NCKA goes to Ketchikan, 9/2-9/9

Hello!  I'm home.  I spent the last week in Ketchikan with a group from NorCal  Kayak Anglers.  I need to go unpack but here are a few teaser pics.

Tim starts the trip out right on the first night with a 60+ pound halibut (released).

-Allen

A couple of nice yelloweyes were taken including this one by Dave.

-Allen

Not to be outdone, Pat weighs in with a 45# class halibut and a yelloweye bigger than Dave's!

-Allen

Dave answers back on the very last day with this halibut.

-Allen

I got a few halibuts of my own, 4 total, all chicken sized.  Here I am with 2 with Dave and his big butt.

-Allen

Salmon were a bit on the slow side, but here's an 8# silver on the deck.  My 2006 bad luck streak on salmon officially ends!!!   

-Allen

More later ...

-Allen

Nice! Looks like the fishing was pretty solid.

Oh that looks like agood time. So did you fish right there out of Ketchikan or did you boat out to some of the islands. How did you get your kayak up there? did you guys drive up with yaks in tow or did you fly them up. Got to love the big hali's. How long was that battle. Did you guys hook up with the kayak guy up there or did you set it up your selfs
FC

This trip was done with the help of Howard McKim at http://www.yakfishalaska.com/.  We stayed 4 day at a forest service cabin on Prince of Wales Island  (http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/cabins/pow/trollerscove.shtml)/.  Howard ferried 6 kayaks over there for us to use including Prowler 13's and Fish N Dives.  We fished within a couple miles of the cabin and were on the water 10+ hours per day.  We caught a total of 12  halibuts, the biggest of which were a 60+ pounder, 2 in the 45 pound range, 4 in the teens, and 5 smaller ones.  The big one was released as it was caught the first day and the 5 smaller ones were also released.  I'd say the 60 took about 20-25 minutes before release.  I got to play wireman for the 3 biggest ones and I personally caught the 4 in the teens, so I think I have the technique down for when we target them locally next spring.  The 60 and one of the 45's was caught within 1/4 mile of camp in ~250 feet of water.  Most of the rest were taken off a bank about 1.5 miles from camp.  We also caught 2 silvers in the 7-8 pound range, and quite a variety of rockfish including 2 large yelloweyes (pictured).  The silver fishing was really slow this year.  We did rent a 20' skiff the last couple days after we returned to  Ketchikan and caught 6 silvers averaging about 10  pounds and 2 humpies.  But again, this is an off year for whatever reason.  I'll post a full report once I get a chance to write it up.  It was a great adventure that I hope to do again some day.

-Allen

I was showing the Ketchikan pics to a friend the other night and showed him this pic of a very small pacific halibut.  He pointed out that this butts eye had yet to complete migrate to one side.  And indeed it looks like its eye is right on top of its head.  This fish was release after a quick photo.

-Allen

So how far was the cabin from the ferry terminal there on the island. where you close to Craig (town) or north of that. The trip I did up there was on the inside of the island at Whale pass. They were little cabins with bunk beds, kitchen and hot showers. Right across from camp the silvers were hitting the water hard, about 3/4 of a mile across the bay. They pile up there waiting to go up river. Also caught some starry eyed flounders. This place was pretty nice cause he had a little general store that sold grocerys and license. Not another soul around for miles except for Bob and his wife, two other guest at the time. You can also hunt Bear from his place. He gives you a boat, motor and fuel for the price of the stay. We crabbed and dug clams as well. We caught so much salmon that I got tennis elbow.
FC

Troller's Cover Cabin is located here .

It's on the inside of the island.  Probably about 20 miles by boat from Ketchikan.  Craig is on the outside almost directly west and a tad north from Troller's Cove.  Not sure which ferry terminal you are talking about as there are 2 on the island.  Assuming you're talking about the one on the east side at Hollis, then the ferry goes right into Kasaan Bay.  We were at the south side of the mouth of Kasaan Bay.

-Allen