Alaska salmon fishing is closer than you think. A few hundreds miles north of Seattle is the southern most tip of Alaska. Prince of Wales Island is the largest island in North America and the closest Alaska salmon fishing grounds that has extreme fishing success.

If you choose not to drive up the Alaska Highway you will arrive in Ketchikan Alaska via commercial airlines, and take the ferry over to Prince of Wales Island or a commercial float-plane will fly you over to the island. There are resorts, lodges and guides that will accommodate you based on your vacation budget.

Craig and Klawok are two villages that welcome salmon fishers from all over the world. Coho or King Salmon arrive off the Island of Noyes bringing in the first salmon harvest for the year. There are thousands of miles of inland shores to fish without ever reaching the Pacific Ocean. Most of the king salmon fishing is within a cast of shore. To reach the early arriving king salmon you will need to meet them on the edge of the Pacific as they feed up to the inlets that flow in and around the Prince of Wales.

Expect the grandest of fishing trips with the widest array of visual candy. Gray whales, sea lions, sea otters, puffins, geese, bald eagles, loons, seals, majestic mountains, peaceful lagoons, bear, deer, cranes, killer whales, sea ducks and more waterfowl. A week on Prince of Wales will usually show you afternoon showers and then sunshine. The weather in April will be cool but not freezing. Bring a raincoat and pants. Oh, and you are going to see some fish! 30 pound king salmon is not uncommon. 60 pound kings come every year. And don’t forget Prince of Wales is one of the best locations to catch barn door size halibut.

Silver salmon are 8 to 12 pounds, fight very hard and will show up in huge numbers. You are allowed a 70 pound “fish box” by the airlines on your return trip. You will fill two of these boxes in 5 days of cleaned frozen filets. Silver salmon are later to show up to the party. Plan on a June trip for silver salmon. You have an option, have some of your salmon smoked. Never have you experienced salmon till you have tried fresh smoked.

Sockeye salmon, the most red meat of all salmon is next to last to arrive in late June or July in large schools. Sockeye salmon are usually 4 years old and weigh 5-12 pounds. A local guide and boat is a must for sockeye salmon fishing. Try driving your RV up or staying in a log cabin resort for the ultimate experience. You will dine on Dungeness crab, Alaska shrimp, sockeye salmon and halibut. If you have never fished Alaska you are in for the fishing trip that will make memories for a lifetime!

Salmon fishing has been a way of life for Alaskans. For the sports fisherman, salmon fishing in Alaska is a dream come true. I’ve been there, you won’t be disappointed!

Jim Zeller is the new “Euell Gibbons” for recommending a fishing spot for a fishing vacation trip or afternoon get away. Check out his favorite online href="http://www.bettercatch.com/forums/"> Fishing Forum or his choice for the World’s Largest href="http://fishing.bettercatch.com">Fishing Directory

Oscoda on the Lake Huron shoreline is a fishing destination not to be missed. It is well known for a range of catches such as lake trout, brown trout, steelhead, pike and salmon.

If the fishing season for your favorite fish is around the corner, you wouldn’t want to delay planning to make the best of your time in Oscoda.

Many fishing enthusiasts make use of the services of experienced Oscoda charter companies. This makes for fishing in real comfortable style!

Some of the craft available from local Oscada companies with decades of experience will include air conditioners and heated cabins with private restroom and wash facilities.

At peak fishing times, it is best to contact the captain of your preferred charter boat in advance to avoid disappointment!

Whether you plan to use your own boat, make use of a charter or simply intend to fish off the pier, you will find Oscada a welcoming community.

In fact, the locals will tell you that some of the best catches have in the past been made right off the pier at the mouth of that great local river, the AuSable!

An option for fishing in the Oscada area is to take River Road to Cooke Dam, with the AuSable River very close by and great fishing of walleye, bass and pike at the Dam.

If you’re staying over at an Oscoda resort, or one of the lodges and guest houses along the AuSable River, you will find that many have river dockage available, with easy access to the AuSable and Lake Huron.

However, before you hit the road for, don’t forget the required Fishing License and Trout Stamp! These licences can be purchased at many of the sporting goods stores in the area, and some Oscada fishing charter services sell daily licenses.

For more information visit Fishing-Things.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

If you are going fly fishing, you need to have your critical gear with you while wading and casting. One of the critical pieces of equipment is your vest.

Construction workers have tool belts to hold everything they need while working. Fly fishing anglers have the same thing in the vest. They hold your tools of the fly fishing trade. Without them, you will be endlessly hunting for flies, repellant, grapplers and so on.

This necessary fly fishing clothing comes in a variety of styles. Old school vests are the best in my opinion. They fit and look like regular clothing vests, but are made with mesh pockets and water proofing material. I find they are perfect for holding the necessary fly fishing gear. They are also good because the distribute the weight of your junk…err, gear across your shoulders and back. Any fly fishing gear shop should have them.

Being a consumer society, more than a few companies have come up with advancements in ways to carry around your gear. Typically, they come in the form of modular systems hanging over the shoulder. They look like travel fannypacks hanging off the front of each shoulder. Depending on the brand, they may have a rear or front fanny pack and even both. Some anglers love these more modern gear accessories. Personally, I find them ungainly and annoying, but to each their own. I strongly suggest you fit yourself with one of these new systems before committing to buy them.

When considering how you will hold your stuff, you should give a good bit of thought to what you want it to hold. Personally, I want mine to hold sunscreen for my bald head, insect repellent, clippers, forceps, a poncho for rain, my car keys, line and, of course, flies. I don’t like hauling my stuff up and down the shore, so I tend to load up like a Sherpa. You might prefer a less demanding approach. The point is to figure out what is best for you and then buy a version that meets your needs.

If you are going to get serious about angling, you will need to a way to lug your stuff around with you. Figure out what you want to put in yours and then make your selection.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of writing journals for fly fishing. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more about fly fishing and the great outdoors.