Sport Fishing USA — January 2018

52 JANUARY 2018

COURTESY ELFIN COVE RESORT (TOP, 2), BOB STEARNS (BOTTOM), ACCENT ALASKA.COM / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (OPPOSITE)

2

ELFIN COVE RESORT

907-239-2209

Elfin Cove, with a picturesque

protected harbor, provides direct

access to the Gulf of Alaska and

is also close to the fishy waters

of Icy Strait and Glacier Bay.

ACCESS: From Juneau, Elfin Cove
is about 100 miles to the west and
reachable only by floatplane or boat.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Sixteen rooms
hold up to 32 guests; Fishmaster’s
Inn next door is also owned by
Mike Legowski.

SPORT-FISHING FLEET: Six boats (five
are catamarans) from 30 to 36 feet,
with the 34- and 36-footers powered
by Yanmar diesel engines.

TACKLE AND BAITS: Shakespeare Ugly
Stik rods, Shimano TR200 and Tekota
500 reels for salmon, and Shimano
Tekota 700 reels for halibut. Mainly
fishing cut herring for halibut, lingcod
and rockfish; for silvers, a flasher in
front of a hoochie lure; and for kings,
yellow spoons with pink polka dots.

PRIMARY FISHING GROUNDS: It’s
usually a run of 10 minutes for silver
salmon, a max of 35 minutes for kings,
and varies from 10 to 40 minutes for
halibut, rockfish and lingcod.

TARGETED SPECIES: Salmon, halibut,
lingcod and yelloweye rockfish.

SEASON: Kings best May to June;
silvers mid-July to September; lingcod
and yelloweye rockfish midsummer.

RATES: Three days, two nights with
one day of fishing, $1,695; four days,
three nights for $3,695 provides two
and a half days of fishing; five days,
four nights with three fishing days for
$4,095; six days, five nights and four
days of fishing for $4,695; all rates
per person, double occupancy, and
includes floatplane from Juneau.

COMMENTS: Elfin Cove, on the
northern section of Chichagof Island,
possesses the largest population of
bears per square mile in the world.
The view from the lodge of Brady
Glacier and the Fairweather Range
is captivating.

Left: Halibut in the

waters near Elfin Cove

are about as sure a

thing as fishing offers.

Below: Elfin Cove Resort

looks across Icy Strait to

Glacier Bay beyond.

The farthest west of all resorts listed in this feature, Goodnews River is remote, even by Alaska

standards, and fishing pressure is minimal. Every cabin offers views both of Goodnews Bay

and mountains.