockfish.
Fresh water fishing is done with a fly rod or spinning rod in one of the ten local fresh water systems we can target. Our rivers are ideal for fly fishermen, and many of the estuaries and beaches that we fish are perfect for a spinning rod.
We supply all fishing rods, reels, lines, tackle, bait and any other equipment you will need to fish this area. Beginner fishermen are common to Kodiak Raspberry Island Remote Lodge, as are veterans. Catch and release is perfectly acceptable, and, should you chose to harvest some or all of your catch, it will be professionally handled, filleted, vacuum sealed, labeled, and frozen for you at the end of the day.
A dream come true! Years of talking about a fishing trip to Alaska is finally a reality with experiences we will remember forever. We met great people and were treated with the highest respect and greatest accommodations. The fishing was better then expected and the scenery was out of this world. You made this father-son fishing trip our best ever!
~Gary and Burt, New York
