Sitka DIY Kings and ‘Buts Sitka self-guided fishing puts you in the captain's seat, renting a boat and gear through Fish Baranof to chase some of the best king salmon and halibut water on Alaska's coast. This first-hand account follows a DIY crew fishing Vitskari Rocks, Biorka Island, and Cape Edgecumbe during a pandemic-era trip to Sitka. Written by George Krumm This article originally appeared in the February 2021 issue of Fish Alaska magazine. The Call That Started It All Lift. Drop. Lift. Drop. Freespool to thump [...]

Fishing in Sitka Alaska: Your 2026 Season Breakdown Fishing in Sitka Alaska doesn't need much of an introduction if you've been here before. Sitka sits on the edge of the open Pacific with migratory salmon lanes running right through the neighborhood. Bottomfish are stacked up in every direction, with enough protected inside water to keep you fishing when the ocean decides to throw a fit. Book your Boat Rental Today! Here's what to expect month by month this 2026 season. May The season kicks off strong. King salmon are already in the system, and [...]

Where to fish in Alaska Where to fish in Alaska when you want an unguided saltwater trip is a subjective proposition. A strong case can be made that Sitka is an excellent location to consider. Not only will you be able to target king and Coho salmon during the summer months, you also will be able to fish for halibut, lingcod and rockfish. This smorgasbord of species not only ensures exciting fish battles, but also succulent fillets of red and white. Things To Consider When choosing a location for an unguided saltwater trip, you’ll need to consider [...]

Planning an Alaska Trip Planning an Alaska trip, DIY style, requires a bit more planning and preparation than a fully guided adventure, but the rewards can be well worth it. DIY fishing, for experienced anglers, is often as or more fun than having a guide or charter captain put you on the fish. It’s more challenging, and that’s part of what draws anglers who have been catching fish all their lives, and it can be more fulfilling knowing that your decisions and actions directly resulted in the fish being caught. Plus, as we’ve mentioned many times over, [...]

Alaska Boat Rentals: Renting your own Boat in Sitka Versus Hiring A Fishing Charter Alaska boat rentals are our specialty. Our fleet of quality boats continues to grow, making it ever more possible for visiting anglers that rent boats from us to access the productive waters that are in the vicinity of Sitka. If you want to catch rockfish, coho, Chinook, halibut and lingcod, all on your own, then renting a boat from Fish Baranof is a smart decision. Advantages of your Self Guided Sitka Fishing Charter There are certain advantages that anglers gain when they rent [...]

Sitka fishing: 5 Tips for Your Sitka Fishing Trip Sitka fishing can often be fantastic. Lucky anglers have the chance to catch many different species of fish when they book with Fish Baranof. The proximity to open water is a major blessing. It allows you to get to a range of species without the long boat rides that you are forced to endure from other Alaska ports. Anglers who are diligent in preparation, and follow some hard-earned advice are likely to catch more fish than those that show up unprepared. Tip One Sitka fishing ramps up [...]

Best DIY fishing in Alaska The best DIY fishing in Alaska is right here in Sitka when using the boats in the Fish Baranof fleet. Our 19- and 21-foot Hewescraft hardtop boats allow you to access the fertile waters around the area. Guided anglers in southeast Alaska are limited on the size of the halibut that they can keep. One of the things that makes fishing in Sitka one of the best DIY fishing in Alaska opportunities is that self-guided halibut anglers can keep any size fish. In 2022 guided halibut anglers in Sitka could keep one [...]