Juneau fishing is simply top quality. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given its location sandwiched between the sea and mountains on the Alaska panhandle, Juneau is an outdoor activities kind of place. Kayaking, hiking, and dog sledding are all popular things to do here, but none of these quite rival fishing in Juneau Alaska. Some of America’s very best fishing opportunities are to be found here, with all types of the sport (such as salt water fishing and fly fishing) catered for, both by the natural surroundings and the tourist facilities in place. As a result, vacationers heading to Juneau Alaska invariably add at least a spot of fishing to their activity-based itineraries.

Many of those vacationers arrive in Juneau on a cruise ship, with the Juneau dock proving a mainstay of the cruise circuit here. Holland America Line, for example, runs a superb Alaskan cruise that takes time out in Juneau to explore the area’s many attractions, such as the Mendenhall Glacier. These cruises offer the chance to do some fishing in Juneau Alaska, as they provide tours and outings runs by professional guides from the area, and these excursions prove a great way to indulge in Juneau fishing.

Holland America’s Fly Out Fishing Adventure is a great example. This excursion combines Juneau fishing with the iconic float planes characteristic of the area. First you are flown inland, where the plane scales stupendously attractive mountains before landing in pristine, fishing-friendly wilderness; then you get to fish in Juneau’s fish-laden waters. It makes for a memorable trip and, what’s more, an eco-friendly one: The excursion runs on a catch and release basis, which means you get to enjoy all the fun and adventure of fishing in Juneau Alaska without causing harm to the area.

Alaska Map

Of course, you don’t have to be involved with a cruise excursion in order to enjoy Juneau fishing. There are plenty of agencies and tour operators in the city who offer well-organized trips into Juneau’s fishing heartland. It’s also easy enough to arrange your own trip, either by chartering a boat out into the salt water that surrounds Juneau, or by booking a float plane trip into the state’s interior and staying at one of the many lodges dotted around the place.

In terms of when to go, the cruise season basically coincides with the best fishing season, which is roughly from the start of summer to the middle of autumn. During these months king and coho salmon and halibut populate the waters of Juneau, which means you may well get that all-important picture of you proudly holding a huge catch! Fishing in Juneau Alaska is possible year-round, however, thanks to the trout and grayling population here.

Having enjoyed Juneau to the full, Ketchikan and Sitka are other popular destinations for budding fishers. Again, these are popular ports of call on the cruise routes, which means doing a cruise of the best fishing spots in Alaska is more than possible. They are also uniformly beautiful places—as, in fact, is the whole of Alaska. Defined by sweeping, stunning scenery and the many consequential activities it offers to visitors, this is a state that has to be seen to be believed.