Wild Strawberry Lodge — Hotel in Baranof Island

Since taking a cruise that stopped in Sitka in 2019, I have wanted to go back for a fishing vacation. My Father-in-Law, Brother-in-Law and I had discussed amongst ourselves going in 2021 for my 40th birthday, then the world went crazy. Finally in 2023, we booked for a 4-night, 3 days fishing trip in June of 2024. Less than 10 days before we were scheduled to head to Sitka, a close family member got a terrible medical diagnosis, and we knew instantly we would not be making our scheduled trip.

I called the lodge expecting the worst and prepared to be out nearly $3500 each. Much to my surprise and relief, after speaking to Karina, we were offered to rebook after our family member was cared for and that nearly all our previously paid amount with exception of a relatively small cancellation fee could be used as a credit later in 2024 or in 2025. This was far beyond our expectations considering the minimal time before we were due to arrive that we were needing to cancel. In that moment, I knew that regardless of all else, I had chosen to book with a not only reputable outfit, but one that had the ability to look beyond a policy to do the kind thing for their potential clients.

We were able to rebook the same trip exactly 1 year later and only paid a small amount to cover the cancellation fee and a small year-over-year price increase. We just returned from the trip and the wait was well worth it. From the moment we landed to the moment we were assisted with checking our boxes of fish into the airline, the lodge staff were there to assist with all requests and anticipating most of them before they could be made.

One note to consider for anyone looking to book a trip with Wild Strawberry Lodge (or any other service for that matter), understand where you are going and that it is a remote (by modern standards) town and that you will not be staying in a 4-star hotel. That said, the lodge is very well taken care of and clean and the staff are exemplary, even more impressive when you consider that many of them are young seasonal employees. The kitchen staff put out a nice buffet meal for breakfast and dinner that seemed to take into consideration some of the lighter on the stomach items one might want, such as white rice rather than potatoes for those who dealt with sea sickness. There was a stocked drinks cooler as well as a pot of coffee available any time during the day that I went to the dining area looking for a drink.

For the 3 days of fishing, we were assigned to the Jackpot with Capt. Mike and Deckhand Blake. Mike was the perfect 30+ year veteran skipper that is salty in all the right ways. He worked diligently every day communicating with other Captains in the fleet to make sure that not only we, but guests on other boats at the lodge got the fish they were after. To top it off, though I never sampled the Skippers abilities due to my concerns about seasickness, I was assured by the rest of my party that Mike made a damn good sandwich for lunch. Blake our Deckhand was amazing. Once we were on the fishing grounds, the man never stopped moving. He was always there to assist if we were unsure of a fishing technique, keeping our hooks baited, identifying and bringing aboard any fish caught and tracking which fish belonged to which person/party. At the end of each day on our way back to the lodge, Blake filled all the fish (more than 40 on our final day) and thoroughly cleaned the working area of the boat. Mike and Blake are a great combo, and while I am sure the other Captain/Deckhand pairs are just as capable, you will be lucky if you are paired with them.

If you are considering this trip, it is for many a once in a lifetime opportunity, one that you want to choose the best possible outfit for. I cannot speak to how the other lodge/guide services in Sitka compare, but I can say that I am 100% happy with the choice I made to book with Wild Strawberry. If I am ever fortunate enough to be able to do this trip again, it will be with Wild...

The Wild Strawberry Lodge/Alaska Premier Charters is a full service fishing lodge where you are served three meals a day, ride on comfortable state of the art boats and are provided rain gear and boots, saving room in your carry on. This was my first time to the lodge but second time to Sitka. Sitka's location is perfect for salmon and halibut fishing. Teresa and her staff do all they can to make your stay as comfortable as possible. You don't need to rent a car as they meet you at the airport and the boats are walking distance from the lodge. I came alone but was placed on a boat with other guests who weren't part of a larger group. We all got along great and loved our captain Dave Haapala and his deck hand Wesley. We lucked out with a great weather window on the water with minimal seas and sunny days after morning fog. The days can get long but the crew does all they can to make sure you have a shot at catching you quota each day. As a solo woman angler, I wasn't sure what type of experience I would have but there were other women there and the team does what they can to make women feel as welcome as men. ||Because the days are long, dinner is served at 6:00 and each night features two seafood dishes and one meat dish along with salad and sides and a homemade dessert. The lodge houses up to 42 people so its buffet style to keep things moving. If you want to go to town, they will drive you there after fishing and pick you up but it is walkable. Some people will stay in Sitka an additional day after finishing fishing to see all the sites and move to one of the other local hotels. All in all, a great experience. ||I hope to return again...

The Wild Strawberry Lodge/Alaska Premier Charters is a full service fishing lodge where you are served three meals a day, ride on comfortable state of the art boats and are provided rain gear and boots, saving room in your carry on. This was my first time to the lodge but second time to Sitka. Sitka's location is perfect for salmon and halibut fishing. Teresa and her staff do all they can to make your stay as comfortable as possible. You don't need to rent a car as they meet you at the airport and the boats are walking distance from the lodge. I came alone but was placed on a boat with other guests who weren't part of a larger group. We all got along great and loved our captain Dave Haapala and his deck hand Wesley. We lucked out with a great weather window on the water with minimal seas and sunny days after morning fog. The days can get long but the crew does all they can to make sure you have a shot at catching you quota each day. As a solo woman angler, I wasn't sure what type of experience I would have but there were other women there and the team does what they can to make women feel as welcome as men. ||Because the days are long, dinner is served at 6:00 and each night features two seafood dishes and one meat dish along with salad and sides and a homemade dessert. The lodge houses up to 42 people so its buffet style to keep things moving. If you want to go to town, they will drive you there after fishing and pick you up but it is walkable. Some people will stay in Sitka an additional day after finishing fishing to see all the sites and move to one of the other local hotels. All in all, a great experience. ||I hope to return again...