By Dallas Maxa

The first thing you notice isn’t the fish.

It’s the islands.

From the airplane window, Southeast Alaska unfolds beneath you like nowhere else on earth. Hundreds of emerald-green islands dot the Pacific, their dense spruce and hemlock forests rising straight from the water. Snow-dusted mountains disappear into low clouds, waterfalls carve ribbons down rocky cliffs, and if you’re lucky, you may even catch the unmistakable spray of a humpback whale breaking the surface far below.

Long before a fishing rod is rigged or the first salmon finds your line, Sitka reminds you why you’ve come.

 

For Rick and me, this trip has become more than an annual fishing excursion. It’s a tradition. A chance to reconnect with one of the wildest places left in North America, revisit familiar faces who have become family, and experience a corner of Alaska that somehow feels just as magical every time we return.

Our adventure officially begins the moment the wheels touch the runway.

Arriving on a Sunday afternoon, we were among the many anglers getting their first look at Sitka’s beautifully remodeled airport. Having watched the renovation take shape over the past several years, it was exciting to finally walk through the completed terminal. The moment you step inside, you’re surrounded by everything Alaska is known for—towering brown bears, a massive mounted Chinook salmon, moose displays, and exhibits celebrating the state’s rugged outdoor heritage.

Even with improvements continuing in the baggage claim area, where hardworking airport staff still unload luggage by hand, Sitka’s small-town charm is immediate and unmistakable. There’s an authenticity here that’s impossible to manufacture.

After collecting our bags, we spotted the familiar sign: Kingfisher Charters.

Just beyond the terminal doors stood a Kingfisher employee, ready to load our gear into the van and officially begin another unforgettable week in Alaska.

Before reaching the lodge, there’s one stop every seasoned group seems to make—a quick visit to the grocery and liquor store. While Kingfisher’s meals are exceptional—and deserve a spotlight of their own—the midnight sun has a way of extending evenings and creating the perfect excuse for a few late-night snacks after hours of swapping fishing stories.

Back at the lodge, the staff greeted us in our rooms to complete fishing licenses, waivers, and fittings for boots and foul weather gear. The process was seamless, allowing everyone to settle in and begin looking forward to the week ahead.

Not long afterward came our first taste of what has become one of Kingfisher’s trademarks.

Appetizers arrived.

Our first evening featured smoked salmon dip made from locally caught fish. It’s more than just an appetizer in our family—it’s become a tradition. Years ago, after returning home from Sitka, I found the recipe on Kingfisher’s website, canned my own salmon, and assembled Christmas gift baskets so family and friends could enjoy a little taste of Alaska during the holidays.

Dinner each evening deserves its own chapter. Guests can choose between a seafood entrée and a meat option—or both, if they can’t decide. The menu is thoughtfully planned, and the chef is always happy to accommodate dietary needs, ensuring everyone feels at home.

After dessert, the lodge settles into a comfortable rhythm. Some guests gather to watch the      Padres game or whatever sporting event happens to be on television. Others linger over stories from trips gone by. For Rick and me, the evening usually ends with a few games of cribbage while the midnight sun continues to cast a golden glow across Mount Edgecumb.

Fishing mornings begin early.

Breakfast is served at 5:00 a.m., with a rotating menu that ranges from homemade biscuits and sausage gravy to breakfast burritos, French toast, eggs, and sausage. Guests looking for a lighter start will find homemade pastries, yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, and fresh fruit.

Of course, every group has its traditions. Ben Pinard of Dana Landing remains unwavering in his commitment to a bowl of Fruit Loops every single morning—a ritual that seems every bit as important as checking the tide book.

By 5:45 a.m., the vans are loaded and headed for the harbor.

 

Sitka Harbor is a destination in itself. Towering mountains rise directly from the sea while bald eagles perch atop pilings, their unmistakable calls echoing across the marina as diesel engines rumble to life.

 

Waiting at the docks are familiar faces—Simon aboard the Makai, Clinton on the Chilkat, and Heath of the Intrepid , and the rest of the fleet. They’re more than captains and guides. After enough trips north, they become part of the reason you keep coming back.

As the boats idle

away from the harbor and weave through Sitka Sound, the true beauty of Southeast Alaska unfolds. Countless forested islands stretch toward the horizon, their evergreen canopies untouched by development. Waterfalls tumble from mountain slopes. Sea otters drift through floating kelp forests. Bald eagles soar overhead, while humpback whales surface without warning, stealing your attention from the fishing—even if only for a moment.

Before lines ever touched the water, our group reviewed this year’s updated Alaska Department of Fish and Game regulations. One announcement immediately stood out: the annual nonresident Chinook salmon limit had increased substantially from last season. Needless to say, there were plenty of smiles after reading that update.

Over the next three days, rods rarely stayed still. Chinook salmon tore across tide lines with blistering runs, heavy halibut tested both tackle and tired backs, and rocky pinnacles produced beautiful lingcod, sablefish, and short raker rockfish. Every stop seemed to offer another opportunity, another species, and another reminder of why Sitka has earned its reputation as one of the finest saltwater fisheries in North America.

One particular highlight was our success finding legal-sized lingcod. Thanks to Ken Morris and Ben Pin ard, our group enjoyed outstanding action on quality fish, with several beautiful lingcod making the trip home with us. I already know exactly what some of mine will become—Kingfisher’s famous Thai Lingcod Soup. Like many of the lodge’s signature recipes, it’s available on their website and has become one of our favorite ways to relive our Alaska adventures long after returning home.

One fish, however, became the story everyone gathered around to celebrate. Ben Pinard boated his first halibut weighing more than 100 pounds, earning membership in the lodge’s prestigious 100-Pound Club. Along with a commemorative hat and certificate came the kind of memory every halibut angler hopes to make. Watching everyone gather for photos and congratulations was a reminder that the best moments on a fishing trip aren’t always measured by fillets—they’re measured by milestones shared with friends.

Each afternoon, the boats return to the harbor around 3:00 p.m., where the Kingfisher shuttle vans are already waiting. Whether guests need another stop in town or simply want to head back to the lodge, every detail is handled with remarkable efficiency.

Then comes another daily tradition.

At exactly 5:00 p.m., appetizers arrive.

One afternoon it’s smoked salmon dip with crostini. The next might feature fresh lingcod tacos, grilled shrimp with rémoulade, or my personal favorite—teriyaki black cod tips. Better yet, many of these recipes are available on Kingfisher’s website, allowing guests to recreate a little bit of Sitka at home.

Dinner quickly becomes one of the highlights of the day. Anglers fill the dining room, celebrating personal bests, replaying hard-fought battles, and debating tomorrow’s strategy. One of my favorite moments each evening is walking through the doors and reading the whiteboard announcing the night’s menu. Every dinner is accompanied by an exceptional salad bar, homemade soup, and an entrée that never disappoints.

This year brought several new faces to the lodge staff, and every one of them fit seamlessly into the Kingfisher family. Friendly, professional, and genuinely welcoming, they carried on the tradition of hospitality that makes the lodge feel less like a business and more like a home away from home.

For Rick and me, however, the trip doesn’t quite end when the boats return to the dock.

We like to slow the pace down by staying an extra day in Sitka, and over the years we’ve found the perfect place to do just that. Chrissy’s beautiful Airbnb, located along Halibut Point Road, offers a peaceful retreat where you can truly soak in everything that makes Sitka so remarkable. With shoreline access just steps from the home, it’s the perfect place to sip a morning cup of coffee, watch bald eagles soar overhead, listen to the gentle waves against the rocks, and reflect on an unforgettable week on the water. After several early mornings and exciting days of fishing, the extra day provides an opportunity to experience Sitka at a slower pace and appreciate the beauty that extends well beyond the harbor.

For anglers considering extending their stay, I couldn’t recommend it more. Kingfisher Charters makes the process effortless by securely holding your boxed fish until your departure and coordinating with you before your flight, allowing you to enjoy an extra day in Sitka without worrying about logistics. It’s another example of the thoughtful service that defines the Kingfisher experience.

Eventually, though, departure day arrives.

Whether you’re leaving directly from the lodge or, like us, after one last peaceful day in Sitka, the experience ends with the same attention to detail that greeted you upon arrival. Rather than simply dropping guests at the curb, members of the Kingfisher staff are already waiting outside the terminal with neatly packed fish boxes in hand, greeting each departing angler with a smile, helping organize luggage, and making sure every last detail is taken care of.

It’s a small gesture, but one that perfectly captures what makes this place so memorable. From the moment you arrive until the moment you board your flight home, you’re never treated like just another guest—you leave feeling like family.

 

As we checked our fish and prepared to board our flight home, I realized what keeps bringing us back.

Yes, the fishing is world class.

But it’s also the whales surfacing beside the boat.

The bald eagles echoing across the harbor.

The endless evergreen islands rising from the Pacific.

The incredible meals shared with friends.

The captains who greet you like family.

The staff who somehow make every guest feel like they’ve been waiting all year for your return.

As our plane climbed above Sitka Sound, the same forested islands that welcomed us just days before slowly disappeared beneath the clouds, a fitting reminder that the best fishing trips leave you with far more than a cooler full of fish.

We weren’t talking about the biggest salmon or the heaviest halibut.

We were already talking about next year.

Because that’s the thing about Sitka.

You don’t leave wondering if you’ll come back.

You leave wondering how long it will be until you do.