all you need to know to prepare

How do I book a fishing and/or hunting adventure with Port Lions Lodge?

you must call or email us directly. Once we have established a reservation you will be emailed an invoice for your trip. You must make a 50% deposit to confirm and hold your reservation. Full payment is required 90 before your trip. 

How do I get to Port Lions Lodge?

Transportation to and from Port Lions is provided by Kodiak City. Currently, Alaska Airlines is the only airline flying into Kodiak. 

When do I need to arrive in Kodiak City?

It is highly recommended that to get to Kodiak City a day before departing to Port Lions. Weather may cause delays in transportation. This also allows you to visit any stores you may need to before coming to Port Lions. If you do not arrive a day before, you must arrive on the morning flight to meet your pick-up by 2 pm. 

What do I need to know about arriving and leaving Port Lions?

Our typical trip begins with the clients being picked up in the City of Kodiak around 2:00 PM on Wednesday. Clients will be transported to the lodge where they will enjoy appetizers while being briefed on what the lodge has to offer and the day-to-day agenda, dinner and dessert to follow. Thursday-Monday clients will enjoy guided fishing. After the adventures conclude. Clients, by now friends, are transported back to Kodiak leaving the lodge typically around noon on Tuesday arriving to Kodiak City no later than 2 PM.  

What should I bring?

Your fishing license! Prepare for cool or warm weather with layers. Rain gear, sunblock, camera, and lodge slippers are must-haves. We highly recommend you bring a carry-on bag in your possession all the way to Kodiak that contains any necessary medications, a couple of days supply of personal hygiene products, a day or two change of warm clothing, and a waterproof jacket. There have been occasions- extremely rare- of baggage arriving a day or two later than clients due to conditions at the airlines. 

How do I purchase my fishing/hunting license for my trip?

You need to purchase your fishing license before you get to the lodge. You can do so at the AK Department of Fish and Game website. Don’t forget to get a King Stamp as we catch them all season long. 

Is alcohol provided?

Alcohol is not provided at Port Lions Lodge. However, you are welcome to bring your favorite adult beverages. This is one reason we recommend arriving a day early, that way you have time to acquire all that you may desire. 

Are there any stores in Port Lions?

Currently there is no stores operating in Port Lions, the village relays on Kodiak city and the ferry for its necessities.   

When should I book my trip for?

We fish for halibut, ling cod, black bass, dollies, pinks, chums, and trolling for kings and silvers all within 10-30 minutes from the lodge. Early season remains the best for king salmon although we are catching them all season. 

June 

June offers halibut, black bass, and salmon. June also offers the opportunity to fish the river systems for sockeye salmon (reds) with fly rods and spinning tackle. Fishing reds in secluded rivers is one of the most popular fishing trips of our clients. Nothing beats private river fishing for acrobatic reds while still having all the saltwater species available to target from the boat. 

July 

July offers all species above in the salt water as well as ling cod.  July is a good time of year for spotting whales and photographing the abundant sea life. Salmonberries are ready for picking too.  

August and September 

Stream or saltwater fishing for silver salmon and deep sea fishing for halibut, rockfish, ling cod, and king salmon. This is typically the peak season for silvers and books early. Similar to June, late August through mid-September offer all the species typically targeted from the boat in salt water plus the addition of river fishing for cohos (silvers). River fishing is done in one of the prettiest places in Alaska in a remote stream with very little pressure of other people. Nothing beats having a salmon stream packed full of aggressive acrobatic silvers all to your selves to fish. 

Fuel Surcharge Policy 

We maintain the right to implement a fuel surcharge if fuel prices in Port Lions exceed $5.00 per gallon. 

Reservation Policy 

At Port Lions Lodge all reservations are considered tentative until a deposit of 50% of the trip is received. Your trip must be paid in full prior to 90 days from the day of fishing. 

Cancellation Policy
At Port Lions Lodge our operating season is very short and to protect our limited window of opportunity to earn a living, we adhere to a fairly rigid cancellation/refund policy. If a trip is canceled for any reason before 180 days of trip start date, there will be no refunds unless that spot can be filled. There will be a 20% of the deposit restocking fee retained in this event. If Rolled to a future date 80% of the initial deposit will be rolled to that trip offering. We will look at these on a case by case bases as well and do our best to accommodate. If a cancellation is needed it must be submitted in written form.
In the event the offering can’t be completed due to federal, state or local regulations Port Lions Lodge will roll 80% of your initial deposit to a future offering. As always trip insurance is recommended to protect your investment. 

Mechanical Cancellations 

All efforts will be made to accommodate your fishing around the unforeseeable events by putting you on a different vessel. 

Weather 

Port Lions Lodge will not be responsible for lost time due to weather. If you are concerned about this please purchase travel insurance. 

No Smoking 

Port Lions Lodge has a no smoking Policy within the Lodge and the cabin of the boat. You may smoke outside on our deck, in our yard, or on the deck of the boat with the captain’s permissions as long as you do not smoke in any location that can be a nuisance to other guest. 

Fish 

Although the crew of Port Lions Lodge has fished our waters for numerous years and are experts at what we do, we cannot guarantee the catching of any specific species, sizes or fish. We sell a fishing vacation that provides our clients the opportunity to fish for and very likely catch various species of fish indigenous to our waters. 

Insurance 

The owner of the Port Lions Lodge recommends the use of travel insurance. Port Lions Lodge cannot refund last minute cancellations that are beyond our control. Please use Travel Insurance to protect your vacation dollars. 

Included in your Port Lions Lodge 4 day / 5 night fishing package price: 

Round Trip Transportation from the city of Kodiak to the lodge. You will be picked up in the Kodiak between 1PM and 2 PM on Wednesday and dropped off around 2pm on the following Tuesday. 

Please send your flight information to Port Lions Lodge prior to departing on your trip so we can coordinate pick up and drop off times. 

Five nights accommodations at Port Lions Lodge 

Four days of fully guided fishing from the boat or in the stream (approximately 8 hours per day!) 

The provided meals are home cooked and served family style. We specialize in Alaska seafood entrees. 

Please let us know in advance, of any food allergies because menus are planned and shopping is completed before your trip begins. 

Salt water fishing equipment is furnished 

All fish are cleaned, packaged, frozen and boxed properly for flights back home. 

Not included 

Fly fishing gear, fishing licenses, waders, rain gear, alcohol**, shipping of fish***, and gratuities. Gratuities- The staff of Port Lions Lodge will work hard to ensure you have an enjoyable and safe experience. Any gratuities at the end of your trip will be greatly appreciated. Many clients ask what the typical gratuity is at Port Lions Lodge. Average gratuities run 15%- 20%. 

**Alcohol-Port Lions is a damp community. You can have alcohol for your consumption but you cannot purchase it here, nor can we sell it. Alcohol for the week may be purchased upon your arrival to the city of Kodiak. We will not return to the city of Kodiak until your day of departure so be sure to get as much as you need. 

***-Shipping of Fish-We will package your fish for shipping at the end of your stay. You will be responsible for any extra baggage charges, freight charges, or shipping charges associated with getting your fish boxes home. We also have the use of FedEx and Alaska Air Cargo If you do not want to check your fish as your baggage. Also, please understand that once your packaged fish leaves Port Lions Lodge we cannot be responsible for any unfortunate airline or handling issues that may occur. 

Additional Activities Available at Port Lions Lodge 

There are endless possibilities for activities at Port Lions Lodge. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in any of the options below so we can schedule the excursion for you. 

• Fly out bear viewing (for an additional charge) 
• Kayaking 
• Whale watching 
• Remote beach combing 

Information We Need to Best Accommodate You 

Our goal is to provide you a relaxing enjoyable trip at the Port Lions Lodge. We want you to arrive at our lodge eager to enjoy the activities planned and with a hearty appetite. We will take care of most everything you need so you can focus on the majestic beauty of Kodiak and Port Lions and your fishing and or hunting. 

In order to limit any snafu’s please help us by providing the following information. 

Do you or anyone in your group have any food allergies? If so please list them to us and what you do at home to accommodate this individual. 

Do you or anyone in your group have foods that you do not care for? We typically serve dinners and lunches that are sea foods indigenous to our area. We will be serving halibut, salmon, and shrimp as an example. If anyone in your group cannot or does not prefer these dishes let us know and we will strive to ensure each of you has an enjoyable meal. 

Do you or anyone in your group have any medical conditions we should be aware of? Please make sure you bring any necessary medications with you in your carry on bag just in case that rare situation happens and your luggage arrives a little later than you do. 

Do you or anyone in your group experience sea sickness? Port Lions Lodge and our fishery is very protected by islands all the way around us providing typically calm water (way calmer than any of the other lodges in Alaska) but at times individuals susceptible can have issues. If you are in a group of 4 or more you will have the boat exclusive to your group and we can stay in protected waters. As a preventive measure you can try Dramamine or Bonine but I feel the best preventive measure for sea sickness is the Scopolamine Patch. For information see this link: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682509.html If you are not into taking meds like these or allergic then Ginger Root is also a good holistic prevention and can be picked up at grocery stores and health food stores. 

A Few Helpful Notes… 

Stream fishing- Your personal fishing equipment – bringing your personal fishing gear is highly recommended. We are utilizing the tackle and gear used on the boat for salt water fishing the entire season and our captains are quick to notice issues and provide maintenance or replace gear and tackle. The stream fishing gear is spread out over the season, used late at night around the lodge, and used along the streams out of our sight. We have found over the years that things get broken and not mentioned to us so we highly recommend you bring your own spinning rods or fly fishing gear if you prefer to stream fish. We will provide spinning gear but cannot guarantee someone hasn’t left it in poor repair before you.  Feel free to call us for our recommendations for lures and tackle. We furnish each fisherman with a starter kit but many lures can be lost in the heat of battle throughout the week. 

Staying Comfortable While Fishing – A short, durable raincoat or waterproof, hooded wading jacket is a great choice to go along with chest waders. The chest waders are used to fish the beach in front of the lodge and area rivers in June for sockeyes (red) salmon or later in August when the silver salmon are transitioning from the salt to fresh water. Its a blast to catch these fish and it’s even more fun if you can stay warm and dry while doing it! 

No Felt Soled Wading Boots in Alaska Now! The State of Alaska Department Fish & Game no longer allows felt-soled wading boots to be used in Alaska. Effective January 1, 2012, footgear with absorbent felt or other fibrous material on the soles are prohibited while sport fishing in the fresh waters of Alaska. The regulation was put in place to reduce the potential for the introduction and spread of invasive organisms to Alaskan waters. Thank you for keeping Alaskan waters clean and productive! Bring only rubber-soled or other impervious materials (plastics, etc.) to wear with your waders. 

Thank you for choosing Port Lions Lodge! Our goal is to show you the trip of a lifetime and win your business and friendship along the way. We love where we live and what we do and can’t wait to share it with you. We are looking forward to your upcoming adventure.