Baranof Fishing Excursions — Attraction in Ketchikan

We used Baranof fishing excursions last year while on a cruise. When returning again to Ketchikan this year, we knew we wanted to go again. We were met early at the top of the gangway of our cruise ship by Josh and a shuttle. If you are docked at a farther pier/berth or the weather is rainy, they will bring a shuttle van for you which is nice. We drove over to the Salmon landing pier to get ready to go. Josh offered us any gear we would need, but we came dressed in waterproof shoes/boots, layers, rain jackets, and gloves. Remember to bring $15 cash for the Alaska fishing license. We chatted with the other folks who were super friendly and welcoming as we waited for our fishing license to be processed. They already had the boat all outfitted and ready to go so we got on our way! We visited in mid September, therefore the Coho Salmon/Silver Salmon were running at the time. We went North for about 30-45 minutes. We used a couple different strategies. Josh was very friendly and helpful, telling us about the area, the fish, and the different strategies and skills to reel in our salmon. First we looked for bait balls and casted down and reeled up. We caught many this way and even caught one on the first cast! We did this until we were out of bait and then we switched to trolling. Josh got us all set up again and we boated around trolling until one of the lines got a hit. Then we reeled in. We caught Duskee and Spiney rockfish which we had to throw back. We also had to throw back a king salmon that we caught. We also caught 2 pink salmon that Josh would use for bait. We got to keep 6 really large Coho/Silver Salmon. It was so much fun to fight them and reel them in. We had never been salmon fishing before so it was so fun to experience. We did the 5 and a half hour excursion and it was a great amount of time. If you are prone to seasickness, use your remedies such as sea bands and Dramamine since you never know what the weather will be in one singular day. When we went out it was a perfect 55 and not raining, then the wind came in and it got cold, then a short rain squall moved in, then the sun came out and it was 60 beautiful, then it became partly cloudy and back in the 50’s. Therefore there were some calm areas that we fished but also some not so calm areas. Two folks in our party took their remedies the night before and the morning of and fared well. There is also a snack box on the boat that has apples, cookies, smoked salmon dip with crackers, and water bottles. The boat also has an inside cabin part which was nice to take a break, warm up, or get out of the wind/rain. Throughout this excursion we were also able to see bald eagles as well as many whales and whale tails! Very cool! Josh was very flexible and allowed us to kind of plan our day if we wanted, but of course we also used his guidance. Josh was willing to help or be as hands off as needed. We got tangled once and he was able to help. Also when reeling in my whopper he was able to help take over to give my arms a break for a quick second. Allow extra time on the back end to get off the boat and take pictures with your fish! You are able to ship them home, it is based upon what fits in 15 pound boxes at a time, along with a processing fee since they gut it and filet it for you. Know that one box goes for around $200 for shipping home. They try to give you an estimate but you really won’t know the final charge until you see it on your credit card. You are also able to choose the day it overnights to ship home. So just be prepared for that up front if that is something you are interested in. Also, they are partners with the Alaska fish house on the pier which have an amazing halibut fish n chips as a snack after fishing. Overall everyone really enjoyed their time with Josh and Baranof fishing excursions, they are professionals who really know what they are doing. They have everything down pat which makes you feel so much more comfortable. Thank you for two great trips...

Let me begin today with a disclaimer; I did not want to go on a fishing boat excursion in Ketchican. But my grandkids really wanted to go, so of course I acquiesced and dreaded every minute of it. When we got off the ship, a pert young woman named Jamie Karlson met us at the exit and walked us to the skiff she’d be boarding the five of us on for a fishing adventure that included catching our own fish and having them cooked for us over a fire at an island fish camp. Jamie outfitted us with rubber barn boots, rubber overalls, and life vests, along with a brief safety lecture on what to do in case of an emergency. And then we were off in an open-air boat, motoring through some of the most breathtakingly beautiful scenery I’d ever seen. It reminded me of the Adirondacks, only less commercial, if that makes sense.

At some magical spot, Jamie stopped the boat, handed us all fishing poles, and instructed us in how to let the line out, reel a little back in, and figure out when we had a bite. Within seconds – veritable seconds, my husband and granddaughter (7) had hits, and my granddaughter caught the first fish – and it wasn’t a tiny one, either! My grandson (10) came in shortly thereafter, and I think my husband had a fish on the line and just held off on reeling it in to let the little ones get one first. Meanwhile, my daughter and I waited, and waited, and waited. I got distracted taking photos of the freshly caught fish, flounder, rock quill, and tiger something, so I wasn’t too worried about not getting so much as a nibble. Actually, I was mostly surprised that I was enjoying this excursion I had so dreaded being part of. It was really flat-out fun to watch the kids (and my husband) reel in fish after fish.

With nearly our limit of fish and plenty to create a delicious lunch for all, we decided to give trolling for salmon one short try before heading to the fish camp. Jamie set the lines up, and we enjoyed the small breeze created as we ‘trolled.’ Let me just say that, while we think of Alaska as a place of Eskimos and harsh winters, the temperature had climbed up into the low 70s, and the sun was beating down on us all so much that we all lost the rubber overalls and boots in pretty short order once we started fishing.

So as we were trolling and talking with one another, Jamie noticed one of the lines pop back – a signal she had told us would probably mean a bite. She and my grandson worked hard to reel it in, and I’ll be darned if they didn’t catch a beautiful salmon – a pinkie, which rounded out our variety of fish nicely and gave us all a thrill. With that, we headed for fish camp, a small and extremely primitive camp on an island where the ‘powder room’ consists of a five-gallon bucket positioned beneath a wooden toilet seat with a note to refrain from putting toilet paper in the bucket. The men’s room was any available and off-camp premises tree, so I was glad to be considered the ‘fairer’ sex for the moment.

There was a fire going, complete with a pot of coffee brewing, cocoa for the kids, and a chance to get photos with the group’s catch of the day before it was fileted and cooked up over a fire into a fish stew that was more delicious than any fish stew I have ever tasted in so many years of living. Knowing that the fish were the very ones we’d caught just an hour earlier somehow made it feel so much more meaningful, and it was great knowing there was no waste and any extra fish we didn’t eat would help flavor a less fortunate fisherman’s dinner later in the afternoon.

The fish stew was followed by a blueberry cobbler with sliced ginger on top that may well have been one of the best desserts I have ever enjoyed. And all of it was done around the fire, just the five of us and Jamie, our guide. For an excursion I had dreaded, I had one of the best times of my life! As we motored back to the cruise ship, we were all tired but smiling so hard because we’d had...

You cannot truly experience Ketchikan Alaska without a fishing trip—and Baranof Fishing is hands-down the best that Ketchikan has to offer! Captain Chris went above and beyond to make our experience an unforgettable lifetime memory. He put our safety and comfort first at all times, was a joy for everyone to talk with, and he's clearly an expert who's proficient in his field. He was incredibly fast and efficient at getting all our catches off the hooks and into boat, as well as resetting our lines for us so they could quickly go back in the water.

During our 6+ hour excursion, Chris took us to several different fishing spots. Between them, we caught an abundance of quillback, cod and halibut (many of which we had to throw back by the end after reaching our limit)! We even caught one king salmon, but since it was out of season, we had to catch and release that one as well. We more than got our fill though with about 20 fish we got to keep!

The 6-passenger charter we took also made for an incredible experience. It rained (and even hailed) on us briefly, early on in the morning. But the boat's cabin let us comfortably wait out the weather in warmth—which only took about 10-15 min. We also got to bring our own snacks and drinks on the boat, which helped keep us energized, since the trip started at 6am.

While the excursion normally would've ended around noon, our fantastic captian surprised us with the option of taking us to their campground island for a fresh-fried fish lunch! Of course we went for it, and HIGHLY recommend trying this lifetime experience if you get the option too.

A top-trained chef on the island prepared and cooked the very fish we caught off our boat within the same hour—plated and served to us around our own personal campfire. The lunch was enjoyed with ocean views off the shoreline, cozy campfire warmth, hot coffee and great conversation about the day's catches. We all agreed too that it was easily some of the best—and definitely most fresh—fish we've ever eaten! The chef surprised us yet again with a homemade blueberry cobbler to finish off the meal, prepared with just-picked blueberries right there off the island.

When we got back to land, all of the remaining fish that we didnt eat for lunch got sent off to be cut, packed, and shipped back home to us! Knowing that the fish we'll have in our freezers back home are the same cod and halibut we caught here in Alaska is such an incredible, novelty experience. They even let us buy some salmon to include in our boxes too!

All off the staff at Baranof Fishing, from those at the dock who helped get us checked in and set up, to Captain Chris and the talented chef at the campground, were all an absolute delight and truly took care of us. We couldnt have asked for a better Alaskan deep sea fishing experience, and we encourage everyone else to look no further for your next...