When planning an Alaska fishing vacation there are many things to consider, but there’s absolutely no more important decision to make than which fishing guide service to book with.  Of course your travel dates, lodging choices, food choices, and car rental should all be chosen wisely as well, but the effect each of these will have on your overall experience pales in comparison to that of your fishing guide. Hear me out.

If you book a typical fishing and lodging package, you might have 4-6 different fishing trips planned throughout your week, on average.  If each trip lasts 6-10 hours, then we’re talking about a total of up to 50 hours of time spent with your fishing guides. It’s just math!  50 hours is a LONG time to spend with anyone. And you’re not just spending that time casually with your guide; they set the vibe for the day, control your actions, are the leader of the trip, are responsible for your safety, and you’re stuck on a boat with them so there’s no getting away!

When you think about the volume of time you spend with your fishing guides on a typical week in Alaska, it’s easy to see how important it is that they be great people readers, excellent teachers, have a sense of humor, are polite, patient, keep you safe, and set positive vibes for the trip from start to finish!

Did you notice I didn’t mention fishing skills anywhere in the list of fishing guide attributes?  That was on purpose.  The vast majority of fishing guides are excellent anglers, that’s usually why they became a fishing guide, and so what sets a great guide apart from the rest are the other intangibles that are listed above. In my opinion, a fishing guide boasting about being a great fisherman to me is a big red flag, and a sign of a young or immature fishing guide that doesn’t “get it” yet, and maybe never will.

Moral of the story, when planning your Alaska fishing trip be sure to do your research by asking potential outfitters the right questions, get recommendations from others that have been there, and check review sites such as TripAdvisor to see what previous guests have to say.  Whatever you do, don’t play fishing guide roulette because the guide or outfitter you choose is likely to make or break your entire vacation.