The Petersburg 2018 Fishing Season at Green Rocks Lodge is now over but the memories are still as fresh as if it was just yesterday. Our guests had some amazing adventures and the fishing was good as always. We also had a handful of hunters who showed up in the late spring that had success in hunting bear around Green Rocks Lodge.
Green Rocks Lodge is a very unique facility because of its proximity to Petersburg Alaska. yet most people would consider it a remote Alaskan fishing lodge. Alaska airlines has two flights a day coming into Petersburg and the lodge is located a short 20 minute drive and 10 minute boat ride away. The lodge is located on Kupreanof island in an area known as the Wrangle Narrows. The waters surrounding the lodge are all ocean waters and the area is very protected from the winds and weather by all the islands around it. Most days it is like fishing on a calm lake.
Just down from the lodge is an inlet called Blind Slough. It is known for both its King and Silver Salmon fisheries. Guests at Green Rocks Lodge enjoyed good King Fishing during the month of June. Unlike other parts of Alaska where you are not alowed over one fish per day in our waters we are allowed 2 fish per day and we are anticipating that it will be the same in 2019.
Although most fishermen at Green Rocks fish the inlet from boats there is also a system of trails and boardwalks along the banks of the slough where some or our guests enjoy fishing from the bank and getting access to the narrower portions of the water way. You are not restricted to what type of fishing you do in Blind Slough and we have guests that will even fly fish for salmon here.
The most popular fish at the lodge is our Halibut. This year the lodge set a new record with a fish coming in at just over 240 pounds and a number of others in the 200 range. Our guests are allowed 2 halibut per day in our waters. With most fish in the 20-30 pound range you can see how the fish boxes can fill up fast. Many of our guests used the traditional hangers and fresh bait but a number of guests started using combinations of jigs and bait and had some very good fishing.
The halibut waters are rather unique around Green Rocks Lodge in that most fishing is done in less than 50′ of water. In most other areas throughout Alaska and the Eastern Pacific you will fish in 100′ of water or more to catch halibut. This difference is greatly appreciated when a 100+ pound halibut is hooked. Halibut of this size will make a number of runs back down to the bottom only to have to be reeled up again. You will soon understand the advantages of fishing in shallower waters when this happens.
The boats at Green Rocks Lodge had all the electronics you need to find the fish and to stay safe in the waters where you fish. Also on the boat is a harpoon that is used when you get a bigger halibut to the surface. The tip of the harpoon releases from the staff after going through the fish. The tip will then turn sideways and you now have a sturdy rope attached to the fish to help you get it into the boat. Its a very safe and efficient way of getting these big barn doors into the boat.
Rock Fishing is also a very popular past time at Green Rocks Lodge. Many of our guests will start Rock Fishing after they have limited out on halibut for the day. There are many different types of Rock Fish that you can catch while at Green Rocks Lodge. In fact, a guest at Green Rocks caught and registered a new Worlds Record Dusky this year at a weight of 7+ pounds. That was an exciting day at lodge for sure.
Along with Duskys we also have various types of cod and other shallow water species. It is a lot of fun to fish for Rock Fish because you never know what you may pull up. We have had guests catch sharks, skates, halibut and even a rare salmon while Rock Fishing.
Another popular activity this year was crabbing and shrimping. Upon request the boat handlers will load a crab pot and shrimp pot into your boat along with bait so you can “soak them” in various waters along the routes to go halibut or salmon fishing. Push them over in the morning and then retrieve them on your way back in or the next morning. They also have a crab gauge on the boat so you can make sure that you don’t keep an undersized crab. You will be shown the difference between a male crab and a female crab at the lodge … you want to make sure that you only keep the male crabs.
The lodge does a great job of cleaning and packaging your catch each day when you return from fishing. The boat handlers will carry your catch to the cleaning station for you and fillet the fish, vacuum back your catch and then freeze them. When you are ready to leave the fish and then packed in insulated 50lb fish boxes and are ready for you to take with you. Most fishermen took 1-2 boxes back with them and a few had a lot more than that.
The lodge is all buttoned down for the winter but it is ready to go for the 2018 season coming up in about 6 more months. As you can see the Petersburg 2018 Fishing Season was a success and we are anticipating another great year in 2019.