point higgins ... vallenar bay

[migratoryobsession]

Just booked my Alaska fishing trip this week - flying into Ketchikan.Fishing 4 days. June 29th thru July 3rd.Will be fishing chinook, halibut, and other bottom fish..I know about the herring cove terminal area - and may get down there for that zoo for a day, but I am going to try to stay more local and focus fishing out of Higgins point (clover pass resort). I will be doing a self-guided trip using a 20ft thunderjet with down-riggers and enough line to deep anchor.*Looking for anyone with local knowledge of the area - that would be willing to give me some suggestions for Halibut spots, and some advice on depths and areas to focus. I will have a GPS on the boat and charts etc...
I have been told that vallenar bay is a good place to focus some energy for both kings and halibut. I'm sure you can catch fish all aver the place if you know the area and what you are doing. I'll honestly be a little lacking on both. I have lots of experience salmon fishing - but mostly flashers and herring. I will be bringing some hoothies, spoons, and plugs to play with as well. The gear and the boat, i can handle. But.....
It is a big area, and some ideas on how to approuch it without getting overwhelmed would be greatly appreciated.
Maybe some more specific areas to focus on...and depths would be really helpful.
Anything anyone feels generous enough to share would be great.
*Thanks, Rod Raunig

[MGH55]

You are going to be late for kings around PT Higgins or Vallenar. Your best bet is going to be the south end trolling big brass, brass and copper spoons from Hole in the wall to Herring Cove. Up north you might have to run all the way to Neets bay. I did well for Halibut off of Caamano PT. Watch the WX if you go to Caamano you can get pounded on your way back. The other place I did well is 20 fathom bank long run. I would book a charter for halibut the first day out of Knudson Cove or even a combo trip. It might just make your whole fishing trip better. Good Luck

[migratoryobsession]

Hmmmmm...I know I wont be there for the peak of that area, but most people I have spoken said there should be some fish around. It looks like the neets bay area gets netted in april and may.

[MGH55]

There will be kings tight to the rock ledge between Hole in the wall and Herring cove it can be great may have to weed for bright fish. I lived out north point Higgings for 5 years. Fished before work almost every day from April to Sept for salmon, crab, and shrimp only halibut fished about 10 times a year. I would run south of Duke Is for my halibut trips.

[Tiderunner]

Ketchikan Waypoints
Location	Lat	Lon
CloverPass	55.28.452	131.48.963
Caamino Point	55.29.700	131.58.000
20 Fathom Bank	55.21.500	132.06.000
Boot	55.20.475	132.04.868
Halibut #1	55.23.160	132.05.280
Halibut #2	55.24.000	132.05.610
Halibut #3	55.24.500	132.06.381
Traitors	55.41.537	131.42.382
Halibut #4	54.44.975	131.58.069
ValnorBay	55.24.327	131.52.290
EntranceHelmBay	55.36.000	131.55.000
HelmBay Crab	55.39.216	131.59.000
Entrance Chol	55.17.000	132.03.000
Change Course	55.13.500	132.08.500
East West Arm	55.14.800	132.17.500
End of East West Arm	55.15.500	132.26.000
Entrance Mora Sound	55.05.486	132.01.595
Rock Cod	54.40.230	132.05.921
Stone Rock	54.44.975	131.58.698
CapeChacon	54.41.123	132.00.104
Glory Hole	54.41.345	132.10.050

I fished out of Clover Pass in 2005 and 2007 from late July to Sept.
Fishing for silvers and halibut.
King fishing was poor.

Depending on the sea worthiness of your boat and if you can navigate.
Our best silver fishing was off Caamino Point.
Sometimes the silver fishing was good about a mile out of Clover Pass.
Sometimes we got halibut off either the north or south point of Valnor Bay.
Fish off the points. If you use a downrigger, be careful of the pinnacles.
Bring extra weights. They are expensive in Ketchikan.
The first trip I lost several downrigger weights.

You need the charts to fish this are. It is over 50 miles from Clover.
Our very best fishing, I mean fill the boat with halibut, rock cod and silvers was off Cape Chacon and at the Pinnacles west of Chacon.
I could not locate the document with the Pinnacle numbers. Buy the chart.
Talk to the people at the fish cleaning station at Clover.
Good Luck

[270ti]

Should be a few kings over there. They have a spring hatchery king opening for Trollers in that area, in May/June. General summer troll opens up July 1st, so those fish get worked a little. That hatchery kicks out some kings that should be showing up though and if you fish hard, you'll get some. You'll see the boats.

[migratoryobsession]

If you dont mind me asking...what was your favorite terminal tackle...spoons? Herring? Hoochies?

[migratoryobsession]

Thanks everyone ...really nice to get the information...I will be happy to send an update and report anything good that works out. I could still use some advice on how halibut in terms of depths to work around drop offs and drifting vrs anchoring...and some simple effective bait and jig set ups...

[MGH55]

Like I said before you should think about a charter on your first day. I fished 120ft to 200ft for Halibut most of the time. For bait, herring, octo, salmon scraps. Anchor and let them come to you.

Thanks everyone ...really nice to get the information...I will be happy to send an update and report anything good that works out. I could still use some advice on how halibut in terms of depths to work around drop offs and drifting vrs anchoring...and some simple effective bait and jig set ups...