A couple buddies and me are thinking of heading either to AK or Canada for 4 days in the peak season....where and when would you go if you are looking to fill the freezer full of salmon?

I have been looking Kenai,Kasilof and then the Skeena in Canada.....

I have not yet fished any of those places and I am not against salt fishing either....

Before you decide you had better check availability. We begin planning our Alaska trip after the first of the year but we already have our cabin reserved from the last year. The later you wait the more it will cost you for flight and car rental plus the choices are greatly reduced. Now would be a great time to plan next years trip.

I'd go back in time, thats where

Still some spots left for the Nushagak river.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

You just can't beat Kodiak Island for sheer numbers of both BIG nooks and silvers...especially the BIG nookies. You'd need to inquire about the limits of both nooks and silvers. It's salt water fishing.

I'd also inquire with Kevin Lund about the Togiak. I know it has the numbers. But if the limits are low, other than being SUPER FUN, might not be the most economical way to fill a freezer.

Since you want to fill your freezer, you'd want to take in to account limits, size, etc.

If you just want reds, the Kenai in Late July when they bump the limit up to 6 reds per day is hard to beat.

One can not harvest enough kings on the Kenai peninsula to make it a "fill the freezer" type destination. Maybe with reds, but not nooks. With low limits on silvers on the Kasilof (and probably Kenai), not where I'd go to fill a freezer.

Craig at the end of July for 3 days with Robbo and 4 nights of hanging out at Mantown.

This is directly taken off of Robbo's website:

"We will sustain some cutbacks in our Craig fishery this summer due to extremely low chinook returns up and down the West Coast. While it isn't pleasent, we're just thankful to still be fishing."

The Chinook fishery has been curtailed to a 1 fish limit after July 16th, that is one fish over 48"(approx. 50lbs). We're going to go anyway, the coho limit is 6 a day plus some lings and butts.

Kenai river around the 20th of July. Fly to Anchorage, rent a car and book a cabin or tent camp in or near Soldotna would be the cheapest way to do it. Have your fish processed and shipped home right there in town.

Like Parker said, if they up the red limit to six... you'll be drownin' in sockeye fillets after 4 days. Easy, cheap and it'll definitely fill the freezer.

If you're lookin' for more of an experience than meat... I'd look somewhere else though.

What you will find is that alaska is not the place to fill your freezer with king Salmon. Even in a good year alaska has very tight limits for non-residents. On the other hand coho limits can be very liberal. If your looking into SE also expect reduced halibut limits this year as well. Charter fleets have been overharvesting there qouta for a few years and there having to pay it back this year. If your intention is pure meat fishing than I would look into any place that has abundant sockeye or good coho fishing when your limit is higher. Aug is best for coho.

What Jo Jo said.

Matsu is asking that management improve fish numbers destine for the Matsu Valley. This will make restrictions and quota adjustments a necessity in the lower reaches where Kenai and Matsu fish mix. Matsu is asking that more of it's fish be allowed passage. They have already forced the relocation of the State fish and game office's to the Anchorage area. They feel it will shift managements main focus from just the Kenai area and it's fisheries lobbyest, so that it is convenient to the entire state. Alaskans are demanding more when it come to it's fisheries resources. They feel that management has been ignoring Alaskans in favor of out of staters to long and are demanding change.

Go for Reds and Coho! Actually Fishing in Alaska is not near what it use to be. Still fun to visit and join the sun worshipers on the water for full 22 hours days.

I hate the Spruce Bark Beattle. They sucks!

Come up to Yakutat--
www.glacierbearlodge .com
Plenty of salmon and 100 feet deep fishing for Halibut and other bottom fish. You cannot beat it.
If you plan right and come up in mid August, you will have the time of your life with more fish than you can imagine. Last year in mid August you could catch-
Chrome Sockeye, yes chrome
Kings in the bay
Coho in the bay or river
Chrome Humpies up the butt in the river, and they do fight good
Halibut, rockfish, lings, bass
Catch a buzz in the bar

Safeway ...

Is there any good fishing in the Juneau area? Going to be making a trip up there this Summer but don't here too much about their fishery..

I have fished the The Skeena several times during the summer chinook run, haven't fished the kenai but I have a good friend who lives up their and fishes it. The skeena you want to be there the last week of July up until about August the 5th, that's when the big Kalum fish show up. I would say if you have good eggs and know how to backtroll reasonably well you could expect to hook 5-10 fish/day for the boat, during a good year many more, averaging 30-40Ibs, if you time it when the Kalum fish are there it seems like about every 4th fish is close to or over the 50 Ib mark. If you need more info PM me, I also am good friends with a reputable guide in Terrace.

You haven't mentioned anything about budget, but with the cost of airfare , Vancouver Island locations like Nootka Sound that are driveable may be a better choice than Alaska.

The money saved could be spent on charters or lodge services.

You need to check out the timing of fish runs wherever you might go. There are many places that have fantastic fishing for a couple of weeks and so-so fishing the rest of the season.

all depends on how much $$$ you want to drop and how far off the beaten path you want to get. If you got the money, look into the Nush or the Togiak, you wont be disapointed.