seward or whitter??

[swapdonkey]

I just moved down to Anchorage from Fairbanks. I have a 18' boat with down riggers. My question is what water is easier to fish. I plan on taking the wife and would like to get her in a few fish. I have heard that butts are hard to come by in whitter and the water is rougher there. Is the boat launch crazy at seward? Any info on this stuff would be great. Also how far do the average people go out with boats like mine and get some decend halibut. I just want some chickens nothing big. Thanks

 

[T.R. Bauer]

I just moved down to Anchorage from Fairbanks. I have a 18' boat with down riggers. My question is what water is easier to fish. I plan on taking the wife and would like to get her in a few fish. I have heard that butts are hard to come by in whitter and the water is rougher there. Is the boat launch crazy at seward? Any info on this stuff would be great. Also how far do the average people go out with boats like mine and get some decend halibut. I just want some chickens nothing big. Thanks

Swapdonkey,

I wouldn't say the water is rougher in Whittier. It is frequently pretty wild out of the bay on the North Gulf out of Seward. Nor would I say that the multiple boat launches are crazy in Seward although they can be during the derby at about 10 am on a sunny Saturday morning. Truth is, both are great places worth going out of. I personally prefer Seward for fishing and the solitude and quiet back bays of PWS for camping and cruising. You really need to aquiant yourself with both as they both have so much to offer.

 

[motorboatn]

What time frame??

What time frame??

Spring time fishing for halibut I would head to deepcreek area. Our even Homer.

Seward can be hard to find good halibut even chicken holes. However I like the odds of rock fishing in seward over homer.

I also have a 18' boat so I know what your up against.

That said if you get the weather any of the places would be great. 20-30 miles is a good distance in our size boat.
Deepcreek is nice cause you can pick up early kings also. Plus you go three miles out and start soaking bait and you may have some luck.

 

[pontiac-chief-51]

Halibut Hunt

Halibut Hunt

This question and others similar to it are asked frequently, I would use the search option in this forum and you will find many opinions and recommendations for both ports. There many different boat designs that are 18' long, some more sea worthy than others, and captains of those with experience and some not.

From my perspective, however, Whittier is a good local choice for taking your family out for a day on the water. There is fishing but I think your right in that you have to tboat quite aways out to see halibut like at Seward or Homer. When the silvers are around, the bite can be just around the corner. In fact, I've seen the harbor stuffed with silvers. I haven't fished for halibut in Passage Canal because it so deep. You can shrimp just across the Canal and there is a cabin you can rent for camping within a 30 min hop. Since I don't know your boat , how it's outfitted, or your experience level, I cannot say if it would be good idea or not for you to try areas farther out. But, yes, no matter your decision, you should plan for funky weather. Whittier installed new ramps for this season.

If you decide to try Seward, be careful there, too, sometimes it can be uncomfortable in a small boat. There are many areas to fish in Resurrection, but it can be rough and is subject to the afternoon lumps. I've never had any problem with the updated ramps in Seward.

I'd try Deep Creek, or Homer. Just out side Homer there are many places you can get halibut and just as many places you can duck into if the weather is not cooperating. I think you'd find Deep Creek is what your lookng for although it is not as easy to deal with if the weather suddenly goes south on you.

Speaking from experience with my spouse, if your's is new to the boat and salt water, keep her warm and dry, make sure the weather is good and sunny, and make it a shorter day than you might otherwise.

Hope you have a good experience, if you get some fish that's even better.

 

[swapdonkey]

I should have said what kind of boat I have. It is a 18 deep V with a 115 opti and a 9.9 kicker. It runs 40 or so on a good day with nice water. I have fished out of Valdez for 9 years. With that being said I have 9 year experence on the salt. I never worried out of Valdez, because there are tons of places to hide if the weather turns on you. I would like to take her out for some rock fish and maybe even a lingcod here and there. Is June to late for Halibut ou tof deep water? How does that tractor thing work? I really never came to this part of alaska once I moved to Fairbanks.

 

[motorboatn]

If your after ling hit seward.

If your after ling hit seward.

If you know Valdez why not head that direction??

yeah it may take a little longer to get there but knowing an area save lots of time searching for new spots.

Hit seward for rock fish.
If you want halibut out of Homer go atleast to seldovia point or father.
Some of the bay near homer hold black bass, Look for kelp beds.

 

[T.R. Bauer]

I should have said what kind of boat I have. It is a 18 deep V with a 115 opti and a 9.9 kicker. It runs 40 or so on a good day with nice water. I have fished out of Valdez for 9 years. With that being said I have 9 year experence on the salt. I never worried out of Valdez, because there are tons of places to hide if the weather turns on you. I would like to take her out for some rock fish and maybe even a lingcod here and there. Is June to late for Halibut ou tof deep water? How does that tractor thing work? I really never came to this part of alaska once I moved to Fairbanks.

Swapdonkey,

The tractor launch is cake when the weather is nice. When it is not so nice, it is not so nice since it offers no protection from the surf. It also is quite busy when coming back in and a person can wait for a good amount of time for them to bring your trailer down. Yet, while I don't know your trailer setup, it is required that you have side bunks and guide posts wouldn't hurt either. Get the best ones you can afford.

But, with that said, Homer is really close to Deep Creek and the fishing is just about the same. You won't find any rockfish or lings out of Deep Creek and darn few rockfish where you're gonna go in your boat out of Homer. The halibut and king fishing can be great in both places.

If you can get around either cape (east or west) in Seward decent lingcod fishing can be found. But that word was "IF".... There are lots of spots for rockfish in Seward and you will catch them all the time. The front of Bear Glacier has some halibut that hang out on that shelf. The fishing isn't hot normally, but you will catch a couple. Right out in front to the SW of Rugged Island in the open gulf can be decent for a drift or two also if the weather is cooperating. Also, the shallows South of Pilot Rock can be productive or dead, it just depends on their mood....

I am not going to get into it with your boat as to where you should be going; that is the call of the captain. I am quite certain after 9 years of cruising around, you are knowledgable as to the capabilities of your vessel.

 

[dandeo2003]

just a reminder

just a reminder

you can't keep any lings caught in res. bay. If you keep one from outside the bay you can't fish the bay. check the regs.

 

[motorboatn]

Cabo !!!!!!!!!

Cabo !!!!!!!!!

Sorry just couldn't resist this one.
Warm beach cold beer and marlin fishing Ah yes. Thats a way to fish march.

 

[mudman1]

seward versus whittier

seward versus whittier

i have had quite a bit of expirience in both places and i have always expirienced rougher water out of seward rather than whittier, 18 ft ......we took a 17 foot all the way back to port nellie juan out of whittier which is like a 45 mile boat ride. I personally recomend whittier as it has more places to hide if the weather does pick up. The bays around rugged island and perry island are good places to pick up butts we have got them out there all the way up to 150 lbs, also fishing for rockfish out of whittier is amazing, you can find your self a spot that has a rocky bottom on an incline anywhere from 50-300 ft and drop 6 oz pencil jigs and you will not be able to keep them off of your lines. this is the time when the rockfish are schooling together and starting to spawn and some great opportunities for some big yellow eyes.

 

[ak_powder_monkey]

the fishing is much better out of seward. The western sound can get nasty in a hurry but we used to take a canoe out to Perry Island (it was a big canoe). In an 18 footer you'll be fine most days though out of either port.