Got a trip to Prince of Wales Island, AK booked with three buddies for early this September. We’re gonna be there for 6 days at a self guided freshwater lodge with our own truck to get around.

I’ve found several good websites containing info on some of the popular fishing spots but wanted to see if anyone on here had any advice before taking this trip or any spots that can’t be missed.

Feel like we got pretty lucky with coho this last fall down here so I can’t imagine how good this will be. Liberal limits.

Thanks

Call Bigstick

Not familiar, is that someone on here?

He was a legend back before this site did a face plant.

PM ...........T.K. Paker

He will maybe help you.

Awesome thank you!

1/31/2022

Take lot's of "twitching jigs".....They'll work there, and they'll work GOOD in all coastal rivers, when you get back home......

PM, me if want a strong recommendation of a "jig maker/builder"......

If you're fishing from shore, be careful. PoW Island has some of the highest density of bears anywhere on the planet. They'll be doing the same thing you are: fishing for salmon. And they have their favorite fishing holes, just like us. The abundance of salmon is why there are so many bears, so they have to eat salmon to survive the upcoming winter.

Good luck!

POW is a huge island, you need to be a little more specific as to where you will be staying.

Definitely bringing a few dozen jigs, but spinners are almost always my go to.

We’ll be staying in Thorne Bay for 5 nights, six days. Definitely have heard about the black bears.

so I moved up to the island about a year and a half ago.
sounds like you will be fishing the Thorne river mostly. lots of places to drive to and pull off to fish. most locals use big spinners, bigger than I would have ever considered using in Washington. yes there are some jigging pools. for the river I use mostly trout sized spinners unless the river is high.

the bears seem to get along with most people they are too busy eating to be a bother, that said if they make a definitive move to come toward you get out of the Way and let them pass. normally they are just changing spots. I have had foul hooked fish get right under their nose and they look at me annoyed but just wait till the fish either comes off or comes back down to me, then continue fishing. I know it always feels way too close to the bear to me but they don't mind. had one one year come down to the pool i was fishing from the other side of the creek, I didn't see him till it was way to late to do anything, he dove in the pool grabbed a fish then went back to the woods to eat it. he did that 3 more times before I decided to move. honestly, after the first splash I felt safer than I did at blue creek in the heydays. he was fishing I was fishing I obviously didn't hamper his catch rate. and if anything he improved mine.

remember no felt sole shoes allowed up here, the rocks are slick, the rivers mostly fast and shallow. wild fish in wild rivers are a lot different then hatchery hole fishing. a LOT. I had my self imposed limit last year before August from a boat in the salt. the year before I didn't get enough for the winter and had to buy meat. it is not a slam dunk all the time. most of the time you are looking for fresh incoming fish, they bite better. I watched for 2 hours last year at the bridge over Staley creek as 8 guys fished over this massive school of coho, couldn't see the rocks under the fish massive, didn't see a bite the whole time. other days and times you get your 6 fish in under an hour.
hope you get at least one good day.
cncfish