Check out our up-to-date calendar for information on Ketchikan events including festivals, gallery openings, fishing derbies, sports and other local happenings. everyone has a theory, but no one ever asks the fish........we had a very very late summer, okay, we didn't have a summer. Did You Know: Rainbow, or Steel Head trout are a type of pacific salmon; Less than one out of every thousand salmon eggs live to be spawning adults; Salmon is a healthy food that is high in vitamin D, protein, and omega-3. late warming = late melting of the snowpack and glaciers so the stream temps stayed too cold for a longer calendar time than typical. You will not catch more fish anywhere in Alaska or find guides of equal caliber. Ketchikan Salmon Fishing. Europeans settled here because they could trade with Tlingits. the runs were very late this year. Miners settled here because they had a trading post. In the town that boasts of being the Alaskan salmon capital of the world, here's where you can see the salmon in action—hundreds of thousands come through every summer. Sockeye and coho run the river between June and September. BOOK NOW AND SAVE!!! Silver salmon runs 150,000 strong stop to bite from mid-August to their peak in late September. I thought I'd read there was a salmon ladder, but I don't know if it's in town. Still a thriving salmon habitat, Ketchikan Creek saw its largest run of pinks in 2013, reinforcing the importance it … Fish for four species of salmon along with halibut, and cod each day. I will be in Ketchikan for the day during the first week of August and I'd like to see the salmon swimming upstream and maybe even see bears fishing (I know, it's nature, no guarantees). Ketchikan has the largest runs of salmon in Alaska. Is there a good spot in town to see the salmon that is walking distance (or city bus) from the cruise dock? Once glaciers left southeast Alaska 15,000 years ago, Ketchikan Creek became a salmon spawning stream. Salmon runs can be advanced or delayed by a number of events not the least of which is weather which can effect the level of water in streams. Pages. I know it varies from year to year but there are usually some general time windows. If they’re not planning a fishing trip, they’re scheming up ways to fill their freezer. But Ketchikan is also a vibrant destination in its own right; the port is rich in culture and things to do. Ketchikan, Alaska is the sourthernmost entrance and gateway to Alaska's Inside Passage, which is a route of waterways known for its history, abundant wildlife, and awe-inspiring scenery. Is there a good spot in town to see the salmon that is walking distance (or city bus) from the cruise dock? By Jeff Wedekind on March 11, 2011. I will be in Ketchikan for the day during the first week of August and I'd like to see the salmon swimming upstream and maybe even see bears fishing (I know, it's nature, no guarantees). Near milepost 52 on the Sterling Highway, the Russian River is a solid spot for salmon viewing. “Salmon” is the word on the lips of many Alaskans in the summer, from the first run of kings in May to the last run of silvers at the end of the season. The most common question I get asked is, “When’s the best time to come fishing in Alaska”. You'll learn about what it takes to raise salmon, the importance of the Alaska hatchery system, and the near shore marine environment that salmon share with other marine life. Close to the docks, the Southeast Alaska Discovery Centre should be one of the first things you do here when visiting. and some, like pink salmon never did appear (but they alternate high run/low run everyother year). Take your pick from 50,000 three to five-pound pink salmon from July 20 to August 20. Answer 1 of 8: How do I get a good idea of when is the best time to come to Alaska for the salmon run? Answer 1 of 6: I will be in Ketchikan for the day during the first week of August and I'd like to see the salmon swimming upstream and maybe even see bears fishing (I know, it's nature, no guarantees). Information about the salmon run in Ketchikan, Alaska. Simply put, salmon is part of the lifeblood of the 49th state. The hatchery raises just over 130 million chum, king and coho salmon annually and is designed to allow visitors see the outside operations of an active hatchery.