Fishing along the Alcan Highway

[tatross]

Another adventure soon to be crossed off the bucket list. Im taking the RV up the Al Can highway this summer departing Anacortes Wa mid July plan to end up in Homer Ak to attend a wedding by mid August. Not planning to tow a boat but have interest in fishing along the way. Can anyone recommend Books, publications out there that can help with plans to stop, explore and perhaps catch a fish or two. I just received the latest edition of the Milepost 2023. It has extensive info on milage and services but is a bit lacking on fishing intel.
Thanks much,

 

[DerekWhipple]

Please post an extensive trip report after you are done! This is on my list.

 

[Matt B]

I drove it a long long time ago, and remember wishing I had some kind of floating device for all the lakes I passed. Some kind of inflatable would be perfect. The streams were in runoff when I went up. They were also still in the process of paving the thing!

 

[tatross]

Will definitley try to document the trip and post any fishing related info for the PNWFF group.

 

[Robert Engleheart]

Recreation Sites and Trails BC - Search

To coordinate a shared and sustainable vision for managing the Province’s trails, and develop a framework for guiding future decision making to strengthen the benefits from our recreation trail network, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts...

www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca

found this handy.

 

[Josh]

Moved this thread to 'General Fishing' since it's not a trip report....yet.

I suspect many of us will be very interested in reading the report once the trip happens though!

But for now, I think it will get more visibility if it's in the general forum.

 

[Merle]

Sounds like a fun adventure Tom. I have never done that drive but like @Matt_B says I bet you'll be passing countless small lakes that probably all hold fish of some kind. So if you stop for the night near any of them I would want to have a float tube handy.

Once you get to the Kenai penisula there should be good fishing in the upper Kenai. Not sure about the timing for sockeye and silvers, but I once floated for trout in August and it was outstanding.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

andy

 

[nomlasder]

Lots of brackish water full of tannins. I never fished them. Small lakes have pike, get some stout leader and use streamer/mouse paytets. Clear water streams are full of grayling, parachute Adam's and bivisible patterns.

Have fun

 

[Matt B]

Sounds like a fun adventure Tom. I have never done that drive but like @Matt_B says I bet you'll be passing countless small lakes that probably all hold fish of some kind. So if you stop for the night near any of them I would want to have a float tube handy.

Once you get to the Kenai penisula there should be good fishing in the upper Kenai. Not sure about the timing for sockeye and silvers, but I once floated for trout in August and it was outstanding.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

andy

I was just a dumb kid when I made that trip in my 1988 Mazda B2200. So, it was before I became a dumb adult. I was clueless and newb enough that I bought my first pair of waders on that trip (out of necessity) at our brief stop at a fly shop in Jackson. Of course their prices were outrageous and so I bought some shitty used waders that had a seam running down the bottom of the foot. They were awful, and overpriced at $50 in 1990s money. I remember the fly shop guy saying that what he would want is a float tube to hit all the little lakes we would be passing, and in spite of ripping me off on those POS waders, he was right about the float tube part!

I'll have to dig up some old photos to make you all look at.

 

[Bruce Baker]

I was just a dumb kid when I made that trip in my 1988 Mazda B2200. So, it was before I became a dumb adult. I was clueless and newb enough that I bought my first pair of waders on that trip (out of necessity) at our brief stop at a fly shop in Jackson. Of course their prices were outrageous and so I bought some shitty used waders that had a seam running down the bottom of the foot. They were awful, and overpriced at $50 in 1990s money. I remember the fly shop guy saying that what he would want is a float tube to hit all the little lakes we would be passing, and in spite of ripping me off on those POS waders, he was right about the float tube part!

I'll have to dig up some old photos to make you all look at.

That was the year I drove on it! From Florida to Skagway (in July). Saw some stone sheep and an inland caribou. I would love to do the ALCAN part again to see how the road has changed since the road widening. In my adventure there was one small section that was not paved or chip sealed. One road I drove on and the Milepost said was unimproved had been freshly chip sealed.

 

[klq@stl]

Not so much fishing related, but once I got started I could not stop. Made this trip to Dawson City for Dust to Dawson on a motorcycle, twice. Here are my definite stops. For a trip make a loop using the Stewart/Cassiar one direction and the John Hart coming back.
There are two road routes to the Yukon. From Anacortes the most direct route takes you to Hope, through Williams Lake, then Prince George. If you plan on driving the Alcan you will follow highway 97. John Hart Highway, to Dawson Creek (the start of the Alcan). If you choose this route, definitely detour through Hudson's Hope for the views and bridge to Ft. St. John.
Muncho Lake is a spectacular blue. Stop at Double G Services. Fresh baked bread and really good food (with an attitude)

Another must stop on this route is Liard Hot Springs. Really nice campground and super soak:

The Rancheria River is colored an odd brown/tan.

The other route heads West from Prince George on the Yellowhead Highway to Smithers. On this route you will pass some excellent steelhead rivers; Skeena, Bulkley. It may be difficult to get licenses to fish. Smithers has a great brew pub: https://smithersbrewing.com/
Make sure to explore the Gitwanga Totem Poles. You then head North on the Stewart/Cassiar Highway. Petrol stations are rather limited so gas up.
A great detour is at Maziadan Junction, to Stewart/Hyder.

Stop at the Blue Bus for really good Fish and Chips.

there is also a Bear Walk and if you are adventurous you could drive up onto the Salmon Glacier. Dease Lake is where you will gas up. They do have a fishing derby around that time frame for Lake Trout. Got pretty close to a Grizzly at a campground just outside Dease Lake. GAS Up.
Boya Lake is another spectacular blue lake with campground before you hit the Yukon.

Both routes end up at Watson Lake and the Signpost Forest.

the Yukon Territory has an approximate population of 40,000. 26,000 people live in/around Whitehorse. Gas up!
At Whitehorse stop at the Klondike for dinner. https://www.klondikerib.com/

 

[Bruce Baker]

Not so much fishing related, but once I got started I could not stop. Made this trip to Dawson City for Dust to Dawson on a motorcycle, twice. Here are my definite stops. For a trip make a loop using the Stewart/Cassiar one direction and the John Hart coming back.
There are two road routes to the Yukon. From Anacortes the most direct route takes you to Hope, through Williams Lake, then Prince George. If you plan on driving the Alcan you will follow highway 97. John Hart Highway, to Dawson Creek (the start of the Alcan). If you choose this route, definitely detour through Hudson's Hope for the views and bridge to Ft. St. John.
Muncho Lake is a spectacular blue. Stop at Double G Services. Fresh baked bread and really good food (with an attitude)

Another must stop on this route is Liard Hot Springs. Really nice campground and super soak:

The Rancheria River is colored an odd brown/tan.

The other route heads West from Prince George on the Yellowhead Highway to Smithers. On this route you will pass some excellent steelhead rivers; Skeena, Bulkley. It may be difficult to get licenses to fish. Smithers has a great brew pub: https://smithersbrewing.com/
Make sure to explore the Gitwanga Totem Poles. You then head North on the Stewart/Cassiar Highway. Petrol stations are rather limited so gas up.
A great detour is at Maziadan Junction, to Stewart/Hyder.

Stop at the Blue Bus for really good Fish and Chips.

there is also a Bear Walk and if you are adventurous you could drive up onto the Salmon Glacier. Dease Lake is where you will gas up. They do have a fishing derby around that time frame for Lake Trout. Got pretty close to a Grizzly at a campground just outside Dease Lake. GAS Up.
Boya Lake is another spectacular blue lake with campground before you hit the Yukon.

Both routes end up at Watson Lake and the Signpost Forest.

At Whitehorse stop at the Klondike for dinner. https://www.klondikerib.com/

If I re-do my trip, I will definitely take the detour through Hudson's Hope. I would also like to check out Dawson City, Whitehorse, and Kluane National Park in the Yukon Territory. I would also like to take the scenic train out of Skagway.

 

[krusty]

I drove it a long long time ago, and remember wishing I had some kind of floating device for all the lakes I passed. Some kind of inflatable would be perfect. The streams were in runoff when I went up. They were also still in the process of paving the thing!

Did it by touring bicycle....and they are ALWAYS tearing up and repaving. 10% to 20% under construction in any given year. Milepost is great but it's not unusual to find some of the very widely dispersed businesses 'out of business' along the journey. Good tires, spare, fuel up when you can....and don't bitch to the locals about the high prices.

And...have plenty of 100% DEET if you intend to venture outside your vehicle!

 

[Merle]

I bought some shitty used waders that had a seam running down the bottom of the foot. They were awful, and overpriced at $50 in 1990s money.

LOL - I remember a seam like that, sounds like the old brown Hodgeman waders; that was my first foray into neoprene wader scene. They were so snug I looked like a stuffed sausage.

 

[tatross]

Thank you , and thank you again for the input on this soon to start adventure.
Especially klq, you should write a guide book on this trip. Your pictures and descriptions are all fantastic.
Definitely makes me want to hit those spots.
I also tend to question the accuracy of the latest milepost.
It is published every year so you would hope it contains the most up to date info.
I'll do my best to put some fish in the net.

 

[Bruce Baker]

I would say that the Milepost is pretty accurate. I don't know when the 2023 issue was released, but I would be that it was accurate for the data it has collected to publish it and since it looks like there is always something going on, so there are changes occurring that is impossible for the Milepost to account for.

 

[tatross]

Moved this thread to 'General Fishing' since it's not a trip report....yet.

I suspect many of us will be very interested in reading the report once the trip happens though!

But for now, I think it will get more visibility if it's in the general forum.

I would say that the Milepost is pretty accurate. I don't know when the 2023 issue was released, but I would be that it was accurate for the data it has collected to publish it and since it looks like there is always something going on, so there are changes occurring that is impossible for the Milepost to account for.

W

 

[tatross]

Well I hope to find out.
I pre ordered the 2023 Milepost several months ago and it just arrived this week. It truly is a wealth of information and I am well versed in alternate contingencies.

 

[Robert Engleheart]

PM sent, check your Conversation box.

 

[klq@stl]

Two other nice scenic routes would be 1. Whistler through Lillooet and Pavilion to Cache Creek. Or 2. Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff then Glacier Park n over Lolo Pass. The Bow River definitely looks fishy