What is Alaska Seafood
Alaska seafood, in a broad sense, is best described as a way of life; the catching, cleaning, cooking, and eating of everything from king crab to king salmon is the object of many individuals’ passion. Baranof Fishing Excursions and The Alaska Fish House are as dependent as any on what Alaska, specifically Southeast, has to offer in the way of sport fishing, commercial fishing, seafood dining, and providing a freezer full of fish to our guests. Whether you’re joining us for a Cook Your Catch fishing/culinary adventure, want to learn how a commercial salmon fishing boat operates, looking to ensure your fish is properly cared for from the time it is taken off your hook until it’s served to your family back home, or just want to learn a little more about the different Alaska fish species that inhabit our waters, you’re in the right place. Alaska is our home and seafood is our life; we’d love to share it with you.
Our Seafood Restaurant
The Alaska Fish House started as a prep kitchen for Baranof’s culinary excursions. Over the years we’ve continued to grow and evolve into one of Alaska’s premier seafood restaurants.
Buy Alaska Seafood
Catching their own seafood is the preferred method of getting fish home for most of our visitors, but if you can’t make the trip north or you’re looking for something special check out our recommended vendors.
Alaska Fish Species
Alaskan waters are home to countless fish species. We’ve made an effort to provide an overview of the most popular sportfishing species, as well as some rewarding ones you may want to add to your to-catch list.
Commercial Fishing
Ketchikan began as a Native American fish camp a century and a half ago, and many of our inhabitants still depend on the commercially available species in the area to provide a living. From purse seining to longlining, you can check out how they get it done here.
Cook your Catch
Combining unique and 5-star dining with world-class fishing is what we hang our Baranof hat on. Our Cook Your Catch program provides an authentic Alaska experience in the wild, a private dining room, or in your own home.
Caring for your Catch
Proper care for your fish begins the second it comes out of the water. Commercial and sportfishing companies alike take great pride in providing the best Alaskan seafood possible – find out what goes on behind the scenes here to make sure that happens.
Why is Good King Crab So Expensive?
Simply Put – The Best Isn’t Cheap.
Alaskan red king crab is highly coveted for its size, richness and firm texture. The best king crab in the world is harvested from icy arctic waters and delivered by the fishermen in Dutch Harbor.
Discover King CrabAlaska Seafood Species
The waters of Southeast Alaska are home to an enormous amount of fish species. We’ve put together some information on the more popular ones to help our guests define their idea of a great fishing trip. Everything we commonly fish for is covered, as well as a few species that only die-hards seeking a unique fishing experience with a full or multi-day private charter are likely to chase after.
Salmon
Our small town of Ketchikan began as a salmon fish camp, and 140 years later the two are as inextricably linked as ever. We enjoy strong runs of king, coho, and pink salmon every season, with the odd sockeye and keta thrown in for good measure. All 5 species of Pacific salmon are represented in our area, making us the (self-proclaimed) “Salmon capital of the world”.
Chinook, Silver, Red,
Humpy, Chum
Halibut
If you’re not coming to Alaska for salmon, or not just for salmon, you’re likely looking for the largest flatfish in the world. The inter-island waters around Ketchikan, carved deep by glaciers thousands of years ago, offer protected, world-class halibut fishing that the whole family can enjoy.
Rockfish
Rockfish are the unsung heroes of the Alaskan sportfishing world, so we built our company on them. Their unique appearance, with beautiful coloring and spiny dorsal fin, and outstanding flavor make them the perfect catch for a family seeking an authentic culinary Alaskan fishing trip.
Pelagic /
non-Pelagic
Cod
We know, lingcod isn’t technically a cod, but with a name like that where else would we put them? Catching one of these dinosaurs is probably the first story you’ll tell your friends about when you make it back home. Pacific cod are preferred by many over halibut for fish & chips, and black cod (sablefish) is such a niche sportfishing target that some folks make the trip north just to look for them over 1,000’ below the surface.
Lingcod, Black Cod,
Pacific Cod
Crab
Although our first piece of legislation upon reaching statehood was to protect our salmon by outlawing fish traps, Alaska has instead recently become synonymous with crab. King and tanner (snow) crab are famous for their amazing taste and the men and women that risk their lives to find them. Dungeness aren’t as big, but when you want to dine on a delicious crustacean you catch yourself, they’re the way to go.
Dungeness,
Tanner, King
Shrimp
Spot shrimp are one of the few catches even your mother might not share with you around here, they’re that good. It takes an overnight “soak” to get a dependable amount in your shrimp pot, but every multi-day fishing charter should include some time set aside to pull a few out of the water.
