Gourmet food, limits of several species, scenic beauty and a fantastic guide and lodge staff
By PAT McDONELL
SITKA, Alaska— WON has been hosting charter groups with Kingfisher Lodge for more than 2O years, and the latest lucky group of readers just returned.
Anglers loading up on boxes of prime Alaskan fish on the mid-September charter were
Tim McGee of Novato in the Bay Area, Rick Torres and his son Rick Jr of Nuevo(located just east of Perris), Dave Worden of Tehachapi, and Michael Guest of Phoenix, AZ. Former WON editor Pat McDonell of Carlsbad and longtime Kingfisher angler Chris Wheaton again co-hosted a group that experienced the beauty of wilderness on the world renowned southeast Alaskan fishing grounds of Sitka.
This trip was held during the final week of owner Seth Bone’s lodge’s four-month Sitka fishing season, targeting silver salmon (6-fish limits), halibut (1 fish per day limits), and limits of sablefish, black bass and lingcod.
The first two days on the saw prime weather with little wind and the two WON/Kingfisher boats scored limits of halibut, lingcod, sablefish and black bass. While coho action was sporadic, the quality of the fish at 10 to 15 pounds and a 6-fish limit ensured our group brought home plenty of fillets.
On these fall trips, if silvers are reluctant, it’s best to get even half limits and then head outside and get on the sablefish and halibut grounds. And there’s time, go for silvers again for fish for black bass and lingcod. which are a blast to fish with small metal or plastic lures and bass outfits.
The third day’s weather outside the protected Sitka Sound was blowing harshly, and the bites on the protected grounds were a pick on cohos, halibut and black bass.
Despite a “casual” day inside the Sound, our third day was productive enough to bulk up the final fish count and send the guys home each with two wax boxes of prime vacuum-packed fillets.
“Kingfisher has a history since 1990 of making trips turn-key, with the best boats, captains, accommodations, gourmet food, and foul weather gear,” said McDonell. “The all inclusive trip also included the city tax, all ground transportation, fishing equipment, and a $100 in-store credit at the gift shop, which is exclusive for our annual WON Kingfisher Charter. Anglers paid only tips and airfare.”
A larger WON feature on the trip will be published in the Spring special show edition. For more information on next year’s charter trip with WON, contact Brad Wilson at (949) 366-0898, or brad@wonews.com.
