Whittier report Thursday May 22

My first time out on my new ( used) yak and first time out in passage canal. Got to whittier at 945 to find 15-20 mph winds gusting to 25. Went on a three hour hike and the wind calmed down to 10 or so. Got in the water around 1 and fished till 6. Mostly targeting rockfish and halibut. I fished various depths 40-200 ft as this is all new to me. I used a large leaded jig head 3oz? Not sure about the weight but it's a massive jig head and a white curly tail. The only action I got was a couple small p cod that I chucked back. Well it's tough to have success on your first outing but still a bit let down as I'm used to catching rockfish with ease down south.

I paddled about 5 miles total. Fished everywhere from salmon run area to across the canal to the waterfalls on the other side. Anyways it was good to get out and pws is a stunningly beautiful place!

Any tips on depth and technique are much appreciated. I did throw a pixie around near the net pens but no luck.

Whittier is a super tough place to catch fish close. If you are looking for rockfish, you might as well paddle to the other side where the bird rookery is. Rockfish aren't huge but you can get enough for a couple if fish sandwiches. For close to Whittier you can downsize considerable. Think largemouth bass sized offerings. Though I have had friends catch 50 lbs halibut right off of Smittys cove.

I might try kings there soon but given the launch fees and slow fishing, you are much better off driving to Seward. Unless you hit the tunnel just right, it's virtually the same amount if time and always better fishing. If I don't hit the kings in Whittier, I may try to troll up some reds (never successful but always a first). The red one should be going strong in the next week or so.

A bit early for the reds in that cost-recovery fishery in Seward. I haven't caught one of those from the kayak either, but had a great day down there last year until chased out by a gang of juvenile sea lions -- who had much better success than me.

Whittier is tough especially around the harbor. I've done better at the head of the canal with silvers and pinks, and then  some rockfish past the Cove Creek inlet on my way out to Shotgun Cove. I've never done any good by the rookery, but if you farther out on that side, past the big creek that drains that valley -- there's also decent sized rockfish once the shelf drops off.

Thing about Whittier is that you're going to cover a lot of water -- unlike Seward where you can be into fish right off Lowell Pt sometimes.

Cool. I'll most likely head to seward next time. I'm used to catching rockfish anywhere there's structure but it seems to be a different game here in ak. Are the depths in seward similar to whittier? I'm not giving up on whittier as I know there has to be some good fish down deep. Maybe some short rakers or alike. I fished the bird rookery and no luck. It would be cool to organize a multi day kayak fishers trek to get to some better grounds.

Ferns -- Do you know about Aquatec's floating PWS lodgings? My husband and I are talking about a multi day trip out there, me to fish and he to kayak. Maybe early August...

ooo...that sounds like fun AKfishergal!

I did see a report that the snaggers are hitting the reds out of Seward already...limits even. Everything seems early. I am hell bent on trying to catch them ona  dodger and fly rig in the salt.  That would be such a cool fishery.

Cook Inlet forecast sucks.  Not sure what to do.  I may jump on a friend's powerboat out of Whittier tomorrow (BLASHEMPHY!!!   I know...  )

http://www.princewilliamsoundlodging.com/boaters-base-camp.html

The way things are looking, I could get out for two or three nights tops, but it seems like a good way to get into PWS to fish without all the camping gear.  I didn't book a cabin this year, and it doesn't look like KG did either. This is my fallback.

I was sold at "hot shower". 

I love the idea of a boat base camp. All I can think is, "camping without the mosquitoes and outdoor toilet."