Situk River Anglers Can Be A Part Of Pink-Pocalypse For Overlooked Salmon

The following appears in the March issue of Alaska Sporting Journal:

BY RANDALL BONNER

Between sockeye and silver salmon runs, the lodges in Yakutat usually take a moment to catch their breath between catching fish.
During odd-numbered years, hordes of pink salmon swarm in around late July and early August, making it difficult to continue targeting sockeye and bringing that fishery to an abrupt end. While the timing of pinks’ arrival in the lower river still allows for an extension of upper river sockeye angling, the inevitable pink-pocalypse engulfs the entire 14-mile float from Nine Mile Bridge to the takeout near Strawberry Point.

SALMON WITH AN ATTITUDE

Humpies are arguably the most aggressive salmon species, especially when you throw something pink at them. They turn to their spawning phase quickly after entering freshwater, giving them a bad rap as table fare. However, pinks caught in the lower river or from the salt are a great bonus fish to add to the bag with sockeye in late summer or coho in early fall.

To get a quality pink filet, there are a few factors that need to align. First, the fish have to be chrome and fresh from the salt to have firm, flavorful flesh. Catching them in the bay is ideal. When they’re staging to enter the river, they’ll be thick in the salt and hard to keep off the hook.

HOW TO TARGET PINKS

While trolling offshore is the easiest way to target them in the salt, the unique landscape of Yakutat lends itself to tidal sloughs that flow saltwater around islands. The legendary Ankau Bridge is a community hotspot for locals to drop their presentations from above and target the fish below.

There’s just something oddly entertaining about looking 20 and 30 feet down at schools of fish wandering around, hooking up, and trying to keep them out of the pilings before yarding them over the rail. The accessibility and minimum skill level involved draws crowds of kids from the village looking for a good time and easy pickings.

FROM THE WATER TO THE PAN

Besides choosing super salty pinks for harvest, the other half of acquiring a quality pink filet is cleaning, packaging and freezing them quickly. The best way to eat a pink filet is when it’s still fresh. Glacier Bear Lodge (glacierbearlodge .com) offers a “Catch of the Day” option for guests to bring in their catch early and have the kitchen staff prepare it for dinner. Not only is this the freshest possible way to try a pink salmon filet if you’re on the cusp of sockeye or coho season, you can prioritize the best quality table fare to ship back home.

While most Alaskan residents might be spoiled by the abundance of rich- flavored sockeye, the mild flavor of pink salmon is easily superior to most trout and farmed Atlantic salmon, which dominate the grocery store seafood counters of the Lower 48.

FISHING FOR FAMILIES

Some of my favorite trips as a Situk guide were taking families on trips to intentionally target pink salmon. Any other species that went into the bag limit was a pleasant surprise rather than an expectation. Seeing kids rope in fish after every cast and make their Alaskan adventure dreams come true is hard to beat.

There are big bag limits for Lower 48 fishermen who just want to fill their freezer, which keeps the fish processors at the lodge busy. Savvy anglers know not to take resources for granted, especially when that resource provides subsistence, entertainment and employment.

A GREAT DAY ON THE WATER

The pace of this fishery is a little different too. Not having to play hopscotch with a ton of other boats redirects our priorities in the right place to simply enjoy the ride and our time on the water.

The availability and accessibility of DIY adventures is easier to come by for independent anglers as well. Remote Southeast Alaska streams like Tawah Creek provide opportunities to fish where you’re more likely to share space with a brown bear than another angler.

While pink salmon aren’t at the top of the list for most anglers planning a trip to Alaska, the fishery offers some great opportunities for both less experienced and younger anglers. Not only are they plentiful and easy to catch, but there’s far less traffic on the river during those transition times between sockeye and silver season. There’s also the opportunity to possibly catch all three species, as well as kings in the salt. Booking saltwater charters is easier when there’s not as many guests to compete with for seats. And last but not least, when booking is slow at the lodges, you’re quick to get a drink at the bar. ASJ