Anglers who want to go up against some huge fish should head up north to the Land of the Midnight Sun. If you’re visiting from the East Coast, you might be surprised by the Alaska deep sea fishing on offer. Out here, it’s all about bottom fishing for the delicious and hard-fighting Alaskan Halibut, along with a host of other delicacies such as Lingcod, Rockfish, and Crab.

What to Expect

The star of any saltwater trip is of course Halibut. When it comes to Halibut the world over, it doesn’t get better than Alaska! It’s less about reeling in 10 lb “chickens” up here and more about 400 lb big “barn door” Halibut instead. This is where the IGFA record was recorded, at 459 pounds.

There are plenty of places with charter boat fleets that will take you to the prime fishing grounds. You’ve got the Halibut fishing capital of the world, Homer, as well as Seward, Juneau, Dutch Harbor, Ketchikan, Kodak, and plenty more. Each area has its top spots and best times to fish. In Juneau, you can head to the Icy Straight from as early as May 1. When fishing in Seward, there are even fishing grounds just 3 miles from shore – this is great when the weather offshore is too rough to fish. Depths here vary from 5 to 425 feet.

In some places along the coast, you can go fishing for Halibut on a four-hour trip. Over in Homer, you’ll need a 10-hour trip to target Halibut and Rockfish successfully. Although the trip will specifically be for Halibut, these trips may also have you reeling in Lingcod and Rockfish. Lingcod target the same baits that attract Halibut and Lingcod, so where one is, the other isn’t far behind.

How to Prepare

Non-residents over 16 will need to buy a saltwater fishing license before coming aboard. Always keep an eye on local regulations so you know when the season opens and how many fish you can keep. 

Fishing gear and tackle are usually provided by fishing charters in Alaska.If you’re bringing your own, you’ll need strong line (up to 150 lb test) to help you reel these big boys in. For any first-time Halibut fishers out there: Expect your captain to use extra smelly bait to entice the fish – you’ve been warned! 

What are you waiting for? Head out to an Alaska offshore fishing trip today. You’ll love reeling in these tasty giants!