Fishing Calendar

Book now for a dream trip – but only if you love salmon fishing! You won’t be disappointed. Not ready to pull the trigger yet? Read the story of Barbara Harp’s 5–day trip. Before considering your dates, keep in mind that not all species run at the same time of the year. Please use the following chart to plan your trip to our lodge.

 

Jun Week 1

Jun Week 2

Jun Week 3

Jul Week 1

Jul Week 2

Jul Week 3

Jul Week 4

Aug Week 1

Aug Week 2

Aug Week 3

Aug Week 4

Sep Week 1

Chinook

Coho

Sockeye

Steelhead

Pink

Halibut

Rainbow

Arctic Char

Grayling

Northern Pike

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Excellent

Very Good

Good

Poor

 

Salmon
Salmon are available to the angler throughout the season. We will be fishing for Kings in the Bristol Bay tributaries as well as Cook Inlet. We switch to Sockeye when they arrive at the mouth of the Iliamna River. This is one of the best fisheries Alaska has to offer, and it is right at our front door! Sockeye has the reputation of being the best eating of all the salmon. Other species of Salmon are no more than a short trip in the boat, depending upon the timing of the runs. There is usually one or more species of Salmon available to our guests. And, yes, great fly fishing is always a possibility!

Halibut
Our Lodge’s unique location gives the angler an opportunity to fish both salt and freshwater from the same facility and to fish without a lot of costly flying to the fishing grounds. You can test your prowess on Pacific Halibut in the world–famous waters of Cook Inlet.

Halibut range in size from 10 to 300-plus pounds and are the favorite take-home fish of the guests at Guth’s Lodge. Halibut fishing is included in the cost of your trip and all gear/bait is provided. We fish aboard our custom-built jet boat, the REEL FAST, a comfortable and fast forty-foot, sleep-on, twin-engine vessel — Coast Guard inspected and operated by a licensed professional captain. We are the only lodge in the Iliamna area to offer service in the Kamishak Bay region behind St. Augustine island.

A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT HALIBUT
Halibut are the largest flatfish, and are among the largest fish in the sea. The largest Pacific halibut was caught commercially in the Bering Sea. It’s estimated weight was 500 pounds, and its length was eight feet!! As far as sport catch goes, the International Game Fish Association lists a 459 pound giant as their ‘All Tackle’ World Record Pacific Halibut. It was caught on 130 lb. test line on June 11, 1996 near Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

Halibut live on or near the bottom, and prefer temperatures from 37 to 46 degrees F. Although halibut have been taken as deep as 3,600 feet, most are caught during the summer when they are at depths of 90 to 250 feet. Some sport–caught halibut have been caught in a mere 20 feet of water.

As adults, halibut move seasonally from deep water to the edge of the Continental shelf, then to shallower banks and coastal waters during the summer, then back to deep water in the winter. The seasonal movement is associated with winter spawning and summer feeding, and sometimes covers great distances. Guides having a good background and familiarity with halibut movements, and the electronics to help pinpoint the best holes, are the most successful.

The average halibut will tape 42 inches and weigh 30 pounds. These are the supreme eating fish, called ‘Chicken Halibut’ for the high quality of their flesh. Not all that many years ago, halibut were caught incidentally when fishing salmon, or perhaps targeted when salmon fishing slowed. Today, halibut have their own following of avid halibut fisherpersons, who will tell you there’s NOTHING like the battle that ensues when a big halibut picks up your bait! They’re incredibly strong, hard–fighting fish.

With Guth’s Lodge, you’ll have the opportunity to take home salmon steaks and ever popular halibut fillets as well! What a great way to remember your Alaskan trip.

Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout, often exceeding 10 pounds, are found in abundance in many of the streams flowing into Iliamna Lake. Some of the streams are restricted to fly fishing only with catch-and-release requirements. We encourage catch and release whenever fishing for rainbow. We will travel to many of these streams using jet boats for transportation, then wade or if the water volume permits, fish from the boat. Dry flies work great before the arrival of the huge salmon runs, after which egg patterns become more effective. We recommend at least hip waders be included in your gear list.

Arctic Char, Grayling, & Northern Pike
These species add to the diversity and challenge that only a trip to Alaska can provide the fisherman. Here, you could fish for ten days and target a different species of fish every day depending upon your personal preference. The aggressive nature of these fish make them a real thrill to take on a small lure or large spoon. The normally high rate of success for these species make them particularly attractive to the beginner or anyone who likes a lot of action.