Last season, at
the end of May, I had the opportunity to fish the Sitka Sound
area of southeast Alaska with guide Greg Kain. Many anglers,
including Gary Loomis and Dan Ross, told me that for king
salmon trolling, Sitka was the place to be. For example, last
year Greg got four anglers into well over 120 Chinook in three
days. Fishing isn't always that good, but it is consistent.
If you enjoy trolling/mooching for salmon, Sitka Sound and
nearby areas are hard to beat.
Usually the largest salmon of
the year are caught during the early season. The Sitka salmon
derby held each year at the end of May is usually won by a
50 -, 60-, or 70-pound fish. Anglers don't even consider weighing-in
fish under 35 pounds. Many are believed to be Skeena stock,
known for their large size.
Greg exclusively mooches and jig fishes for Chinook. Anglers
hold their rod at all times, which increases the excitement.
Imagine having a 20- to 50-pound-plus ocean salmon grab your
bait and run - hang on! On my trip this happened repeatedly.
During one bite we even had a quadruple hookup!
