Excursion Ketchikan sportfishing tour at Ketchikan

Step ashore and begin your half-day adventure in Alaska’s 'Salmon Capital of the World'. Depart the pier as your driver points to the layered history etched into the landscape, from cedar forests to rugged shorelines. Your 30-minute drive threads through Ketchikan’s waterfront and along the shimmering Tongass Narrows, guiding you toward Ward Cove in the sheltered Clover Passage. The scene unfolds through windows as tides glint and mountains rise, inviting anticipation. Upon arrival, you’ll meet a Coast Guard–licensed captain, complete the state licensing formalities, and climb aboard a boat with a covered cabin designed to accommodate 4-6 anglers. Four poles will be in the water at one time and guests will rotate between each pole as fish are caught. The crew’s welcome and the whisper of the water set the pace.

Our trolling method uses downriggers, with lines placed in holders and lowered to precise depths. The bite often comes as the rods bend and the boat glides through the sheltered channels. Four rods are in action at once, and guests rotate among each pole so everyone has a chance to turn the reel. The season brings varied trophies: King Chinook in May and June, Pinks in June and July, and Coho in mid-July through September. Your skipper and crew share tips, stories, and a few friendly anecdotes as you wait for a strike. The pace is patient but buoyant, with anticipation building as the line tightens and the underwater world reveals its quarry.

At the end of your three-hour pursuit, you’ll decide what to do with your catch. You can release your salmon back to the waters or arrange local processing and shipping to your home in the continental USA for an additional fee. The option to have your prize air-dried, filleted, or boxed adds flexibility for travelers. After the final pull of the nets and lines, you’ll return to the marina where a transfer vehicle awaits to whisk you back to the ship. Along the ride, your guides summarize the day’s highlights, share biodiversity insights, and offer tips for preserving photographs of the moment.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Ketchikan, Tongass Narrows, Clover Passage, Ward Cove, Salmon Fishing, Marine Life, Seabirds, Seals, Sea Lions, Sea Otters

Note

Please note: This tour requires a minimal amount of walking; however, guests must be able to walk about 100 yards (91 metres) up and down a steep ramp at the marina and board the boat by stepping over the bull rail. This tour is not suitable for guests who utilize a wheelchair. A fishing license must be purchased for $15 per person, plus an additional $15 for the King Salmon stamp during king salmon season and these can be purchased online prior to the tour. The minimum participant age is 5 years. Children that are 15 years old and younger are not required to purchase sportfishing licenses and king salmon stamps. King salmon are catch and release per state requirements through June 14th,2023. To purchase your license prior to the tour, please visit the website at <https://store.adfg.alaska.gov/> and select "Fishing, Hunting, Trapping Licenses & Stamps." In the "Short-Term Products for 2023" please select a 1-day sport fishing license at $15, as well as a 1-day king salmon stamp at $15 (only purchase during the months of May-mid July).

Guests must weigh less than 300 pounds (136 kilograms/21.4 stone). Dress in layers and wear deck or rubber-soled shoes; rain jackets, fishing gear, tackle and bait are provided. You may catch and release. Fish processing (vacuum packing and shipment) is available for an additional charge (credit cards are accepted). The catching of fish is not guaranteed. Catch cannot be brought to the ship.