A Morning on the Water – Ketchikan, Alaska

On the morning of May 18, Mark and I set out for a lingcod fishing trip in the rugged waters off Ketchikan, Alaska. The sea greeted us with a calm surface, though we both knew a front was moving in. Time was against us, and we were a little worried we wouldn’t get enough fishing in before the weather turned.

But the fishing gods were with us that day.

We dropped our lines and quickly got into a rhythm. Before long, we had our limit of lingcod — hefty, aggressive fighters that made each catch a thrill. We didn’t stop there. Yelloweye rockfish were also biting, and we soon had our quota of those as well — bright orange and full of flavor, perfect for several hearty meals over the coming week.

We wrapped things up just in time, cruising back to the harbor with coolers full and spirits high. The wind was just starting to pick up as we tied off the boat, a reminder of how quickly Alaskan weather can shift.

All in all, it was a fun and successful morning on the water — the kind of day that sticks with you long after the fish are gone.