Where do I go to watch salmon in Ketchikan for free?

[oceanfun77]

I don't have any excursions planned for Ketchikan stop. Instead I have heard about people going to watch salmon swim. Is this an excursion or a free activity? If it's free, where can I go to watch this? Will it involve a bus trip or some drivng? Thanks.

[NorbertsNiece]

You can watch salmon swim right in Ketchikan..... not that we did but we heard of a place called Creek Street where the salmon were heading upstream. It's within easy walking of the pier.

[lizbeth]

Hi -

 

Yes, the creek is an easy walk from your ship ... just head to the old "red light" shopping district. It's built along the creek and the salmon start swimming in mid to late July and continue through September.

 

It's a beautiful sight to see!

Enjoy it!

 

Best,

Liz

[tjcox9]

But, it really depends on what time of the year you're asking about. Last year, in September, toward the end of the season, it was amazing to watch the little critters fighting their way upstream.

 

This year in late May, there was no action at all. And I'm not sure just when it begins........one of those miracles of nature.

 

If you really want an interesting view, you can see the fish ladder where they are really struggling up the rocks from another view. I think (and will take gentle corrections only ;)) that it's Married Man's Trail. Could check it out myself by doing a search, but then I'd have to start all over with this response!

[JHUNTGOLF]

We were on the Island Princess last week and we docked in Ketchikan on Saturday, August 21. As the earlier poster said, go to Creek Street which is just a few blocks from where the ship docked. There were so many salmon that you could almost walk across the creek on the backs of the salmon without getting wet. If you walk to the end of the boardwalk area at Creek Street, you can also see the salmon trying to navigate upstream through the rapids/boulders. And best of all, it's free!!!! Good luck.

 

John

[motherofteenagers]

There is a salmon ladder a few blocks from the dock. Just ask anyone and they will give you directions. It's much easier to find if the streets are pointed out in person. It's about a 5 minute walk, some is uphill.

We just returned and there were a ton of salmon.

[Putterdude]

Last year in mid-September the salmon were so thick in Ketchikan Creek (Creek Street) at high tide you could have walked across the creek on their backs. If they are in the river they will be very visable from anywhere along Creek Street.

[cdew]

just left ketchikan last thursday the salmon were so thick u could pick them up out of the stream by hand.

[oceanfun77]

Oh boy, I am soooo excited for this!!! Might I say I'm even more excited for this than the whale watching or train excursion? I hope there's still plenty left when I got (september 4th)

[oceanfun77]

I have a question completely unrelated to the cruise. It's about salmon. If the salmon dies very shortly after spawning, do fisherman usually catch them around the area after they've spawned instead of having it go to waste? If they don't catch them, that's a a ton of dead salmon in the sea though, especially based on other cruiser's accounts of how the salmon run was so thick you can walk on top of them without getting wet.

[Putterdude]

You may also see them in Skagway, there is a creek that borders what I guess would be the south edge of the town and I have seen them there...there you can stand right on the edge of the creek and watch them. But there are different runs of salmon at different times of the season.

[ajhunt2]

I have a question completely unrelated to the cruise. It's about salmon. If the salmon dies very shortly after spawning, do fisherman usually catch them around the area after they've spawned instead of having it go to waste? If they don't catch them, that's a a ton of dead salmon in the sea though, especially based on other cruiser's accounts of how the salmon run was so thick you can walk on top of them without getting wet.

 

They don't go to waste. Bear eat them, and unless i'm wrong the young salmon feed on them too.

 

Watched and episode of Dirty Jobs and they were counting the dead salmon. It helps them know how the numbers are of how many actually make it to the breeding area and that they are healty and surviving.

[Putterdude]

I have a question completely unrelated to the cruise. It's about salmon. If the salmon dies very shortly after spawning, do fisherman usually catch them around the area after they've spawned instead of having it go to waste? If they don't catch them, that's a a ton of dead salmon in the sea though, especially based on other cruiser's accounts of how the salmon run was so thick you can walk on top of them without getting wet.

 

By the time the salmon have got to their spawning grounds, which may be hundreds of miles from the salt water, and have spawned they have changed colour, are completely depleted and there flesh is literally starting to rot. Bears, eagles and other wildlife eat the carcases but it is not fit for human consumption. It is all part of the a life cycle and quite natural.

[ostrich2]

Just to give you an idea, here is the view from one of the viewing platforms up above the creek, leading up to the salmon ladder where you can see them going up the rapids. There are a couple of different viewing platforms along the path that follows the creek:

 

IMG_1679_ADJ by ostrich2, on Flickr

 

If you're there during the right time of year you can see the salmon jumping their way up the ladder:

 

IMG_0336_ADJ_SM by ostrich2, on Flickr

[bottom-dragger]

If the salmon dies very shortly after spawning, do fisherman usually catch them around the area after they've spawned instead of having it go to waste? .

 

they don't go to waste, those carcasses are very important for the full circle. their decomp provide the food for the very bottom of the food chain. they have traced minerals and nutrients from the fish into the streamside trees.

 

when i was designing fishpasses, the target species was the high dollar fish (sockeye/coho) but worked hard to pass the lower value fish (chum/pinks) to get carcasses upstream. carcasses be good, mon.

 

spawned out is used to describe someone that looks like crap.

[jjlasolas]

I don't have any excursions planned for Ketchikan stop. Instead I have heard about people going to watch salmon swim. Is this an excursion or a free activity? If it's free, where can I go to watch this? Will it involve a bus trip or some drivng? Thanks.

 

I found what everyone has posted thus far was true. We were in Ketchikan during the 1st week of Aug. Salmon were in plentiful. We also did not have an excursion booked for that port since we had others already planned, and we just walked around, did a walking tour, took the furnicular tram and walked down the married man's trail and along creek street. There are so many Salmon and it was cool to see so many people fishing as well...

[Kiera99]

Just to give you an idea, here is the view from one of the viewing platforms up above the creek, leading up to the salmon ladder where you can see them going up the rapids. There are a couple of different viewing platforms along the path that follows the creek:

If you're there during the right time of year you can see the salmon jumping their way up the ladder:

 

Thank you ostrich for posting this. I was there in early July and there were no salmon then.

At least I got to see what I missed. This post should answer the OP's question.

[Shebba]

Oh! This is exciting to read. Our cruise is next week. We will have to check this out. Thanks for the info!!

[ysr_racer]

I have a question completely unrelated to the cruise. It's about salmon. If the salmon dies very shortly after spawning, do fisherman usually catch them around the area after they've spawned instead of having it go to waste?

 

No, we want the brightest, freshest salmon we can find. Ocean fresh is the best.

 

Spawned out salmon are not suitable for eating.

 

[mytime53]

I have a question completely unrelated to the cruise. It's about salmon. If the salmon dies very shortly after spawning, do fisherman usually catch them around the area after they've spawned instead of having it go to waste? If they don't catch them, that's a a ton of dead salmon in the sea though, especially based on other cruiser's accounts of how the salmon run was so thick you can walk on top of them without getting wet.

 

This is a very good question, but one you wouldn't ask if you had seen a "spawned out" salmon.:D Usually in the fall, the water in the streams falls, and the stench of the dead salmon on the banks can be pretty bad. :eek:

[Kelane]

they don't go to waste, those carcasses are very important for the full circle. their decomp provide the food for the very bottom of the food chain. they have traced minerals and nutrients from the fish into the streamside trees.

 

spawned out is used to describe someone that looks like crap.

 

We saw one slick kitty sitting at the end of Creek Street with a big fat fresh looking salmon not far from it. I don't think those salmon go to waste at all!

 

Question: We saw people fishing off the bridge. My husband had understood they don't eat on their way upstream? So do people just get lucky and hook them or did we understand wrong and the salmon are interested in biting the lures being used?

 

I feel "spawned out" many a morning...that is hilarious. I'll have to use it!

[bottom-dragger]

i can't stand trolling in salt water, but i love bank fishing for salmon in the itz (inter tidal zone). the area that floods on in coming tides and drains on the ebb.

 

chum/dogs are low achievers and don't really do a good job once entering freshwater. but a stainless steel colored chum (caught in saltwater) at the fourth of july.........ooooooh lala

 

pinks (stinks), they provide nutrients upstream. they are what you'll find in most canned salmon.

 

kings, require a major river or a hatchery. tiny town has the last king hatchery, the major rivers are all on the mainland.

 

coho (silvers) are my target species. they are still active feeders at the lower reaches of fresh water streams.

 

sockeye (reds) are filter feeders and once instream a tough fish to catch. how can your lure/fly emulate plankton? the technique is to present them over and over and over again a red/orange skirked fly until they are finally irritated and will hit it.

 

we also have in my work what are called salmon days; you fight upstream all day long, get screwed, and then you die. don't do more than two of these per week.

 

central tn? i went to sewanee for two years before i found out that i wasn't part of that culture.

[Kelane]

i can't stand trolling in salt water, but i love bank fishing for salmon in the itz (inter tidal zone). the area that floods on in coming tides and drains on the ebb.

 

chum/dogs are low achievers and don't really do a good job once entering freshwater. but a stainless steel colored chum (caught in saltwater) at the fourth of july.........ooooooh lala

 

pinks (stinks), they provide nutrients upstream. they are what you'll find in most canned salmon.

 

kings, require a major river or a hatchery. tiny town has the last king hatchery, the major rivers are all on the mainland.

 

coho (silvers) are my target species. they are still active feeders at the lower reaches of fresh water streams.

 

sockeye (reds) are filter feeders and once instream a tough fish to catch. how can your lure/fly emulate plankton? the technique is to present them over and over and over again a red/orange skirked fly until they are finally irritated and will hit it.

 

we also have in my work what are called salmon days; you fight upstream all day long, get screwed, and then you die. don't do more than two of these per week.

 

central tn? i went to sewanee for two years before i found out that i wasn't part of that culture.

 

Thank you! Much better explanation than we got from our tour guide in Haines!!

 

"Salmon days"...you crack me up!! Now I'm "spawned out" and having "salmon days"!!! Love it. :D

 

I am in Nolensville...rural area between Franklin/Nashville/Murfreesboro. My brother graduated seminary at Sewanee. From Sewanee to Alaska? Kinda drastic move wasn't that? Can't blame you though. TN is beautiful but Alaska is absolutely amazing!

 

Thanks for the clarification!!

[Jen1000]

We were in Ketchikan on Sept. 12 and there were tons of salmon. I got the walking tour from the tourist office and we followed it from the Lumberjack show to Creek Street. We followed the map up to the salmon ladder (dirt and uphill for a couple of minutes) and then followed the creek further up to see the spawning area. It was great and we even saw 2 seals in the Creek St. area.

 

Jen in SoCal

[Putterdude]

We were there on 9/9 and the river was full of pinks and humpies.:)