Fish Processing & Shipping in Ketchikan
Catching the fish is your job. Getting it home in good shape is already handled, and it is simpler than most guests expect. This is what happens to your catch after an Alaska Fishing Company charter, start to finish.
What happens at the dock
- The processing crew meets the boat. When we tie up at Clover Pass, the crew is there and takes possession of your catch right at the dock. You don’t haul anything anywhere.
- Stay and watch, or head out. Some guests like watching their fish get cut and vacuum sealed; it’s honest work and fun to see. Others head straight to dinner. Both are fine.
- Your fish gets packed for travel. Processing can include cutting, vacuum packing, boxing, freezing, and storage until you’re ready to fly home, plus preparation for shipping if you’d rather send it ahead.
Many guests flying home simply check their frozen fish boxes as airline baggage; frequent Alaska travelers pack boxes right up to the weight limit. Processing and shipping costs are paid to the processor, and prices change, so ask for current numbers when you book rather than trusting a stale figure on a website. Airline baggage rules are the airline’s domain; check yours before you fly.
Cruise passengers: yes, your fish can still get home
Fresh fish and cruise cabins don’t mix, so cruise guests typically have their catch processed, frozen, and shipped to their door. It adds a step and a cost, but it is routine for the processors here. If you’re fishing on a port stop, we’ll talk through it when we check your port window.
Planning tip: fish boxes are one more reason the full-day trip earns its keep. More time on the water is the most reliable way to fill one.