Finding the best lodging for your affordable Alaska fishing trip

So you've made it to Alaska...where are you going to stay? As with your flight and vehicle rental, you’ll be traveling to Alaska during prime tourist season so if you don’t plan these carefully you could end up paying a lot more than you need to.

If you are an economic traveler/angler and you decide to rent a conversion van or an RV, your lodging in Alaska will already be taken care of for the most part and your only concern will be what campground or highway pull-off to utilize.

Even so, you may want to still think about renting an inexpensive motel room maybe half way through your trip so you can get a warm shower and freshen up and get a good night sleep before heading out again on your fishing adventure. You’ll also want to make sure you rent a motel room in Anchorage the night before your flight departs so that you can make your final preparations for your trip home.

Ok, if you are not sleeping on the road then you have a few options for more stationary lodging in Alaska. Some of these options include the traditional motels, bed and breakfasts, fishing lodges, privately owned cabin rentals and let’s not forget about the State of Alaska’s public use cabins.

You can pretty much include motels and the bed and breakfasts in the same category. Generally, they are strictly lodging in Alaska with no additional fishing amenities like with the lodges. You can find rooms that range from $30 to $200 per night depending on the location, time of season and the quality of the motel you’re seeking. There are so many options here. Use The Milepost, search the internet or seek out information from the local chamber of commerce here for a list of motels in the area you’re interested in. Calling ahead is not mandatory but if you are looking for a room in an area where the salmon are in, you may have a very difficult time finding a room. Generally, the earlier in the day you seek lodging, the better. Motels begin filling up by late afternoon.

Lodges sometimes also offer just lodging but typically the fishing lodges offer additional guide services as well. This is not the way to go for the economical angler. I’ve yet to find a lodge offer strictly lodging for under $120 per night and it is usually more like $150 - $200 per night. Usually the lodges offer all-inclusive package deals for anywhere from a 2 night/3 day fishing package up to a 6 night/7 day fishing package. Most all lodges will customize packages to your specific needs as well. If you are going for the total Alaska fishing experience and have the money, this is the way to go. The better lodges offer coast guard certified boats/guides with the best fishing equipment, fly out trips for specialized salmon fishing when the salmon aren’t in the local streams, on stream lodging, meals included, fish processing and freezer space, and a lodge beautifully decorated with all the Alaska charm you can imagine. These packages can run from $500 - $4,000 and more depending on the lodge and the length of the stay.

Another option that allows you to enjoy the Alaska spirit is to rent a cabin. These can range anywhere from almost luxurious to “really ruffin’ it”, depending on the type of cabin you rent. Generally speaking, there are privately owned cabins which are owned by local residents and there are public use cabins that are owned by the state or federal government. I won’t go into any detail on the privately owned cabins as you can research them through a travel agent or through any method mentioned before. The public use cabins are a really neat idea, in my opinion, and they are very reasonable. You can rent these cabins for a low as $25 per night. That’s the good news. The bad news is that many of them are not accessible by road. Most you have to hike, bike, boat or fly into. To view more information on these cabins and to make reservations, visit the Alaska Public Lands Information Center and click on the "Cabins" tab. I have stayed in cabins at Shrode Lake, Pigot Bay and Crow Pass. All you get is the cabin, a heating stove, some bunks or other type of sleeping platforms, a table and chairs and of course, an outhouse. Everything else you must provide. It may seem like sparse accommodations but if you are well prepared, it will be one of the most memorable visits of your life.

I center my information on the Anchorage area and the Kenai Peninsula. This is because if you have only limited time and must make the most of this limited time, the Kenai Peninsula has every sport fish available to you. It may not have the best fishing for a certain species, but there is nothing you won’t be able to fish for in this area and it is the most accessible to the highway angler. Having said that, you may want to concentrate your lodging in Alaska research on the Soldotna/Sterling area. This area is the hub of salmon fishing because of it’s proximity to the world famous Kenai River. Numerous lodging opportunities exist in this area including many campgrounds for the economically minded highway angler. You can check out many of them at the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce. Don’t forget to consult the Milepost for additional information on lodging in Alaska as well.

As I continue my research and additional trips to Alaska, I will add additional links and information on lodging in Alaska that will help you make better, more informed decisions.