FAQ about Alaska vacation, fishing, sightseeing, wildlife, weather

(! -- alaska fishing frequently asked questions --)


	Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)and Alaska Travel Information Answers


	Alaska Budget Vacations:Fishing, Sightseeing and Wilderness Travel Vacations

How do I get there? Generally, most of our Alaska Budget Vacations guests fly into Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage International Airport is serviced by all the major airlines, many of the minor airlines and several charter airlines some of which come non stop from Europe, the Far East and also Hawaii. Alaska Airlines is probably the airline with the most flights to Alaska, but in the summer season there are many airline choices. Once in Anchorage it is a simple matter to rent a vehicle of your choice for the 2 1/2 hour drive to Soldotna. Alaska and our Alaska fishing and adventure lodge.Our airline travel partner, TRAVEL NOW offers discounts on Alaska bound airlines and for car rentals we offer AFFORDABLE NEW CAR RENTALS since they provide our budget vacations clients with good service and discount prices.After you pick up your car you will be provided directions to the Seward Highway and you will head south toward the Kenai Peninsula where you will come to the Sterling Highway cutoff and take that south directly to Soldotna. You cannot get lost and the Alaska sightseeing and wildlife viewing along the way are fantastic. It will be a long time before you forget the Chugach National Forest, mountains, glaciers and Cook Inlet, as well as the opportunity to see moose, eagles, bears and Dall sheep along the highway.


	What is the weather like?? In our open season, which is May to October you can expect temperatures from 50 degrees in the early morning to 70 degrees in the rest of the day. There is not a lot of rainfall in the south central Alaska region but it does rain and you should be prepared with rain gear suitable for the activities you will engage in during your Alaska vacation.


	What kind of clothes do I need?? On your Alaska vacation you are coming to the last frontier at least in the USA and Alaska is a very casual place and so is the dress. Jeans, flannel shirts, cotton, wool, and the new high tech outdoors activity synthetic fabrics in casual cuts are normal code of dress. Layered clothing is best as when you start your long days of activities you will be starting early and as any where the day will warm up as the sun gets higher in the sky. A gore tex two piece rain suit is highly recommended for its light weight and wind breaking properties. Fly fisherman would do well to bring light neoprenes. We have a good cache of boots and hip boots available for standard size vacationers available at no charge

	How much daylight is there?? during your Alaska vacation you can expect an average of about 20 hours of daylight. Sunrise is about 3 AM and sunset well after 12 AM. Most of those on their first Alaska vacation are amazed at the fantastically long days and give out long before the day does. for those who need real dark to sleep you may consider bringing night blinders

What about mosquitos and bugs?? On your Alaska fishing or sightseeing vacation you will find that the famous Alaska mosquito does not populate the Kenai Peninsula to any great degree and so while you are pursuing your Alaska activities you will not be bothered by bugs or mosquitos to any great degree. Of course you can get bit if you are fishing or hiking in the back country , but any commercially available bug repellant will be more than adequate


		What gear and fishing tackle is provided? On all of your guided fishing, sightseeing or adventure activity trips all of the necessary equipment is provided as part of our vacation package. this includes but is not limited to to boats, planes, rafts, rods, reels, bait, tackle and the high standards of professionalism of our guides, pilots and charter captains. You can depend on being provided with top notch tackle and equipment that has been thoroughly tested and maintained

	How much does a fishing license cost? Alaska non resident fishing licenses cost $55 for a 7 day license.Fishermen under the age of 16 are not required to have a fishing license but they are required to have a free harvest ticket if they fish for king salmon. Adult fisherman must pay $30 for a Cook Inlet king salmon harvest ticket if they intend to fish for king salmon for a week.

	How big are the boats? Our Alaska river boats for fishing are 22 feet long by 7 feet wide and are equipped to handle 5 anglers.In July, only 4 on a Kenai river boat are allowed.July king trips are 6 hours.There are no toilets on the river boats, drift boats or rafts.There are places along the Kenai and Kasilof River where it is possible to stop should you find it necessary. Like after you catch a giant king salmon and you just have to have relief from bladder pressure.Our river fishing is normally done with powerboats on the Kenai River as the size and swiftness can make it difficult for a drift boat to get back up the river to get to a hot spot and we find that in a drift boat you can lose a lot of good fishing spots when you are hooked up and fighting a fish.On the upper Kenai and Kasilof rivers we use rafts or drift boats. Our ocean fishing boats are 30 and 40 feet long and have a toilet and heated cabin. The Kenai Fjords tour boats are 80 -100 feet long and have all the amenities of a cruise vessel

How big are the fish and what are the limits? On the Kenai Peninsula you can expect to catch king salmon from 25-85 pounds, red salmon from 5-12 pounds, and silver salmon from 7-20 pounds. You can expect to see halibut from 25-300 pounds but we suggest that you release halibut over 125 pounds unless you have a Homer Halibut derby fish (about 300 pounds+/-) or you are very hungry. Halibut breeding stocks are in this 100-300 pound range. While on your Alaska vacation you will find that a 100 pound halibut will have about 70 pounds of meat and with the limit of 5 king salmon per season as well as daily limits of red, silver and pink salmon from 3-6 fish per day the average fisherman will quickly get more fish than he can carry.

How do I preserve my fish? The best way to enjoy the fish you caught on your Alaska vacation for a long time is to have the fish vacuumed bagged at one of the sport fish processors in Soldotna or Kenai. Once your fish is commercially sealed, it can be frozen and enjoyed for a long time. We have freezers to store your fish during your stay and they are available at no charge to guests, providing you have your catch professionally bagged


	How do I get my fish home? The best and cheapest way for you to get your fish back home is to take it back as part of your luggage allowance on your airline of choice. most airlines will allow you to check 3 pieces of luggage, so it is suggested you pack very light for your Alaska vacation. On your return trip you will be able to then check your fish in as luggage. Special fish boxes are available locally at a very low cost and you can get 70 pounds of processed fish in these boxes.These specially insulated boxes will keep your fish frozen for up to 30 hours

		What do I need to bring? The cabins that are included as part of your Alaska vacation package are fully furnished with everything you need right down to the toilet paper and with a full range of shopping options only 15 minutes away it is suggested you bring your clothes and personal items and a spirit of adventure. We have fishing rods available so if you want to fish on your own on a non guided trip bring a reel capable of handling 20-25 pound test line. Good quality rain gear is an asset and if you are a fly fisherman or want to bring a fly rod along make it a least a 8 weight rod. If you want to bring your own rod and head out alone on your non guided time a steel head type rod with a reel capable of handling 20-25 pound test line should be adequate.


	What else is there beside fishing and sightseeing? How about golf, canoeing, river rafting, kayaking, hiking, clamming, bear watching, whale watching, glacier tours, airplane rides, rodeo, photography, horseback riding...the list is endless!


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