Let’s Go Fishing!
by Stuart J. Faber
BizTravelers Choice
Winter 2009

Ever since I was a toddler, I loved to go fishing. Today,
many fishing holes are overcrowded or fished out.
But every trip to Alaska yields enough fish to throw
a huge party. This year, I spent a few days in Ketchikan, then
hopped on an Otter floatplane charter with Promech Air for the
flight to Waterfall.
Waterfall is nestled on the shores of Prince of Wales Island,
an area of clear, cool deep water which attracts hoards of salmon,
halibut, red snapper and ling cod. In the early 1900s, what is
now the resort was the largest salmon packing plant and cannery
in the region.
Many
of Waterfall’s
buildings,
which are now
used for guest
cabins, recreation,
a general
store and
fish processing
plant, were
constructed in
the 1930s for
the cannery
operation.
As I stepped out of the Otter, I was immediately taken with the
timeless aura of this resort
Although Waterfall is a resort for the serious and dedicated
angler, the impeccably trained staff caters to all levels of angling
expertise. And they wasted no time uniting us with the fish.
Moments after the floatplane reached the dock, we were escorted
to the registration office where we picked up our fishing licenses
(pre-ordered and waiting for us), obtained our boat assignment
and were directed to the gear and tackle room to pick up our
boots and raingear-from there to the boats.
These Coast Guard certified guides are not just college kids
who seek guiding jobs in the summer. Most of these grizzled
guys have been working at the lodge for over ten years. They
have intimate knowledge of every fecund fishing hole in the
region.
Soon we were over a halibut habitat. As the guide activated
the fish finder and deftly maneuvered the boat back and forth
over the hole, we hooked up with one fish after another.We
barely had time to take a break for our specially packed lunches.
By the time we gleefully returned to the dock, each of the three
fishermen in my
boat had his daily
limit.
Approximately
one hour
each day was required
to navigate
to the best fishing
holes. Along
the route were a
variety of companions
including
humpback, orcas
and grey whales.
The tackle provided by the resort is the best quality the
industry has to offer. The GPS and fish finding electronic equipment
were also first class.Throughout the trip, we never had an
equipment breakdown.
Our catches of the day usually included the limit of six
silver salmon, aka, Coho, ling cod and two halibut. Many record
size catches are brought back to the dock. My August trip was
too late for the run of king salmon which populate the waters
from May to mid-July
HANGIN G OUT
Accommodations are more than comfortable. Neat-as-apin,
full housekeeping cottages and deluxe suites have large,
shiny bathrooms and are furnished with comfy beds and an array
of cozy-country furniture.There are no phones or TVs in the
cabins-but who needs them? At night (and it does not become
dark for most of the summer), take a stroll and see the waterfall
that supplies water to the island (the tap water is better than
any bottled water), commune with the resident black bears, tell
fish stories at the friendly bar-or, as I did, go to sleep right after
dinner.
Food is fabulous at the resort. The morning starts with
freshly baked rolls and breads, breakfast meats, yogurt, cereals,
flapjacks, waffles and eggs of every description. The supper
buffet is always
stocked with
freshly caught
king crab, juicy
grilled prime
steaks, an
elaborate salad
bar and a variety
of other soups,
pastas and hot
dishes. For dessert,
homemade
cake, pie or an
ice cream sundae.
HOME WIT H THE BOUNTY
At the end of each day as we returned to the dock, a crew
was waiting to process our fish. Our catch was placed in a tub labeled
with our names. Immediately, the fish were transported to
the processing shack where they were professionally cleaned and
carved into filets, then flash frozen. On departure day, we did
not have to worry about the shipment to our homes. The resort
has an in-house Alaska Air Lines representative who tagged our
boxes of fish, presented us with baggage tags and a boarding pass
and we never had to handle the boxes until we arrived at our
hometown baggage claim area.
I think about Waterfall every day. The fishing was great, the
scenery was stunning and the accommodations were perfect.
For reservations and information on Waterfall Resort,
contact 800/544-5125 or www.waterfallresort.com or wfreservations@
kpunet.net. For more about Promech, call 800/860-3845
or info@promechair.com.

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