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Island Point Lodge, Petersburg Alaska
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08-16-2007, 12:40 AM
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#1 (permalink) |
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HUSF Staff
Local Rookie is
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Near Diamond Valley Lake
Posts: 3,053
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Island Point Lodge, Petersburg Alaska
Island Point Lodge A Fishing Trip That Fits Your Budget Name: Island Point Lodge Date: July 14 – 20th Location: Just outside Petersburg, Alaska on Kupreanof Island Types of fish: Alaskan Halibut, Salmon (King, Sockeye, Coho, Pink, Chum), Dolly Varden, Cutthroat, crab.  Introduction It was immediately evident to see Island Point’s hospitably as two crew members and two vans were already waiting for us as at the airport. They help us with our luggage and loaded the vans. One of my check-in luggages was actually rerouted to another airport and was not to arrive at Petersburg airport until later in the afternoon. Well, one of the helpful personnel, Tom, told me to give him my baggage claim and he will pick it up for me so that I can go fishing in the afternoon. Sweet! The crew then drives us to downtown Petersburg for lunch. They give us a brief introduction about the city and where to get some lunch. It was unanimous that our first stop was Harbor Bar and we order some cold ones. They were much needed since we’ve been in the planes for quiet a long time. After we quench our thirst and I highly recommend that you check it out, Papa Bear’s Pizza – trust me, you will not be disappointed!  It’s more than just great food. The crew then picks us up and takes us to our next stop which is a liquor store. The guys sure know what fishermen want. What kind of fishing trip will it be w/out some alcohol right? During the drive there I noticed that everyone in my van have been at the lodge before. Some had been going up there for 13 straight years! More on this later! From the liquor store we get to Papkies Landing where there is a charter boat that crosses Wrangle Narrows and into Island Point Lodge. An Island Point personnel then took us to our room where we unloaded our gear went back downstairs and Frank, the owner of the lodge, gave us a briefing and they provide us with boat numbers. We did some fishing by the docks and were catching sculpins left and right. We later came to find out that these little guys were great bait for halibut fishing. We also caught Alaskan flounder, Dolly Vardens, Cutthroat, and other species on the docks. You can actually catch King Salmon straight from the dock during their run and we seen pictures to prove it!  Picture of a wild cutthroat caught at Wrangle Narrows! First Day Fishing – Sunday July 15th  Picture of Chris and some of his arsenal! The first day we decided to take two boats out with Kenny and Harold on one and Jon and Chris on the other. It was rainy for the most part but we manage to land some quality Halibut! Kenny also hooked up on a nice 3 foot shark – safely released.  Jon and Chris 1st halibuts up to 35lbs! Halibut Fishing – Monday 16th Our good friend Larry took us to some spots where it was a wide open fishing for Halibut! We landed some monster size sculpins and Harold scored on a nice 7.8lb Coho Salmon which was only the second Coho of the year and is currently in first place – most likely too be broken soon however. Nice try Harold!  Only two halibut limits per day per angler!  Harold and Kenny with some their Alaskan Halibuts and a Coho!  Coho Salmon – the best tasting salmon PERIOD.  52” on that nice 64lb Halibut Halibut Fishing - Tuesday 17th We decided to switch the teams around: Harold with Chris and Jon with Kenny. This time around we went further than what Larry shows up the first time and it proofed to be a great idea!  Harold and Chris fishing for Halibuts Kenny and Jon found a honey spot and were hooking up on halibut left and right and as soon as the tide started coming in Chris and Harold started hookup on fish! Harold and Chris quickly caught their limits and decided to go back and head to the canary to catch some live herring. Kenny and Jon decided to stick around to search for some bigger Halibuts. The other boaters that went with us also caught some large halibuts! – A couple of 90lbers and one over 100lbs! Sockeye Salmon Fishing – Wednesday 18th We got up early to do some Sockeye fishing with an Island Point Lodge's repeat client, Tom who always like to help others and teach anglers about Petersburg fishing! Kah Sheets is definitely a must do when you go Island Point Lodge. Getting there is an adventure by itself! You’ll me maneuvering your boat in shallow and narrow water and if you go of course you’ll damage your engine – but its ALL WORTH RISK but just do what Tom or whoever is helping you to do and you will be fine. There are a lot of people at the lodge that have done it before that are willing to help.  The beaten down Kah Sheets Trail sign.  Tom, a repeat client - Kah Sheet Trails is about 1.5 miles away.    Picture of Jon in the upper pool! Tons of salmon going up the river! Absolutely amazing!  Heading back to the boat! In just a couple of hours this will all be water.  Some of our sockeye salmon keepers from Kah Sheets. Halibut Fishing – Thursday 19th Switch teams again this time Harold and Jon paired up. Heading back to do more halibut fishing to fill up the coolers! Today was a little slower, Harold caught 3, Chris with 2 and Jon with 1. It started to rain so we decided to head back to the lodge and eat more of the seafood chowder! Packing day – Friday 20th Well, unfortunately it was time to head back. We went to town to pick up our filets and steaks at town. The fish are stored in 30 below degrees. All our fish made it safely back home!  See you next year! About Kupreanof Island & the Lodge There are no roads or utilities and power is generated by diesel generators that are on 24 hours a day. I am not sure about other cell phone carriers but currently Verizon Wireless has no service there. You can conveniently make collect calls however at the lodge.  Here is a picture of Wrangle Narrows from Island Point Dock There at two cabins with bunk style accommodations sleeping 4 people each and two couples cabins with double beds and a single bunk accommodation. Each of the cabins has its own bathroom with showers. The second floor of the main lodge has three rooms accommodating 4, 4, ad 2 guests respectively. These room shares three bathrooms with showers, which are located in the rear of the main lodge. Each cabin is decorated accordingly to give you that outdoorsy look and feel!  Here is our room – we had a total 6 beds – very roomy! Equipped with heater and fridge! The typical weather is usually around 50s during the night and 70s during the day however the water is cold. You will get the occasional light rain and drizzle and so raingear is a must. During boat rides, raingear will act as wind breakers so it has double purpose. From our trip, they were life savers!  A typical day at Petersburg, Alaska - calm water, beautiful scenery, comfortable weather!  Of course eagles! These guys are all over the place here! Meals Now, if you are going there thinking you will lose some weight, think again! The lodge provides you with tons of food in a family style atmosphere such as freshly caught halibut, Rockefeller oysters, and egg McMuffins that will sure make you think twice about McDonalds! When you think your dinner is done, they always end with deserts so try to make room. The personnel will keep giving you more food until you drop. Boats The lodge provides you with an 18’ Lund aluminum boat with two motors – one for general maneuver and the smaller one for trolling. Each boat has 2 oars, two gas tanks, anchor & line, dock lines, 4 rod holders, shark hook, gaff & club, harpoon, bait containers, and emergency kit with a flare gun. You can fit up to 4 people per boat but it would better if there are only 2 people in each one. This will minimize line tangles and gas efficiency!  Picture of Island Point Lodge dock from our room. Packaging Your Fish Fishing Gear They have halibut, trolling and salmon rods and reels at the lodge ready to be used for free. They will also provide you with a complete halibut rig that includes weights, hooks, and a spreader bar. The weight should be clipped on the shorter end of the spreader bar and the longer piece will be used for hooks. This will keep the crabs from getting into your bait and provide you with a higher hook up ratio. They have frozen herring, squid and various other baits at the freezer. You can also catch live bait near the canaries using sabiki hooks. They recommend using larger herring for halibut and saved the smaller ones for saltwater salmon. They also have a tackle store where you can purchase, weights, hook and lures for salmon. The best lures were a 7/8oz Pixee in red/gold or red/silver. Crocodiles and a red/white Dardevle lures also proved lethal. The most interesting lure and it does do the trick is just a hooked covered in red yarn for stream salmon fishing. If you do decide to bring your own equipment, the lodge recommends:
Fishing & General Tips Now, when you are sockeye fishing in one of the Rivers – I highly recommend you use heavier line. Sockeye going up the waterfalls have one thing on their minds and are pound for pound one of the hardest fighting fish in the continental US if not the entire world. If you set your drag too lightly they go straight to the rocks and snap your line, if your drag is too tight and they will break off 10lb line like nothing! Jonathon fought one sockeye for over 20 minutes before landing it – they are absolutely a thrill to catch and land but if you want to land more I would use 14-20lbs! For kicks and giggles, the Hookup Sportfishing crew was using 10lb line on our salmon rod with 1oz banana weight and a cut piece of herring and landing halibut them! You’ll get a lot of head turns and you’ll enjoy the fight a lot better but if you hookup on something big, good luck! The greatest advice I can give if you are unfamiliar with the area is either go with a charter boat ($200 per person) or you can friend someone that’s been there many, many times before. First of the guide is extremely knowledgeable in the area and he will definitely take you to where the fish are. Not only that his gears are far superior to the free rental ones and his boat can go infinite times faster than the ones provided so you can definitely fish longer and he can take you out further.  Picture of Larry a 13th year Veteran and his 92lb halibut! He helped us find halibuts! If you decide to follow an experience veteran then you should start looking for specific points so that you can go on your own if you need to or not getting lost on your way back. Try to remember the entry way to Kah Sheets, look for dead trees, snow caps, and crab nets areas, etc. You can definitely find yourself lost but usually they have a lot of locals that can help you find your way back.  This is the gateway to Sumner’s Pass – where the large halibuts are located! Packaging Tips What you should bring and put in the duffel bag:
Remember, you can also bring a carry-on and a personal item. Some people bring their rods with them as a personal item. However, Alaska air can include a rod case as a check-in item at no extra charge. If you do not want to bring coolers you can get airline approved fresh fish boxes for about 15-30 bucks each (includes box, styrofoam, cooling pads, and ice packs) at Petersburg. Conclusion After our first Alaskan experience at the lodge it was self-evident the reason why most of the guys keep coming back to Island Point Lodge! First, it’s very affordable. I talked with several guys at the airport that went with different lodges and they couldn’t believe how much we paid for ours and what was included! It will be very hard to find a different place that can offer as much as Island Point Lodge for the price! Secondly, the guys that work there are extremely hospitable and they know their stuff! They know where the fish are and what do and use to catch them. They want this to be an unforgettable and successful fishing trip! If you need something in town they will get that for you. The airline says your luggage will not arrive until a later time; they will pick it up for you when it arrives. You let them know you want to fish on the river they will take you there and show you how to catch them! Lastly, location! Petersburg is one of the best spots to catch both halibut and salmon! From the lodge, you do not need to go very far to catch both species! During the summer it’s about mid 50s to high 70s – very comfortable! It still looks very remote unlike some of the more commercialized Alaskan cities – and that means more chances to see wildlife and experience the great outdoors! If you are looking for a complete Alaskan fishing trip and an experience of a lifetime that will not cost you an arm and leg then you should make Island Point Lodge your destination of choice!
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"Better Lucky than Good" |
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08-16-2007, 10:06 PM
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#6 (permalink) |
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HUSF Staff
Local Rookie is
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Near Diamond Valley Lake
Posts: 3,053
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Yeah, the guys at the lodge - employees, guess, hahaha even the locals! Ahhh the locals! I mean seriously, where else are you going to find women with deck boots walking around with a fishing rods in their hands and an Alaskan Amber on the other! So much to do soooo little time!
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"Better Lucky than Good" |
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08-27-2007, 03:16 PM
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#10 (permalink) |
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HUSF Staff
Local Rookie is
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Near Diamond Valley Lake
Posts: 3,053
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Yeah, the place is awesome! People love it at that lodge. They are booking already for next year and in 2009! Some months in 2008 is already fully booked. If you are considering or want more information just give them a call!
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"Better Lucky than Good" |
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08-27-2007, 11:41 PM
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#11 (permalink) |
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Elite Member
Nick Velvet is
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Huntington Beach
Posts: 3,534
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Great report and pics. Looks like a blast up there.
Women in deck boots are one thing, but I have mental pic of an Alaskan women in deck boots.
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"A 12 pack of beer, carton of cigarettes and bait...now thats what I call fishin" - Me "Everyone should be married twice and own thier own business once" - Robert Fenner "Photography is 10% thought and 90% witchcraft" - A. Taussig "Baits for girls" - Various people 
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