Booking your first charter comes with questions people sometimes feel silly asking. Where do I stand? Will I know what to do? What if I’ve never caught anything bigger than a trout? All normal, and all easier than you think. This is what a first charter with us actually looks like, hour by hour.
The morning: meeting the boat at Clover Pass
Trips meet at Clover Pass Resort, about 15 miles north of downtown Ketchikan, and full days typically start around 6 a.m. You bring layers, rain gear, food for the day, and your Alaska fishing license. Everything else, rods, reels, tackle, bait, and life jackets, is already on the boat. That boat is the Laney-Roo, a 27-foot North River Seahawk with an enclosed heated cabin, so the cold morning run is more comfortable than you might be picturing. The what to bring page has the full packing list.
On the water
Captain Jim reads the tide, the weather, and the recent fishing, then makes the call on where to start. Nobody expects you to know anything on day one. Teaching is one of the parts of guiding Jim genuinely enjoys, and walking someone through their first salmon is a normal part of his season. You’ll learn what the gear is doing and why, and when a rod goes off, it goes in your hands. The fight is yours, with coaching a step away the whole time.
The day itself follows the fish. Trolling for salmon keeps the boat moving and the gear working. Bottom fishing for halibut is slower and heavier, quiet stretches broken by the strongest pull of the trip. Many first-timers do a bit of both on a combo day, which is a great introduction to what fishing here is about.
The part first-timers never expect
When the boat ties up around 4 p.m., you don’t haul your catch anywhere. The processing crew meets the boat at the dock and takes it straight from us. Cutting, vacuum sealing, freezing, boxing, and storage until you fly home, or shipping to your door. Watching your own fish get cut minutes off the boat is half the fun of the evening. The processing page covers it start to finish.
Three things worth doing before you come
- Buy your license online from ADF&G before the trip, plus a king salmon stamp when king fishing applies.
- Plan more than one fishing day if you can. Jim usually suggests three, because Southeast Alaska weather gets a vote. The FAQ explains.
- Ask your questions when you book. Real questions get real answers, usually within a day, and no question about a first trip is a silly one.
First-timer questions
Do you need experience for an Alaska fishing charter?
None. Instruction is included, teaching is a part of guiding Jim genuinely enjoys, and first-timers are a regular part of every season on this boat.
What do you bring on a charter?
Layers, rain gear, waterproof footwear, food and drinks for the day, and your Alaska fishing license. Rods, reels, tackle, bait, and life jackets are already aboard. The full list is short.
What time do charters start and end?
Full days typically run about 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Clover Pass Resort, and the exact meeting details get confirmed when you book.