Stories of Alaska
Elfin Cove – Cod Fishing
- AJ Slagle
- 2017-07-16 05:51:00
- Private Charter
- Elfin Cove, Alaska
I wondered what I would find after 21 years since seeing Elfin cove and the surrounding area,the bounty and beauty were still more than abundant Chris and I were free of obligation to the ship on Wednesday and saw a brown bear the evening before at the head of port althorp,we awoke to a misty windless morning and left after breakfast to go fishing.
There is some pressure from the lodges based in the cove now but the places I fished were still abundant,nondescript shallow reefs were guarded diligently by Ling cod and rockfish that bent the rods as soon as the bait was presented,it has been years since I noticed fatigue from reeling in fish.
We were spared the close proximity of fishing for salmon next to the fleet of charter boats that were there and commercial boats beyond them the shallows toward shore provided plenty of action from cohos and pinks if you dropped within thirty feet of the bottom another resident rockfish would grab it or a Ling cod you just never knew.
Then Chris wanted to try for halibut another ten minutes of running brought us to a spot that our rods bent as soon as the bait hit the bottom they were small but feisty,having caught dinner the first ten minutes in the morning we released them all and returned to Elfin cove with enough to have a large fish dinner that evening.
Fishing for a living I don't normally do that on my day off,but I could not pass up the opportunity to witness what I like to compare to "fishing in a aquarium" what a blessing to have that bountiful resource within a 1/2 hour of your door,it is good to see it remains as I remember and the people I know there that I know and cherish,let me put it this way.....my next visit will be as soon as I can.
Corona Virus Update 2.3.2023
Even in the remote islands of Southeast Alaska, COVID-19 poses risks. The health and safety of our guests, employees, and community are our top priorities. We have put special measures in place to keep people safe on excursions:
The safety of our customers is paramount, so we’re also not going to walk away from common sense guidelines such as:
- Vaccination – We believe vaccines provide safe and effective protection against COVID-19. We strongly encourage vaccination and boosters for all employees, and the vast majority are currently vaccinated against COVID 19
- Social distance – We strive to keep groups separated as much as possible during the licensing and outfitting process, but our real strength in social distancing is based on the size of our boats. With only six passengers per vessel and one captain they spend time with, the risks of exposure are limited.
- Masking – We abide by the federal mandate for passenger vessels, masks are required for the duration of the tour while in enclosed cabins. That being said, there is quite a lot of airflow even on our hardtops which are typically open to the back deck. Masking may be required at times for vulnerable guests on a case-by-case basis.
- Stringent Cleaning – We’ve increased the frequency of disinfecting surfaces and high traffic areas such as the Alaska Fish House restaurant, bathrooms, the outfitting room, the dock, and our boats. Hand sanitizer will be available to all guests on every boat.
- Wellness Checks:
- Employees receive daily wellness checks to ensure they are healthy and symptom-free.
- Employees are empowered to call in sick if they show symptoms.
- If you or anyone in your group is experiencing symptoms, we will work directly with you to cancel or reschedule your tour free of charge.
These protocols have enabled Baranof Fishing Excursions to operate safely and successfully throughout 2020, 2021 and 2022. With your help, we intend to continue fishing safely in 2023!
