*How do we get to Homer?

ERA Airlines flies from Anchorage to Homer daily. The best idea is to make your original flight arrangements all the way to Homer with your travel agent or the airline on which you will be flying.
You can also check with ERA Airlines to see their flight schedule.

* What Can We Expect To Occur Once We Arrive?

When you arrive in Homer you will be met at the airport to help you with your luggage and transportation arrangements. It is strongly suggested to arrange for a rental vehicle in advance of your arrival, as they quickly become rare commodities up here during the summer months.

Link To Hertz-- Use airport code HOM for Homer Airport

After leaving the airport, the next stop is the local market, to pick up fishing licenses.

*What Does It Cost To Fish And To Buy A Fishing License?
Use This Link for licence info

If you and your group happen to be the types who want to fly in on the 5:25 a.m. flight and head straight to the boat for a day of fishing, we will proceed from there to the dock. Those who arrive later in the day will head to the lodge, just 45 minutes north of Homer off the scenic Sterling Highway.

Be warned! We do stop for moose, so it's a good idea to have your camera handy if we are lucky enough to spy one along the way. When you arrive at the lodge, we will help you get settled into your room(s) and give you an overview of what will be going on over the course of your stay.

When returning to the Chautauqua Lodge at the end of the day, we will provide you with a gourmet prepared home-cooked dinner.

If you enjoy cooking, and want to treat everyone with one of your specialties, then give us advance notice, and we'll let you take over the kitchen or barbecue.

What Kind Of Fish Can We Catch?

KING (CHINOOK)SALMON: The largest species of salmon averages 15-50 pounds and can be 3-4' long.

SILVER (COHO) SALMON: averages 8-15 pounds and measures 2 to 2 1/2 feet.

HALIBUT: The highly sought after Halibut weighs in from 25-300 pounds.
Be sure to have gotten some good training in beforehand if you plan to tackle one of these guys

LING COD: One of the best eating and most fun fish to catch, this large, aggressive reef dweller will test the best fisherman. It may reach a length of 5 ft and can weigh over 80 pounds and pound for pound, is going to give you as much as you can handle.

YELLOW-EYE ROCKFISH:Otherwise known as the "red snapper", This bright red schooling fish may grow to be 2 ft long and averages 10-12 pounds with a record catch tipping the scales as 30.5 pounds.

* What do we do if the weather doesn't allow fishing?

One thing you can say about weather in Alaska is… if you don't like it, just wait 15 minutes. We check the internet every morning for the weather conditions at our favorite areas.

If everything looks good, then we head out, if not we make plans for other types of fishing adventures. Sometimes the forecast may look fine when we leave the lodge, but by the time we get out on the water the conditions have changed to the point where it is just too rough to try and make a day of it.

On the rare occasions that happens we head back to the harbor and make other plans for the day.

These other plans can be as varied as the season and weather permits.

For example, many of our guest like to go down to the "FISHIN' HOLE", which is an area where salmon come in from the bay. Many silver and King salmon are caught by anglers using light tackle and it is very popular.

We can arrange for a fly-out to Wolverine Creek to fish for salmon and bear-watching. Or take a flight-see tour to view the glaciers across Kachemak Bay.

A trip to the Kenai River offers a variety of fishing opportunities from Sockeye fishing along the banks, to King Salmon fishing from a boat on the river. Further north a ride on the Russian River Ferry offers more salmon fishing along the shores.

* Is there a recommendation for tipping the crew and captain?

There is no hard and fast rule about tipping, but like any service provided by working men and women, tips are a very important part of their pay.

If you feel that your crew member and/or captain worked hard for you and helped to make your experiences enjoyable, then tipping is most welcome and appreciated.

You can use the same tipping guide as restaurants do, 15-25% of your fare or whatever you feel is appropriate.

* What Should We Bring To Alaska ?

Clothing:
It is always better to be prepared for a chill when fishing in Alaska because even in the summer, the early morning can have a little bite to it. Therefore, I recommend the following as a general rule:

*Longjohns
*Gloves with lining
*A rain suit (pants and jacket)
*Sweat shirts/sweaters
*A medium heavy windproof coat or jacket
*Rubber boots- The higher they are up your leg the better. (Lined are good for warmth).

We do have a variety of sizes of boots, waders, and rain gear available. However, you are more than welcome (and encouraged) to bring your own gear if you desire.

While our supply covers a wide range of sizes, we cannot guarantee your exact size will be available at any given time. It is always a good idea to bring along warm clothing and heavy jackets as it does get cold out on the water.

While we do suggest you bring warm clothing with you, there is no need to bring lots and lots of extra clothing. We have a washer and dryer available for your personal use, and unlike hotels and motels, we do not charge extra for the use of the laundry facilities. In addition to warm clothing, bring along a bathing suit if you want to make use of the hot tub.

Tackle:

As stated earlier, you can bring everything in your tackle box if you like, but you need not worry if you don't want to bring anything because we have all of the gear that you could possibly need right here.
But if you decide to bring some tackle with you I would suggest some of your heavier jigs like the diamond silver, or blue and white, or mackerel colored. The fish have been known to bite on the scampi's up here so you might want to bring a few of your favorites.

You are most welcome to bring your favorite tackle, gear, rods, reels and good luck charms when you visit Scott The Fisherman at Fish On Alaska.

It also is great when your good ol' fun loving, adventure seeking spirit comes along too!!
Cause that's what we're all about up here, FUN..FISHING..and FRIENDS !!

* Do you have access to sight-seeing trips?

Yes we do.

We can arrange for you to fish, visit or tour around Alaska by Seaplane or by a guide that will take you to the most beautiful places you can imagine.

Just let me know that you might have interest in sight-seeing and when I "tailor" your trip for you, I will be sure to have that option available.

* What if I want to fish somewhere else for a day or so?

It would be my pleasure to assist you in setting up a "fly-out" to another location on the river, or in a different location.

Truth be told, it would be a shame if you came to Homer or Ninilichik and didn't see some of the other incredible locations for fishing or sightseeing because there is nothing quite like fishing for salmon with the bears fishing right next to you.

* What wildlife is around Ninilichik and Homer?

Bring your camera if you like wildlife.

We have many wandering moose, lots of eagles, some bears, a million geese and ducks, and too many other walking, flying and running critters to describe.

On the boat, you can expect to see sea otters, porpoise, humpback and killer whales, bears on the beach, or goats on the mountain, and birds like you cannot believe.

AND, the volcanoes, and the mountains, the water and everything that nature has to offer is here as well. Be prepared to experience the unexpected, the unusual and the unique world of Alaska.

* How do I get my fish home?

There are a couple of ways to get your fish back to your fridge/freezer. First, remember that on our boat, we will filet or prepare your fish for consumption. This service is free of charge.

Scott will then personally take your fish to a 'processor' who will then process your fish to your personal specifications, which means 'vacuum packed and frozen', smoked in several ways, or canned.

The cost for this will vary according to your preferred choice of preparation, and you can expect to take home between 50 to 100 pounds of fish or more.

If you cannot take it, we can have it shipped to you.

* Do you take credit cards?

During the 2007 season, we will be accepting major credit cards for fishing, the lodge and other activities.

We will be taking Visa and MasterCard only, however.

* Can you make travel arrangements for me and my party?

We will certainly advise you on the best way to get here, where to stay for close proximity to the boat and give you some ideas about where to eat, drink and hang-out.

We can and will certainly make all of your arrangements if you and your party stay with us at the Chautauqua Lodge, but because we are not a travel agency, we cannot do the actual booking of flights or arrange other hotels.

* If my wife comes, will she have a good time?

Wives, girl-friends, friends, buddies...whomever. If they come, they will go home with stories, experiences and memories that they will love forever.