Alaska Fish and Shellfish Species
Chum Salmon | Alaska Fishing
Chum salmon (onchorhynchus keta), known also as dog salmon, are hard fighters, and offer sport anglers an excellent fishing experience in both freshwater and saltwater. The best table fare comes from saltwater fishing, but regardless of where you catch them, chums are hard fighters and will test any angler's mettle.
Pink Salmon | Alaska Fishing
Pink, or "humpy" salmon (oncorhynchus gorbuschca), are by far the most abundant salmon species in Alaska. Found primarily in regions 1, 2 and parts of 4, they migrate into fresh water by the hundreds of thousands. Males are easily distinguished from females by the large hump that develops above the spine area, while the females maintain a more slender appearance. As they enter fresh water they begin to change in color from silvery to a darker olive hue and often develop darker blotches that start along the back and extend down the sides of the fish.
Halibut | Alaska Fishing
Pacific Halibut are one of the most sought-after fish in Alaska. Growing to sizes exceeding 500 pounds, they are tenacious fighters and make excellent table fare. Catching halibut is not difficult; the challenge is in locating suitable habitat. Of course in charter fishing, you rely on the experience of your crew to do that for you. If you're on your own, study your charts to locate gravel or muddy bottom that is relatively flat. During the months of July and August, you can find fish within a mile or less of the shore, especially off the mouths of salmon streams, where they await the outflow of spawned-out salmon carcasses and the baitfish that feed on them.
Hooligan | Alaska Fishing
Hooligan (Thaleichthys pacificus), otherwise known as "eulachon" or "candlefish", are a type of anadromous smelt that makes its way into a number of rivers in Alaska during the spring spawning run. They arrive in some river systems in the hundreds of thousands, and are an important forage species for eagles, gulls, bears and other species. The fish is found from the Pacific Northwest to Alaska, and the name "eulachon" is thought to derive from the Chinookan language. "Hooligan" is thought to be a derivative of the Chinookan name.
Lingcod | Alaska Fishing
The lingcod (ophiodon elongatus), neither a ling or a cod, is an utterly fearless fish. Found along rockpiles and other structure near the bottom, "lings" patrol their turf seeking something to devour. Most of the time this consists of herring, small rockfish, and even small lingcod. Pretty much anything that fits inside a ling's mouth is fair game, and it's not unusual to catch a ling that has a fifteen-pound coho salmon in its belly.