Big halibut begin to arrive in SE Alaska
<p>Trophy halibut fishing has begun out of Gustavus, Alaska, near the mouth of Glacier Bay.
During my first week of charters, Ron Goode of Napa, Calif., reeled in a 235-pound halibut, the first 200-plus-pounder of the season. The fish was caught on a whole king head marinated in Pautzke's Halibut and Rockfish Nectar.
We've been catching limits of 50- to 70-pound fish, plus a few really big ones, and releasing lots of 15- to 30-pound fish.
Salmon fishing is fair at Deer Harbor, but with good reports out of Sitka we expect good fishing the next week.
Lots of bait is beginning to show up, mainly candlefish but some herring too, so the big halibut should arrive on the next big tide.
If you want to fish there are some walk-on opportunties on Sundays and Mondays, but call ahead as space is very limited.
Ron Goode of Napa, Calif., and Capt. Andy Martin with a 235-pound halibut from Gustavus June 2.
Capt. Andy with an early king
About The Author: Captain Andy Martin
Company: Wild Rivers Fishing Oregon and Alaska
Area Reporting: Oregon, Alaska
Bio: Andy Martin is a well-known Oregon and Alaska fishing guide and charter boat captain. He targets trophy halibut in Alaska, as well as six-fish-per-person limits of silver salmon. In Oregon, he catches some of the biggest salmon in the Northwest, including trophy king salmon over 60 pounds. Oregon salmon and steelhead trips are done out of clean, heated jet boats and drift boats on the Rogue and Chetco rivers. Andy also is a prolific outdoor writer, regular contributing to Fish Alaska, Salmon Trout Steelheader, Saltwater Sportsman, Game & Fish, Oregon Hunter, California Sportsman, Northwest Sportsman and ESPN Outdoors.
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