Port Lions Lodge

Sitka Blacktail Deer Hunts

Captain James — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:09:01 +0000

Have you hunted Alaska for Sitka Blacktail Deer yet? Port Lions Lodge on Kodiak Island is the best place in Alaska to hunt deer. Hunting Sitka Blacktail Deer with the crew of Port Lions Lodge is the way to go for many reasons. This article will provide information to show how simple your hunt can be.

You will be picked up at the Kodiak airport and transported to the lodge and back after your hunt. Getting from Kodiak airport to Port Lions Lodge and back is done via a half hour truck ride and a half hour boat ride through waters that are as protected as you can get on Kodiak Island. Why is this important? Many other lodges will require you to fly into Kodiak and then take a second flight out to their lodge on a bush plane. This can greatly cut into your hunting (or fishing in the summer) time as the weather can frequently be too foggy to allow the bush pilots to fly. Flight rules on Kodiak Island are VFR so when visibility is low flying is non-existent.Although poor weather involving wind can also create situations where a boat hunt is difficult by the time this has happened planes have usually already been grounded days prior and likely days after. Why risk getting to Kodiak city and spending days of your hunt in a local hotel waiting for the opportunity to fly out to your hunting location?

Another area where Port Lions Lodge has really put together a great environment for hunting is the arrangements for lodging during your hunt. Typically you will sleep in the lodge each night safe and sound out of the elements and away from the bears that Kodiak Island is famous for. You will enjoy fantastic lodge meals of full breakfasts and dinners that will include foods from the island like halibut, salmon, and venison. You will also have an excellent lunch packed for you to take into the field daily. At night you will enjoy the comforts of the lodge and you will be transported to and from your hunt each day. Note: if your hunt is guided you will enter the field with your guide who has planned your hunt each day. If you are self guided, being transported, you will be required to do a little homework of the areas around Port Lions Lodge in order to pick your hunting sites daily. For the transport hunts the crew of Port Lions will provide you information of where there are safe anchorages where you can be dropped off and picked up. You will then pick from these anchorages the areas you choose to hunt. Either way there are plenty of Sitka Blacktail deer so success rates are very good.

One aspect of Port Lions Lodge that will help to increase the success of your hunt is the boats that will be utilized to get you to and from your hunts. Port Lions Lodge has two 30′ Armstrong Catamarans that were designed and built with fishing and hunting the waters of Kodiak Island in mind. These two Cats are powered by twin Yamaha 250 HP 4-stroke motors, have state of the art electronics, comfortable heated cabins, and are built to slide right up to the beach to allow you off and on load right at the beach.

The owners of Port Lions Lodge have worked hard to make sure your Kodiak Island Sitka Blacktail Deer hunt is as safe and productive as it can be. This is a great hunt for hunting buddies, a husband and wife team, or a family. If you truly wish to hunt for Alaska Sitka Blacktail Deer then Port Lions Lodge on Kodiak Island is the place to call.

King Got April Fooled

Captain James — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:16:18 +0000

April 1, 2012

First Port Lions Lodge fishing report for the 2012 season. Captain Steve went out trolling for King Salmon on April 1. He evidently fooled a very nice King into taking the bait presented and wound up with a very nice fresh King Salmon dinner. From now up until approximately the middle of June is the best time of the season for catching trophy Kings. Our Kings feed around Kodiak Island all year and at this time the mature Kings are in a feeding frenzy preparing for their journey into the fresh water to spawn. This is time of the year that it is most possible to break the 50 lb mark and earn a trophy certificate from the state of Alaska.

Steve with His King

If you’re interested in fishing for large King Salmon contact us at Port Lions Lodge and we will “hook” you up!

Halibut Enchiladas, and a Story

Captain James — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:15:53 +0000

So this is my first attempt at this so please bear with me. I am Patti Stegall, chief cook and bottle washer, at beautiful Port Lions Lodge on Kodiak Island Alaska. How we (my husband captain James) and I arrived at Port Lions is mostly a blur to me but I will begin with a little background.

I am originally from “beautiful” Butte Montana (more about that later) but moved to Anchorage Alaska in 1982. My ex husband and I have two beautiful girls, Kelcie and Taryn (some of you had the pleasure of meaning Taryn last summer). I met James in 1993 while playing softball, he was the pitcher and I was the catcher so I guess you can say I caught the love of my life. James and I dated for 9 years and finally married in 2002 and became a mini version of the Brady bunch. He has two sons, Justin and Brian. We had a boat in Seward Alaska and when the girls became teenagers they didn’t want to spend every weekend out fishing, go figure. So James decided to become a Captain and run a fishing charter in Seward. Well being a weekend captain, he still had to work in Anchorage, wasn’t enough for James. He always dreamed of captaining every day, he loves the ocean and would be there every minute if he could. So he wanted a new boat, a catamaran, and found one in Port Lions. So, one day we fly to Kodiak, take a cab to Anton Larsen bay, get picked up by captain Steve and boat across to Port Lions. The weather was rainy and extremely windy (this was October) and I kept wondering, “what am I dong here??”. Thirty minutes later we arrived at Port Lions lodge and were stunned by the beauty, you have got to see it to believe it. Peggy (Steve’s wife, more about her later) welcomed us to her beautiful home and made us a fantastic lunch. While talking with them about the boat they mentioned that the lodge was also for sale. Well James’ radar went up, his dream of life on the water was right here. Needless to say the trip home was a blur, we had told them we would purchase the boat and would think about the lodge. This is all I heard on the flight home, “this is it, our dream come true, we can do it, sell everything, quit our jobs, sell the house and move to port lions.” I heard it so much that I knew that this was our destiny. So we sold the house, the business, quite our jobs, and moved to beautiful Port lions.

So here we are and I am suddenly a chief cook and don’t have a clue how to cook for 8-12 people, help!!!!!!!! To the rescue, super Peggy, to guide me through the first couple of months, I couldn’t have done it without her. I learned so much, especially about home made breads, and fantastic fish dishes. There will be more stories in the future but it’s probably best that I throw in a recipe now so here is one of the first recipes Peggy taught me, I am not sure where she got this recipe but I am sure glad she shared it with me. Thank you.

Port Lions Halibut Enchilada- Peggy

INGREDIENTS

8 to 12 soft flour tortillas

4 cups cooked Halibut meat

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 package taco seasoning

Water accord g to package directions

1 15 oz can enchilada sauce

1 can cheddar cheese sup

1 cup sour cream

1 small can chopped green chilies

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Filling;

2. Mix the cooked halibut taco mix and water together until mixed and halibut flakes apart a little. Set aside.

3. Sauce;

4. Mix together cheddar cheese soup, sour cream and chilis and coat bottom of 9*13 pan with a thin layer. Fill shells with meat, place in pan seam side down. Spread rest of sauce over the top a d top with shredded cheese. Pour enchilada sauce over all. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

I also had a halibut enchilada recipe, I had to dig through lots of moving boxes until I found it, but here it is:

Port Lions Halibut Enchiladas-Patti’s

INGREDIENTS

Sauce

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups sour cream

1 4 oz can chopped green chilies

Enchiladas

4 cups poached halibut, flaked

8 oz Monterey Jack cheese

Salsa

Chopped onion

INSTRUCTIONS

Sauce

1. Heat Oil over medium heat, stir in flour, then broth stirring constantly, bring to boil. Cook one minute then remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and chilies.

2. On each tortilla put 1/3 cup halibut, 2 T shredded cheese and 1 T chopped onion. Roll and place seam down in lightly oil baking pan.

3. Heat oven to 400. Pour sauce over enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake 5 more minutes

Let me know which one you like the best because I like to make Port Lions Lodge the best experience ever.

Hope you enjoy them and come back again to hear more stories and get more recipes.

Until next time,

“Chef”" Patti

When is the Best Time to Come Fishing at Port Lions Lodge?

Captain James — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:06:01 +0000

When is the best time to come fishing at Port Lions Lodge? That question is asked frequently. The answer is….it depends! It depends on what your fishing goals are for your Alaska fishing vacation.

Since some of the species of fish are excellent all season and others are cyclical, seasonal, or off limits during times of the season your desired species mostly will help you decide your timing.

To begin with, halibut fishing from Port Lions Lodge is good throughout the entire fishing season so halibut fishing should not affect your timing. At Port Lions halibut of over 400 pounds have been landed in both April and November. Halibut over 100lbs, more common than the above-mentioned monsters, are caught almost year round. The only caveat to halibut fishing in Port Lions and throughout Alaska is they are not allowed to be targeted or harvested in the month of January.

Captain James with a 450 pound Halibut

Another species that are frequently desired by anglers are Ling Cod. The voracious Ling Cod are very aggressive and are caught year round. Due to their aggressiveness they are not allowed to be targeted or retained until July 1 each year. If you truly desire to catch and bring home Ling Cod you will want to ensure that you plan your Kodiak fishing trip to Port Lions Lodge after July 1.

Teri with her nice Ling Cod

An additional species, actually multiple species, that are also popular to many anglers are Rock Fish. These are the black, dusky, yellow-eye, tiger, and a vast multitude more of fish that fall into the Rock Fish family. These fish are excellent table fare and a real blast to catch when we get them into a feeding frenzy. These fish are typically around year round with no off-season so they should also not have an impact on your decision of when to plan your Alaska fishing trip.

Tiger Rock

There is a species of fish that will greatly impact the timing of your Alaska fishing trip to Port Lions Lodge. This species is Salmon. Salmon, five types, run in the Port Lions area at different times of the season. Salmon will greatly influence your choice of when to come to Port Lions Lodge. The species of Salmon are the mighty Chinook (King), the Sockeye (Red), the ever popular Coho (Silver), and then the lesser desired species of Chum (Dog), and the Pink (humpy).

The Kings are around throughout the fishing season. They are actually around all year feeding on the ever present bait fish that holds to Kodiak year round. The difference is that early season, even April, through about the end of June Kings can be huge. This is the time of season just before the year’s breeder (spawners) class of Kings leaves us and run into their home rivers to spawn. These are the trophies. These Kings will run from 40-60 pounds with an occasional lucky angler landing a King in the 60+ range. Around the end of June to early July these spawners have left the waters of Kodiak.

Sergeant Major Sean with a nice King

The remaining Kings that continue to be caught around Kodiak all season and all year are the younger feeders that have not reached maturity where the biological clock tells them to go spawn. The feeder Kings will mostly run from 15- 35 pounds with occasional ones coming in in the 40-70 pound range.

Kings in the Box

All of the Kings of Kodiak Island and the rest of Alaska run in smallish schools or alone. They are constantly chasing bait fish and cover a great deal of territory. These fish are unbelievable to fight while fresh in the salt water. They hit the tackle like a freight train and typically make numerous runs away and then directly back at the boat. They will jump and splash and dive and try every trick to get loose. They will even wrap the motors if they get a chance. They are likely the most spectacular game fish of Alaska.

Another extremely popular and very abundant Salmon species in the Port Lions area is the Silver. These fish run in the many thousands around Kodiak from early July into late August and sometimes up to mid September. The Silver will run 10-20 pounds with an occasional 20-22 pounder. When trolling or mooching Silvers it is common to have multiple fish hooked up at the same time. Many a time four or more clients will be fighting Silvers at the same time. This is likely the most exhilarating fishing experience you will ever experience. You will find yourself dancing around the deck of the boat dipping your rod tip under another persons rod and over the next. These fish will be netted and dumped in the boat in a frenzy leaving blood and scales all over the deck. You will realize you have laughed, yelled, hooted, and hollered all at the same time while fighting your fish. You will likely do this 4 or 5 times in a day and will find yourself tired and elated at the same time once the bite is over or, more likely, each of the clients have limited out!

Port Lions Lodge Silver

The Silvers, as mentioned above, run from early July into late August. Once their biological clock ticks and they run into the streams one would think the Silver fishing is all over. Well, it’s not. When the Silvers leave the salt water and run into the streams the crews of Port Lions Lodge take you right to the beach in our Armstrong Catamarans, see blog, and hike up and fish the Silvers in the gin clear waters where you see them and sight cast to them. Fishing them in the fresh water is a great experience and it is done in an old growth spruce forest with the trees covered in moss. This is a very special and unique treat and many clients book specifically to experience it yearly.

Port Lions Lodge Armstrong Catamarans on the beach at the fishing hole

The final Salmon Species that is sometimes fished in Port Lions Lodge area is the Red. The Reds are a unique Salmon. They are exclusively plankton and krill eaters. They are difficult to catch in the salt on a rod and reel with bait because they will not typically strike and our tackle really doesn’t mimic what they do eat. The Reds are a terminal run of Salmon that runs into a tiny stream in Port Lions each year bringing them right behind the lodge. They are easiest caught by fly rod at the mouth of the stream. This Red run comes around the end of May and runs through about the end of June. Reds run around 6-10 pounds and their meat is bright red with very little fat content. Some feel they are the best eating.

To tie this all together when planning your Alaska fishing trip all inclusive to Port Lions Lodge it is really the Salmon that you will want to consider when planning the timing of your trip. It all sums up to whether you want to fish for the opportunity to catch a huge trophy King Salmon or a bunch of Silvers. The Halibut and the Rock Fish are always available.

If you want the chance for the trophy King, Halibut, and Rock fish plan your trip anytime from early May into late June. The earlier in May and June the better the chance for the trophy King as some leave earlier than others. If you chose late May to late June you may have the added benefit of some Reds to your catch.

Kings and Halibut

If you want to catch a bunch of Silvers, Halibut, Rock Fish, and maybe a Ling Cod you should plan your Alaska fishing vacation in July through late August.If you desire catching Silvers in the salt and the gin clear fresh water streams, Halibut, Rock Fish, and maybe a Ling Cod come in late August through mid September.

Great Day of Catching

This should assist you with planning your trip. Comments are greatly appreciated.

Port Lions Lodge Armstrong Marine Catamarans

Captain James — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 05:09:01 +0000

Armstrong Marine Catamarans! The finest boat of the Alaska charter fishing fleet. There are two types of charter boat captains in Alaska. There are the ones that get to spend their days fishing on Armstrong Catamarans and there are all the others who wish they could!A charter boat should offer utmost comfort. It should handle the elements that the waters of offshore Alaska can deliver at times. A charter boat should be able to handle seas off the bow, following seas, and seas at the beam. A good charter boat should allow the captain and crew the opportunity to chase the fish wherever they may be. None can chase them in every element but some can certainly do a better job than others.

Port Lions Lodge two Armstrong Marine Catamarans on the Beach

As a boater for over 25 years in the Gulf of Alaska, Cook Inlet, Resurrection Bay, Prince William Sound, and now Kodiak Island it is my opinion that the Armstrong Marine Catamaran is the finest vessel I have had the pleasure of operating. I will make it clear at this point that I have always preferred operating 6 passenger vessels. My day on the water is spent up close and personal with my clients. I am not the type to run the 53 footers that are carrying over 20 clients. I call those cattle boats and, although they have their place, they are not for me in the guided fishing and hunting business.

Why a catamaran? What does the Catamaran duel-hull provide that a mono-hull vessel does not? Stability. In a word it is stability that makes the catamaran outshine the mono-hull vessel. Two vessels of equal length and width will handle seas different when one is a mono-hull and the other is a catamaran. The single hull vessel will roll in the waves where the catamaran is splitting the waves between two separate hulls offering a more stable platform. This is important because when running and especially while on anchor side to side roll is a big factor in people becoming seasick. Ever notice how everyone on the vessel was doing fine till the anchor stuck and then almost immediately someone, or many, became ill? The catamarans separate hulls split the wave action between the two hulls eliminating a great deal of the roll.

One of Port Lions Lodge awesome 30' Armstrong Catamarans. The Rachel

Another factor of the catamaran is its performance while under way (running). The two separate hulls of the catamaran individually are way thinner that the single hull of a mono vessel. When the catamaran is running these thinner individual hulls cut the waves way better than the mono hull. This results in a faster ride while burning less fuel. Not only are they more efficient but they also handle almost every sea angle better than a similar sized mono hull. Seas coming right into the bow are cut smoothly and the combination of the two individual hulls cutting these waves along with the tunnel between them cushioning the blow and reducing the pounding of these conditions. The individual hulls cut the waves and on the outside the water is pushed away from the vessel same as a mono-hull but the water on the inside of each of the separate hulls runs through the tunnel between the two hulls. This tunnel uses the water trying to compress between the hulls to add lift and create the above-mentioned cushion. This greatly reduces the bone jarring pounding that most of us have experienced on the mono-hull vessels.

Another area where the catamaran duel hull outshines the mono-hull vessel is running at angles to the seas. A mono-hull will hit a wave at an angle and experience a great deal of that roll experienced on anchor. The cat will cut into the wave with the first of the hulls to hit it and start to roll, which is very quickly stabilized when the other hull hits that wave. This effectively works to keep the vessel way more stable when running at angles to the seas.

Port Lions Lodge Great Room with Armstrong Catamarans on the Beach

A following sea can be a nuisance for most boats. Due to the cushioning effect of the tunnel between the hulls and the surface area of each of the individual hulls being less than that of a mono-hull the catamaran has a little less of the feeling of the bow being forced to dig in and the vessel feeling like it is going to be forced into a port or starboard turn or slide.

Lara Beth- Port Lions Lodge Catamaran

Getting to where the fish are. This is an item where the catamaran way outshines the mono-hull vessel. When halibut fishing offshore in deep water either vessel can get there and fish. However, what happens when the Salmon go up into the head of the bay into very shallow water and the tide is going to be falling? The mono-hull is done with these Salmon as they cannot get there and certainly do not want the tide to run out from under them causing the vessel to heal over onto its chine at a very uncomfortable angle. Also, when healed over what happens when the tide returns? Does water come in and swamp the boat? With the catamaran if the Salmon want to run to the head of the bay into very shallow water on a falling tide the catamaran will run right in on step and get to them. If the tide goes out there is no problem. The catamaran can be allowed to go completely dry under it. It will sit perfectly level and wait for the incoming tide to gently refloat it. During the time the tide is out there is plenty time for catching those Salmon that are locked into shallow pools or milling around at the confluence of a fresh water stream. This is very important for both hunting and fishing. The catamaran can go right to shore. The catamaran can be anchored out in shallow water on a falling tide while clients hunt, fish, beach comb, or enjoy a nice shore lunch. The clients on the mono-hull will never experience this without climbing down into that very unstable dingy and being motored in one or two at a time while being sprayed by cold salt water and hoping they do not slip and fall while climbing in or out either at the main boat or at the shore. How nice it is to be motored right up to shore in a 30’ catamaran and have a ladder lowered from the bow for three easy steps to shore. Nothing beats that except a landing craft which then gives up a great deal of the cabin space and comfort for that one feature.

Port Lions Lodge Armstrong Catamarans on the beach at the fishing hole

Port Lions Lodge located on Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska has two Armstrong Marine Catamarans built out of Port Angeles Washington. The owners of Port Lions Lodge had these two vessels specifically designed and built for Alaska fishing and Alaska hunting trips. When you spend your hard earned dollars for an Alaska fishing vacation or an Alaska hunting vacation you want a vessel that will be stable, reliable, dependable, and get you to the species of choice in the most expedient and comfortable manner. For more information on Armstrong Marine Catamarans check out their website at http://armstrongmarine.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

Armstrong Marine has provided the perfect vessel. At Port Lions Lodge we take our catamarans to shore almost daily. We offload fish and clients right at the beach behind the lodge. We fish the tidal pools and streams from the shore in areas only accessible via catamaran. We take our Kodiak Island Sitka Black Tailed Deer hunters right to their beach of choice and drop them and their gear off nice and dry. We then pick them, their gear, and their Sitka Black Tailed Deer right off the beach and take them right back to Port Lions Lodge. Some days in the months of October, November, and December the weather can be snotty. The last thing a client wants is to be loaded into a little dingy with all of this hunting gear and be motored to the shore through waves while getting drenched with spray. Nothing beats a catamaran right to the shore with a bow ladder to offload with you and all your gear nice and dry. Especially when it’s below freezing.

Jim Burnworth from Western Extreme Outdoors getting picked up by Port Lions Lodge Armstrong Catamaran

At Port Lions Lodge while on your Alaska fishing vacation you will experience fishing from shore in the late summer and fall. You will offload and hike a couple miles up to gin clear streams where you will sight cast to Silver Salmon and watch them actually strike your lure in an explosion of water and fish doing aerials. The Armstrong Catamarans of Port Lions Lodge are durable and capable to not only get you to these remote streams but also to get you back to the lodge after a phenomenal day of fishing.

Will the Water be Rough for My Alaska Fishing Vacation?

Captain James — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:10:35 +0000

You have made it all the way to Alaska for your dream fishing vacation. You are finally on the boat out on the water. You have not seen land, or anything for that matter for the last hour. The water is rough and you are bent over the rail of the boat deck feeling your stomach churn knowing what is coming next! Is this the Alaska fishing vacation that you have dreamed of for years? No!

The questions asked to Port Lions Lodge are frequently:

Will I get seasick?
A person in our group has a little motion sickness. Are the waves very big?
Last time I went to Alaska on a weeklong fishing trip 2 days were cancelled due to weather conditions. Is this common?

These are all very good questions and the answer to them all is….maybe. However, Port Lions Lodge offers the best opportunity to fish and enjoy your vacation fully without experiencing the above problems.

What makes Port Lions Lodge any different?

Port Lions Lodge is located in likely the most protected fishery in Alaska. The community of Port Lions is located in Settlers Cove off Kizhuyak Bay on the north shore of Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska. To the north of Port Lions are Whale, Raspberry, and Afognak Islands.

Port Lions Lodge in Port Lions on Kodiak Island

Does the location matter?

Yes. The location of Port Lions and Port Lions Lodge matters a great deal. The island of Kodiak offers protection from the wind from the south, west, and east, while the islands of Whale, Raspberry, and Afognak offer protection and passages to the north. These island passages offer protection from the weather that is used to your advantage on marginal weather days. If the wind is out of the southwest fishing will likely be done to the northeast. If the wind is out of the northeast (worst condition for Port Lions Lodge) fishing will be done on the southwest side of Whale Island, east side of Kizhuyak Bay, or possibly in the Shellikof Straights. In any event the islands surrounding Port Lions will be used to your advantage to offer a much higher possibility of a successful day of fishing.

Keep in mind that Port Lions Lodge is located on Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska. The Gulf of Alaska is actually the North Pacific Ocean and is very exposed. A few times each summer low pressure systems will park themselves out in the gulf for days or even, occasionally, weeks. These lows bring poor weather including winds that may be sustained for several days in a row building the seas into a nasty mess. When this happens it is almost guaranteed that the fishing crews of Seward, Homer, Deep Creek, Ninilchik, Kodiak City (if weather out of the east), Cordova, Yakutat, and many others are going to be extremely limited and more than likely cancelling the day of fishing. (This is one of the reasons the current owners of Port Lions Lodge sold their fishing charter business in Seward and purchased Port Lions Lodge) So, the low-pressure system is over the western Gulf of Alaska. The winds are blowing 25 knots, not too bad, but the seas have built to 8-10 footers. All of the other crews from the above locations have informed their clients there will be no fishing today; and maybe tomorrow. What happens at Port Lions Lodge? The vast majority of these days the crews of Port Lions Lodge will have multiple options to fish and do it in very calm waters. The simple fact at Port Lions Lodge is the islands of Kodiak, Whale, Raspberry, and Afognak offer very nice waters on poor open gulf days and flat calm waters on good days.

Above it was mentioned that the current owners of Port Lions Lodge sold their charter business in Seward and purchased the Port Lions Lodge partially due to weather issues. When in Seward approximately 75 days per summer were booked for fishing and about ten trips per year were multi-day trips, 3-5 days, across the Gulf of Alaska into Prince William Sound for fishing and lodging there. Of those 75 days booked each summer approximately 10 were cancelled due to weather in the gulf and maybe 10 or more were fished or travelled across the gulf in marginal conditions. At Port Lions Lodge in the summer of 2011 70 days were booked and 69.5 of them were fished. The .5 was a snotty rainy day that was fished early and the clients decided to return to the lodge early once they had caught a limit of halibut.

Lara Beth- Port Lions Lodge Catamaran

Port Lions Lodge offers another reason that our trips on the water are more enjoyable for our clients, even on the foul days. Port Lions Lodge has two vessels. They are both 30’ Armstrong Catamarans designed and built specifically for the elements of Alaska. Not only can they be taken to shore for beach combing or a shore lunch; they are the most stable platform for their size of vessel in the Alaska fishing fleet. These catamarans cut the water increasing speed and stability. While on anchor fishing for Alaska Halibut they are very stable and prevent a great deal of the roll of a single hulled vessel. These cats are full walk around for added fishing space, have a heated cabin, state of the art electronics and some of the best gear and tackle available in the fishing industry. These Armstrong aluminum catamarans can cruise easily through shallow water, maybe 18”, to get you to where the fresh water streams are flowing into the salt water at the head of the narrow bay in order to put you right on top of the Silver Salmon (Coho’s) as they are preparing to head into fresh water. If the Silvers have run into the fresh water these cats will take you right to the shore where you can offload from the vessel and fish the Silvers right in the fresh water.

Another benefit that these islands offer clients has nothing to do with fishing. Due to the fact that the islands offer channels and passages to fish means clients are not 20 miles from shore in open water where the only thing they see all day is water and waves. Fishing days are performed in areas near enough to shore to view Sitka Black Tailed Deer or Kodiak Brown Bears on the beaches. You may see a fox scurrying around and feeding on sand lances (bait fish) at a low tide. You will see Bald Eagles from the boat daily. Sea Otters will come up to check you out. Great numbers of Orcas, Fin, and Humpback Whales cruise the channels of the Kodiak Archipelago Islands throughout the summer offering spectacular opportunities for photos and video. Fishing is performed in shore enough that Giant Pacific Octopus with tentacle spans of 8 feet or more are occasionally caught. A day of fishing from the Port Lions Lodge offers the added benefit of sightseeing tours more spectacular than any other in Alaska!

Humpback Whale Kicking Tail for a Deep Dive

Fox on the Beach at Port Lions Lodge

Understand that weather is weather and fishing is fishing. This article is not intended to make you believe that Port Lions and the Port Lions Lodge do not or cannot get poor weather. They certainly can. However, it is intended to make you ask yourself if you want to take the chance with your hard-earned vacation dollars of increasing your risk of cancellation or fishing in marginal conditions. The odds of having successful quality fishing days on calmer waters for your Alaska fishing vacation are greatly increased at Port Lions Lodge.

Port Lions Lodge offers you the best Alaska fishing vacation you can get. The waters are protected, the scenery and marine mammals and species indigenous to Kodiak are spectacular and easily viewed, and the twin Armstrong Catamarans of Port Lions Lodge cannot be beat. Come to Port Lions Lodge and see for yourself. We will guarantee you an enjoyable trip!

Your comments below will be greatly appreciated. Also, please forward our blog on to any of your fishing or hunting enthusiast friends.

What to Bring to Port Lions Lodge

Captain James — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:50:33 +0000

We have booked our Alaska fishing trip all-inclusive to Port Lions Lodge on Kodiak Island. Do we really need to bring rubber boots AND chest waders?

This writing will provide information of what you should bring on your Port Lions Lodge Kodiak Alaska fishing vacation. The intent is to describe what you will likely want to have once at the lodge and how it will be used during varying times of the summer.

It is recommended that you pack warm clothes for layering. In Alaska anywhere you fish, along with most fishing places, the weather can change several times during a day on the water. It may go from cool and breezy in the morning to raining mid-day and then on to bright sunny and calm in the afternoon.

The goal for choosing what to bring is to be able to add and shed layers as the temperature changes. Nothing is worse than attempting to enjoy a great day of fishing and sightseeing only to be miserable and cold and spend the day inside the cabin of the boat with the heater.

A good idea is to wear a nice under layer of thin long johns followed up with a layer of maybe wool. It is also nice to have an outer layer that is waterproof. Not only will this keep you dry if it rains or drizzles but will also block the wind very well. Do not forget to bring warm gear for your head and your hands. A wool stocking cap works well. Just be sure your outer rain gear has a hood to keep it and you dry. I recommend a thin neoprene or similar material for gloves. You want to have a good grip for fighting that big Kodiak Alaska King Salmon or Kodiak Alaska Halibut while at the same time maintaining dexterity and warmth. Cold hands never work very well.

The key is to know your personal body temperature type and to bring enough clothing to handle Alaskan elements. Temperatures can range from the low 50’s up to the high 70’s at our Kodiak Alaska fishing lodge. Early morning temperatures might even dip down into the 40’s. 50-degree temperatures with 15-knot wind and rain sustained over a day can either create a miserable experience or can be handled, with proper clothing, in a manner that does not spoil your day.

Also, keep in mind many of our days get up into those high 70’s with no wind and bluebird skies. You want to be able to shed layers so you do not overheat. These days it is nice to have a good set of polarized shades and a ball cap. It may surprise you but we have many a day on the water where sunscreen is a must. We always have some but if you have a preference please bring it along.

A good thing to remember when packing clothing for your Alaska fishing trip is COTTON IS ROTTEN! Cotton gets wet and loses all ability to insulate and protect you from the cold. There are many new fiber garments now that are wool and wool blends like micro merino wool that will wick the moisture off you while maintaining its ability to provide warmth and protection.

Rubber Boots and Chest Waders?

Many ask if they really need to pack and bring rubber boots and chest waders for their Alaska fishing vacation. The answer varies. During May through mid August most fishing is done from the boat. In late August through mid September fishing is done both from the boat and from the shore in bays and streams. A caveat to the early season time frame is the fact that a very nice Sockeye Salmon run comes through right behind Port Lions Lodge in late May to mid June. Chest waders make it possible to fish them in the salt water directly behind the lodge.

When fishing on the boat all day there are frequent times when the deck of the boat gets slimy or bloody from the fish. It is nice to have rubber boots to keep the slime and blood off your shoes. Also, the crew will splash the deck numerous times a day to keep it clean which is no problem for rubber boots.

Chest waders, or hip waders, become handy at the end of most days when we offload our fish at the beach directly behind the lodge. Our 30’ Armstrong Catamarans will be pulled right up to the beach and we will drop a ladder off the bow. The water at the bottom of the ladder is usually around knee deep plus or minus a foot or so depending on the tide at the time. Many like to disembark at that time and stay with the fish for pictures while the captain then takes the boat back to the harbor. Here you want to keep in mind that our filleting crew offloads the fish. They will give you time for photos but they will want to start filleting as soon as possible to preserve the freshness of the catch. You can stay on the boat and return to the harbor with the captain to then be brought back to the lodge with him in the truck. If you ride back to the harbor the fish will likely be filleted by the time you get back to the lodge. If you are fishing with us late season, late August through mid September, we frequently leave the boat to fish Silver (Coho) Salmon in the streams. At this time of the season a good pair of chest waders is a necessity. During this time of the season when fishing is done from the shore spinning gear and mepps #4 lures are used. The blades on these lures that seem to work the best are colors of reds, yellows, blues, pinks, and variations of these colors. Due to the fact that these silvers are at full maturity and size and being fished in fresh water streams with rocky bottoms the lures get broken off frequently. Many fish are landed and many more are fought and use the rocks to their advantage to break off. It is very hard for the lodge to keep up with the number of lures lost during this time of the year so it is requested that you pick up a good deal of them for your trip. Average fishermen seem to lose about ten or so per day of fishing. Stream fishing will likely be done two or three times during your week of late season fishing depending on tides and how much your group desires to fish salt water for halibut. Here is an exaaaampppple of whaat youuu wiiiiill beeee loooooking forrrr.

You will also want to have a good camera (and maybe a video camera), polarized sun glasses, a ball cap or visor, and perhaps some lip balm.

The owners of Port Lions Lodge are aware of the luggage space and costs associated with bringing gear to and from Alaska. We have many pairs of rubber boots that have accumulated over the years. We will happily allow you to wear these boots during your stay but we cannot guarantee having your size or a set of boots that do not leak.

There are a couple of options that take some of the hassle out of transporting gear back and forth.

Some clients bring up their gear the first time then box it and leave it at Port Lions Lodge for their next trip to the lodge. There is plenty of space for this option. Others box up their gear and mail it in advance and have it mailed it back to them at the completion of their trip. Boxes can be purchased from the US Postal Service that have a dollar amount for shipping. Check with your local Postal Service.

Comments and ideas will be greatly appreciated. Also, if you have other ideas on necessary gear or clothing and or getting it to Port Lions Lodge please comment below. The goal of this writing is to enhance the experience of our clients so any assistance is very welcome.

How Do You Get to Port Lions Lodge?

Captain James — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:01:24 +0000

How Do You Get to Port Lions Lodge?

After much evaluation and comparison you have picked Port Lions Lodge as your next vacation destination. Finally, the decision is made. Time to kick back and relax while counting the days. Right? Wait a minute! How the heck do I get to Port Lions Lodge?

Port Lions Lodge in Port Lions on Kodiak Island

Port Lions Lodge is located on the north shores of Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska. Whale, Raspberry, and Afognak Islands protect Port Lions to its north. This offers some of the most protected waters in the Gulf of Alaska. (To be discussed in a future blog)

The writer will provide details of how to get to Port Lions Lodge along with information on what you should have with you once you arrive.

Port Lions Lodge

Getting to Port Lions Lodge Kodiak Alaska.

Travel will be via commercial air carrier, truck, and boat. You need only concern yourself with the commercial air carrier portion. Leave the rest to the crew and agents of Port Lions Lodge.

All travel will route through Anchorage. This is important to understand for cost savings. Two commercial carries, Alaska Airlines and ERA Aviation, fly into Kodiak; the largest city on Kodiak Island. While working online or with an agent it is important to ensure that you book your trip with the final destination being Kodiak. Even if you decide to layover in Anchorage on the way up you want to try to avoid having one itinerary to Anchorage with an entire separate booking to Kodiak. Separate bookings will only add cost to your trip.

When should you plan to arrive in Kodiak?

There are many options to your arrival time. Many like to arrive a day or so early to see the sights of Kodiak. There are many things to see. Museums, Churches, Fort Abercrombie, multiple harbors, and its all magnificent. (Look for future blog) Others prefer to land on the day the crew of Port Lions Lodge is picking up. Pickup is typically Sunday around 2:00 PM. Pickup will usually be at the Kodiak City airport but can also be downtown at a restaurant, hotel, B&B, or sporting goods store. Just make sure you have cleared the where with either James or Patti Stegall; owners of Port Lions Lodge.

What happens after you are picked up?

Once you are picked up staff or agents of Port Lions Lodge will provide the rest of your travels. Typically you will be picked up in our red Ford F350 crew cab so keep an eye out for it. It has a topper on it and is easy to spot. Once you are picked up you will have the opportunity to pick up any last minute items in town if desired. Keep in mind Port Lions is a damp community so no alcohol can be sold in Port Lions. We will take you to the store for any spirits you may want for your week. (Remember, we will not return to Kodiak for a week) After we have completed shopping we will make a 30-minute drive from Kodiak city to Anton Larson Bay. You definitely want to be on the lookout for deer, brown bears, and other critters on the hillsides. This is a very scenic drive so sit back and enjoy. Occasionally we will have Bonnie or one of her employees from her cab company pick up and transport to the boat at Anton Larson Bay. With groups over 6 we use her along with our own staff as two vehicles are needed.

Once you reach Anton Larson Bay we are loaded up onto one or two of our 30’ Armstong Catamarans and we embark on a 30-minute trip to the harbor in Port Lions. To say this is a scenic boat ride sounds redundant so get used to the fact everything around us is scenic. It is a good idea to always have a camera handy and make sure you bring extra memory cards or have a laptop to download.

One of Port Lions Lodge awesome 30' Armstrong Catamarans. The Rachel

At the Port Lions harbor we have a quick 5-minute ride to Port Lions Lodge. Once there you will be shown to your rooms where you can settle in for your adventure.

This is a good place to describe what lies in store for the next 5 days of fishing, hunting, sightseeing, flightseeing, bear viewing, kayaking, and many other adventures that lie ahead. However, keep checking, as these will be covered in future blogs!

Have I gotten you to Port Lions Lodge? Does this make sense? Have questions cropped up that I have not yet covered? If so please let me know in the comments section below.

Getting back home.

So you have had a wonderful week at Port Lions Lodge. The time has come to pack it all up and head out. Your return trip will be the reverse of your arrival but now there is fish to be concerned with. The crew of Port Lions Lodge will have you back to Kodiak on your day of departure at 11:00 AM. The typical day of departure is Saturday. Plan your return flights out of Kodiak for the early afternoon where possible.

The fish.

Each day you fish we will filet the catch and vacuum seal all the fillets. We will then freeze and mark on our daily sheet the total amount caught of each species in pounds. We keep a running total during the week. On Saturday while you are packing and getting ready to leave we will be boxing up the fillets in freezer boxes supplied by Port Lions Lodge and strapping them for shipping. Each box will be marked with species, weight, and the name of the person it belongs to. We will transport these boxes with you back to Kodiak city.

Tallent Group with Alaska Halibut from Port Lions Lodge

Once in Kodiak there are a few choices. Your fish can be shipped cargo, checked as baggage, or FedEx’d home.

Cargo, if you are flying Alaska Airlines all the way home your fish can be given to Alaska Air Cargo at the Kodiak City airport and scheduled for shipping home. Remember if you ship cargo you have to arrive at the destination airport at the time the fish arrives in order to pick up. The price for shipping cargo with Alaska Air is approximately $1.13 per pound with a minimum of $111. You can view their pdf of rates as it is a little different to different locations. See https://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/Cargo/images/seafood-express-rates.pdf

FedEx, if you choose to FedEx your fish home you will be taken to Island Seafoods prior to the airport where you will check your fish in and provide your shipping address and pay them for shipping. The price to ship FedEx Priority One is approximately $170 for a 50 lb box. Island Seafoods will allow you to schedule your preferred delivery date so the fish stays frozen and is shipped to your home or business when you are ready to receive it.

Checking as baggage. The most popular method of getting fish home is to check it with Alaska Air as your baggage. Many bring a decent sized duffle that they take as much of their clothes and rain gear in as a carry on. The cost per bag/ box at Alaska Airlines is $20 each for the first three bags, and $50 for the fourth. For more information see https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/baggage-checked.aspx?lid=JennWindow::ResponseLink#charges-waivers

Roland Stegall method.

The writer will give credit to his airline pilot brother, Roland, for this little idea he came up with years ago. Many client of Port Lions Lodge have adapted this trick.

When my brother comes up to visit he brings his clothes and whatever he needs in two ice chests. He selected these ice chests years ago by taking a scale and several ice chests to his freezer at home and pulling frozen meat out and filling each one and weighing it until he found one that would hold approximately 50lbs (including the cooler). He then purchased a second the same size. When he packs for his trips to Port Lions Lodge he packs in the coolers and adds a good sized duffle style suit case. On his return trip he packs the ice chests with the fish and packs his personal belongings in the duffle and uses it as a carry on. Even if he ends up needing to have one extra bag due to too much gear for the duffle he still feels that this method is the best for him.

Future blogs will provide information on what to bring and will re-mention the Roland method. If you have travelled to Port Lions Lodge in the past perhaps you can consider travel ideas that have worked best for you and comment below. Also, keep in mind what you have felt is important to bring and have and why and be ready to comment on my upcoming blog, What to Bring.

Hopefully this information has been helpful in your planning to travel to Port Lions Lodge. Your comments and opinions below will be greatly appreciated. The goal is to develop ideas that improve upon the overall experience of your Port Lions Lodge vacation. All comments will improve upon this goal.