I’m visiting Ketchikan, Alaska early next week. I have like maybe 12 hours to fish. I’m just looking to maybe wet a line for a few hours. Is there a lake or a river near the town that has some rainbows or cutthroats in it? I’ve been up there twice already and I am always looking for something to do in the evening besides drink some beer and watch prime time TV at 4 in the afternoon.
I was through Ketchikan on my honeymoon cruise, and like you, I had only a couple hours to fish. There was a fly shop right at the dock. They outfitted me with gear (I hadn’t bothered to bring my own), gave me some tips, and called me a cab. Never so much as asked me for a credit card until I got back! There’s a small lake with an inlet/outlet that’s about a 15-20 minute cab ride away. I think it’s part of the Tongass Nat’l Forrest. You could probably just hail a cab. It was about $50 round trip. I caught cuttthroats, dolly varden, and tiny but unbelieveably beautiful rainbows. There may also be steelhead and salmon.
Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the shop or lake, but if I can figure either out, I’ll post them.
Ward Lake
[url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/ro/naturewatch/southeast/ward_lake/ward_lake.htm:2cd64]http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/ro/naturewatch/southeast/ward_lake/ward_lake.htm[/url:2cd64]
[This message has been edited by DT (edited 27 April 2005).]
Ketchikan is not quite the fishing center of AK. I’ve met a lot of hardcores from SE AK that travel up to the Kenai and the Parks Highway streams. Sounds like the advise above is the ticket.
Thanks for the advice guys. I’ve never caught a cutthroat and this might be a brief, but best opportunity for me this year.