For all the places to spend the summer on an adventure, why did we choose Alaska? Well, there are many reasons—but fishing is at the top of the list. We came for the fish, and Alaska is not disappointing.

We are in an area of Alaska called the Kenai Peninsula. It’s known for its vast wilderness—like much of Alaska—its towering, snow-capped mountains that rise straight from the water, its glaciers, and more bears and moose than people…..Okay, that’s not exactly accurate, but on the drive here, it sure felt like it.

Kachemak Bay, specifically, is known for halibut—a flat, white, bottom-dwelling fish best caught here as they come into the shallower waters in spring and summer.

So we started our fishing adventure in Homer. Unsure of how the kids would do out on the open ocean—Ellie gets a little seasick—we booked a half-day fishing boat just for our family to get our sea legs moving. We woke up very early, geared up with coats, snacks, Dramamine, and a whole lot of encouragement and positive thinking. Then we met up with a wonderful local, Thad, and his son Dawson from TNT Adventures, for a day on the water.

Now, we have some experience fishing. Justin grew up on the Gulf and has spent many days on the open water. I’ve been twice. I hear there are definitely days when you hook up one after another, but those are few and far between. Usually, you’re waiting hours between bites.

Not sure what we were expecting but It was non-stop: “Fish on!”

We set out with seven souls on board around 5:15 AM and limited out on halibut before 8:00 AM—total catch: 12. It was amazing. Justin’s face the entire day was a permanent smile. The boys had a blast, and Ellie didn’t throw up and didn’t complain—which are both huge wins.

We were home by 11, and everyone was napping and smiling the rest of the day.

Then came Day 2. Ellie and I sat this one out because I wanted her to have the success of open-water boating and fishing fresh on her mind. The boys headed out. Again, by 9:00 AM, they had limited out with six halibut—but this time, they reeled in big fish. They went to a different part of the bay and caught fish after fish, each one seeming bigger than the last, with the largest weighing in around 125 pounds and measuring 5’2″.

A common saying on this trip is, “This is the best day of my life”—it echoes from one of the five of us almost daily. Today was Justin’s day.

By breakfast, they were done with halibut and had plenty of time for another adventure: salmon. Salmon is the main fish we are here for. Our primary spot for salmon fishing will be the Kenai River—but this was like a mini preview. Thad and Dawson took them upriver to fish for salmon.

According to the stories and the pictures, this wasn’t just salmon fishing. This was hiking upstream, climbing waterfalls, and finding a fishing hole filled with salmon—that kind of fishing. This group of salmon was hatched by a fishery, so it’s like their beacons get confused and they don’t know where they’re going. They have the instincts to swim upstream, but they aren’t sure which river. So they swim here and get stuck at the bottom of the waterfall.

Which means—wildlife and anglers alike feast on the fishing.

They once again limited out on Salmon – and packed the freezer with a total of 250 pounds of Halibut and Salmon in two days…

…and we haven’t even gotten to the Kenai River.