Alaska's 5 Best Fishing Destinations, According To Anglers

When you think of wild and adventurous fishing, Alaska might be one of the first destinations that comes to mind. Trout Unlimited recently listed the state as one of the world's wildest places for fishing, right up there with New Zealand, Iceland, and Patagonia. It truly is an inimitable destination for anglers, home to places like Lake Iliamna, Alaska's largest lake, with world-class fishing and wildlife. With such steep competition, this renowned lake is just one of many that visitors can enjoy.

Keen anglers in Alaska have an assortment of environments for casting a line. Rivers, lakes, ocean charters, and wintry ice fishing all provide unique experiences and offer a different side of Alaskan fishing. Alaska is the largest state in America by a long way, covering over 665,000 square miles. That's almost 400,000 square miles larger than the next biggest state, Texas. So you can really appreciate the variety and number of fishing spots within its borders. When you have so many to choose from, tracking down the best is no easy task.

Fortunately, we've done the hard work for you. We've drawn upon the insights of local tour guides and Alaska residents to determine the five best fishing destinations, in no particular order, for specific fishing experiences. We've used sources like Alaska Tours, Fish Alaska Magazine, Alaska Outdoors Forums, the r/Fishing subreddit, and other social media platforms, prioritizing recommendations from actual anglers to help you pinpoint your next Alaskan fishing destination. So tidy up your tacklebox, find your wading boots, and don't forget your base layers, because it's high time you found where to go fishing in Alaska.

Prince William Sound is one of Alaska's best fishing destinations for the state's famous salmon runs. With around 10,000 square miles of waterways, the sprawling inlet is accessible via inviting Alaskan towns. You can use places like Cordova, Whittier, and Valdez as your home base for fishing in the sound. The latter, Valdez, is a beautiful city with glacier cruising and pristine trails that can complement any fishing expedition. Cordova, meanwhile, provides dramatic landscapes and exceptional wildlife.

You can catch all five salmon species found in Alaska here, including king, silver, red, pink, and chum. Other fish worth reeling in include rainbow trout, halibut, and grayling. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, most of the fishing areas here are only accessible via boat or plane. However, Valdez and Cordova do offer some land-based fishing, too. Popular spots include the harbors at Whittier and Valdez for salmon, McKinley Lake for sockeye and cutthroat, Copper River for trout, and Allison Point for pink salmon. Prince William Sound also gets mentioned on the r/Fishing subreddit as a good place for catching rockfish. One user even looks back fondly on "every summer" spent there, noting that there were always "beautiful fish." Another angler notes that "the water is like glass."

The area is pretty isolated, located just south of the Chugach National Forest, where islands and glaciers meet the Gulf of Alaska. Whittier is the easiest town to reach from Anchorage, taking about 1.5 hours via car. You can also fly to Valdez or Cordova in about one hour from Anchorage.

The Kenai River is one of the most talked-about salmon fishing spots in Alaska on the r/Fishing subreddit. It's one of the most popular spots for fishing in the state, but fortunately packs plenty of fish and fishing areas along its 80-plus miles. Anglers tend to choose one of the river's three areas (Upper, Middle, and Lower), but you can fish all three if you have enough time. The Upper River stretches between Kenai Lake and Skilak Lake, while the Middle River has challenging rapids for anglers to navigate. The Lower River is the longest section and becomes more tranquil as it empties into Cook Inlet.

Four types of salmon are common in the Kenai, including king, coho, silver, and sockeye. The river is renowned for containing some of the world's largest king salmon, helping numerous anglers break world records over the years. You can also fish for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and northern pike, depending on the season. Cooper Landing on the Upper Kenai is a great spot for rainbow trout, while Soldotna is ideal for coho salmon, and Sterling is known for sockeye salmon and trout. A local guide on Tripadvisor "highly [recommends] checking out the Kenai River," describing it as "the most beautiful place of the Kenai Peninsula" that's full of "great places to fish." 

Most people choose to fish the Kenai via a boat charter, as the guides can show you where to go. Others carry their rods and fishing gear along riverside hiking trails to fly fish. If you're looking for somewhere to stay, try the community of Hope, an uncrowded vacation destination. It's just under two hours' drive from Anchorage and has access to Resurrection Creek, a great spot for catching pink salmon.

Sport Fishing Magazine calls Sitka a "fishing paradise," particularly if you're keen on catching salmon or halibut. As it goes, the Alaskan town is uniquely positioned to offer both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Ocean fishing might be Sitka's biggest draw, though, with numerous charters available for anglers keen to get out on the North Pacific Ocean. Deep-sea charters are great for reeling in giant halibut and trophy-size king salmon. Many offer multi-day excursions with lodging included, giving you ample opportunities to catch rockfish and lingcod, too. You might also spot whales, seals, and sea lions while you're out on the water.

Sitka is another area in Alaska where you can catch all five Pacific salmon species. But you may need to mix up your ocean fishing with a little freshwater fishing to do so. Various charters and outfitters organize fly fishing in the rivers and lakes around the town. Most of these take you via boat or plane to Tongass National Forest, where you can cast for salmon, trout, char, and steelhead. You can also fish in Sitka National Historical Park, where four species of salmon, plus cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden, reside. One visitor boasts that after their four-day fishing trip here, they "brought home 174 lbs of fish."

Sitka is a remote town on Baranof Island, only accessible via plane or ferry. It's a good destination if you're traveling with family or people who don't want to fish as much as you. They can visit the town's museums and historic sites or go shopping at various boutiques while you're fishing. Sitka also has numerous hotels and lodges for various budgets. If you're looking for somewhere to stay that complements this unique setting, check out the Sitka Lighthouse to stay overnight on a private island.

Alaska has numerous inland lakes to choose from if you're keen on ice fishing. But one of the main areas highlighted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is the city of Fairbanks, home to the "Big Three" lakes: Harding, Birch, and Quartz. You'll find all three within 135 miles southeast of the city. Birch Lake tends to be the most popular for ice fishing. It's just over an hour's drive from Fairbanks, and the ice is often littered with private fishing huts housing locals. Anglers can reel in rainbow trout, two species of salmon, char, and grayling. One Google review describes it simply as a "beautiful lake for fishing and recreation."

Quartz Lake is usually the first one to ice over enough to support ice fishing huts, which usually appear on the lake by mid-November. Visitors can rent ice huts depending on the thickness of the ice and set up on the lake. You'll need to drive just under two hours to reach the lake from Fairbanks, but it's worth it for the trophy-size rainbow trout that populate the water during this time. You may need an auger extension to drill through the ice when it's at its thickest, generally in February.

Harding Lake is the closest option, about an hour's drive from the city. However, its size and depth typically make it the last lake to freeze over. It's a great spot for catching lake trout, though. This is what attracts many anglers throughout the year, including winter. One Redditor notes that going here during winter makes "great practice for summer fishing." You can also reel in northern pike, grayling, whitefish, and burbot, the latter of which tastes like lobster when cooked the right way.

It's impossible to leave Iliamna off any list about the best fishing spots in Alaska. In fact, Lake Iliamna was touted on the r/Fishing subreddit as the favorite fishing spot of a former local who "lived in Alaska for 26 years" — high praise indeed. This remote fishing destination is only accessible via plane from Anchorage, providing a uniquely detached setting for anglers. The rural community of Iliamna on the lake's northwest shoreline is your best base, offering lodging and stores for purchasing supplies.

One of the main reasons people come here is to fish the world's largest run of sockeye salmon in the 1,000-square-mile lake and its surrounding rivers and streams. You can also catch Dolly Varden, trout, grayling, and char, depending on when you visit. For instance, rainbow trout season tends to run between April and October, while Dolly Vardens peak between July and September. If you're hunting salmon, you can catch various species here between May and October. A Tripadvisor user urges travelers to visit then, writing "There's a miracle every year when salmon start their run, and it's worth climbing into a [small] plane to get here and see it, whether you consider yourself a fisherman or not."

Another way people fish here is by flying into known hotspots for certain species. The Upper Talarik River and Lower Talarik River are particularly popular for catching rainbow trout and sockeye. It's easiest to access these places through your accommodation, such as Iliamna River Lodge. They offer a range of fly fishing experiences for guests, including float planes and jet boats. Knowledgeable guides and pilots can take you to all the right spots depending on which species you want to catch — a lot easier than trying to figure it out on your own.

To compile this list of Alaska's best fishing destinations, we conducted in-depth research into local guides and forums. We looked closely at local publications, including Alaska Tours, Fish Alaska Magazine, and Alaska.org, as well as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. We also checked reports from actual anglers on the Alaska Outdoors Forums and the r/Fishing subreddit, choosing destinations that regularly appeared or came highly recommended by people who have lived or still live in the state. Tripadvisor and Google reviews were also considered. For this list, we prioritized destinations that offered the best of specific fishing experiences, including ice, ocean, river, inlet, and lake fishing.