Salmon run in Alaska

[Howasaur]

We are planning a Y4T Cruise tour. I was wondering how early can you cruise Alaska and see the Salmon run? Our last Cruise to Alaska was in Early May and while on a excursion in Juneau to see Mendellhall Glacier the tour guide said it was too early to see the Salmon run.

[Shmoo here]

We are planning a Y4T Cruise tour. I was wondering how early can you cruise Alaska and see the Salmon run? Our last Cruise to Alaska was in Early May and while on a excursion in Juneau to see Mendellhall Glacier the tour guide said it was too early to see the Salmon run.

 

The salmon run generally is mid-May thru July.

 

:cutie:

[RuthC]

Certainly you can see them by mid-July, if not sooner. To this day I remember seeing salmon up close on my first Alaska cruise. One was stopped for a rest in a little pool on the side of a river out by Mendenhall Glacier. I could have reached down to pick it up, it was that close! :D

That was the last two weeks of July that year.

My husband went fishing in (I think it was) Ketchikan, and came back with three big salmon. The chef (not on HAL) served them to our table for dinner the next night.

[popcan]

There is a big run in September, and when we went 8-15 sept 2010, the ketchikan river was absolutely chock a block with salmon. This year, sept 15-22 there were still some salmon spawning, but nowhere near the amount we saw by going a week earlier.

[karatemom2]

We have never seen salmon on our Alaska cruises that were earlier than July. If you ask this on the Alaska boards the advise if salmon is a priority is generally travel from mid-July onward. Later in July and into August/September the salmon are generally thick which improves your bear sighting chances.

[popcan]

. Later in July and into August/September the salmon are generally thick which improves your bear sighting chances.

 

.....there was a black bear on the boardwalk on Creek Street one morning during our day in Ketchikan!

[TiogaCruiser]

It's my understanding that each of the species "runs" at a different time.

You might get more specific times if you ask on the Alaska board. ( and include your ports)

 

When we were in Ketchikan in August there were tons of them jumping in the harbor.

[popcan]

Yup, late August/early September is the Chinook run. (pretty sure it's Chinook) Some years are bigger than others.

[spacepotatoes]

We were there in mid-July this year. The salmon was plentiful in Juneau but we didn't see any at all in Ketchikan.

[CTDesign11]

we saw plenty of salmon at Mendenhall in mid- August this year

[Howasaur]

I appreciate the comments and I'll post on the Alaska board. I enjoy taking wildlife photo and that's one reason I have thought about the Y4T or Y4C cruise tour 19 days and 20 Days.

[NoobCruise]

I know you're asking how early they run, and I don't know. They were running thick the 1st week of September. These shots were taken in Sitka. It was very cool to see!

 

 

674 The creek was crawling with salmon by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

 

 

688 you could reach in and grab one if you wanted lol by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

[goodearth]

Salmon don't run on schedules........ Please don't assume you will automatically see them according to when others have seen them in years past. Now with that said--the fall runs are generally the heaviest (IMO) and they can start anytime from the end of August into September. I would book the first or second week of September as my best bet for a salmon experience. Good luck to you! :)

[Howasaur]

Thank-you for the comments. Yes I realize the fish are not on our schedule time I wanted a approx. which you gave me and is appreciated.

[cruisetrip4me2]

During our stop in Ketchikan on July 3rd of this year (Statendam Y4C tour) I chartered a boat for 4 hours and tried my luck fishing for King salmon. With three of us on the boat fishing we only managed to bring in two Kings. The captain said this was one of the worst years for Kings in a long time so I felt fortunate that I had one to send home. The other boats in the area were also not doing so great. Perhaps coho, silver, or pinks were more plentiful but we were after the King. After all, Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world, or so says the sign hanging over the main street. I had fun even though it was expensive. I'll probably never have the opportunity to do it again so why not go for it.

By the way, the cruise/land tour was great.