Snagging salmon in Seward has to be one of my family’s best fishing adventures in Alaska. Each year, around the second week of June sockeye (red) salmon make their way up Fourth of July Creek in Resurrection Bay on their way to spawning at the Bear Creek Weir.
In this article, find our 10 best tips to help you catch more salmon, including how to see one by snagging, where and when to go, and how to make the best of this fishing adventure with your family.
10+ Tips to Snagging Sockeye Salmon in Seward
Sockeye or red salmon are vital to Alaska and are well known for their vibrant red flesh and excellent taste. They are anadromous, meaning they are born in fresh water, then migrate to saltwater, before returning to their native stream to spawn and die.
1. Learn how to Snag
This type of fishing involves adults and kids slinging giant treble hooks with lead merely feet from one another to snag sockeye salmon anywhere they can. Once hooked, the salmon are brought to shore or netted, dispatched, gilled, and put onto a stringer.
This method of fishing is a productive way to catch great-eating salmon, and for most Alaskans, it is the first opportunity of the year to catch salmon.
Snagging versus Flossing
On another family fishing adventure in Soldotna, we showed you how to floss for salmon on the Kenai River, where snagging is illegal. Below is an explanation of the difference between flossing and snagging.
- Flossing: Gentle hooking motions, aiming to hook the fish in the mouth in places like the Kenai River in Alaska.
- Snagging: Aggressive, forceful movements to intentionally hook the fish anywhere on its body in places like Fourth of July Creek in Seward.
How to Snag Salmon in Seward
Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to snag salmon in Seward:
1. Use a stiff rod and reel: Take your rod and reel with a giant treble hook and cast it or set it to an appropriate length that you can consistently cast in one motion.
2. Set the hook: Next, jerk the treble hook as hard as possible through the water column. If you cast it, you’ll need to reel after you jerk it to reel in excess line. If you swing the rod and reel in one motion, you continue to do the same motion until your line gets tight from a snagged fish.
3. Repeat, repeat and repeat: You repeat this process, sometimes hundreds of times, until you hopefully snag a salmon. Once you snag a salmon, you must keep the line tight, or you’ll lose the fish.
4. Landing the snagged salmon: You must have a net if you’re in the water. Alternatively, you can drag the fish onto the shoreline while keeping the line tight.
5. Dispatch, gill, and store your salmon: You’ll want to dispatch the fish and put it on your stringer. Remember to keep your fish on or within twelve feet of you, and don’t forget to bleed or gill the salmon for the best quality.
2. Know Where to Snag Salmon
Seward is on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska at the head of Resurrection Bay.
Go to Resurrection Bay in Seward
When I first stepped foot in Resurrection Bay to snag salmon on July 4th Creek, I thought I was in heaven. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the Chugach Mountains, which encase Resurrection Bay.
You can see seals diving near the shore’s edge, boats just off shore, whales that spout within viewing distance, and fishermen and women, all after one thing, sockeye salmon.
Find Fourth of July Creek
Below is a Google map of parking to fish for salmon on Fourth of July Creek.
Directions: Take the Seward Highway to Nash Road and right at Spring Creek Campground and RV Park, better known as McDonald’s Beach by locals. Parking is about $10 annually, allowing you to park for a day and bathroom access to their outhouses. Here, you can even purchase treble hooks if you need more.
3. Know When to Snag Salmon in Seward
The salmon run up Fourth of July Creek starts the first week of June and lasts about 3 to 4 weeks. The best times are typically the second and third weeks of June.
When the numbers of salmon hitting the beach get good, they can quickly all once the salmon boats enter Resurrection Bay. It’s easy to blame the salmon boats, but realize that this is a hatchery fish, and without harvesting to pay for the program, there wouldn’t be salmon.
4. Snag Salmon Based on the tides
The best times of day to fish are 1 to 2 hours before and after high tide. Visit NOAA to check the tide tables for Resurrection Bay.
5. Know Salmon Snagging Rules
There are no rules regarding hook size. You can find large and extra-large treble hooks locally at various fishing shops and hardware stores.
Before you go, buy the appropriate fishing license from the Alaska Fish & Game. You can buy your license online, but you must bring a hard copy or an electronic version.
6. Be Mindful of Where you Snag
Be observant of any signs showing you where not to snag salmon. You can fish Fourth of July Creek as it enters Resurrection Bay, but signs show you how far you can fish up the creek.
7. Bring the Right Snagging Fishing Gear
Below is a list of fishing gear my family uses when snagging salmon in Seward.
Rod
Medium to heavy-duty 6.5 to 7 foot rod, one-piece Ugly Stick is a good choice.
Reel
Heavy-duty baitcaster or spinning reel with high line capacity, a good gear ratio for fast retrieval and a reliable drag system that you can tighten.
Line
We prefer a 30 lb test line and braid over monofilament since it doesn’t stretch. If you have monofilament already, you can be successful with it.
8. Keep Straight and Sharp Treble Hooks
Large, weighted treble hooks that you make or buy in a store. Most local hardware stores sell them, such as Wal-Marts in Soldotna and Anchorage.
Carry pliers
Keep your hook sharp and make sure the hooks aren’t bent! Hooks bend from constant beating against the water and rocks. When they bend, bend them back to their correct position with pliers, or you don’t catch fish.
Waders
Be sure to wear fishing waders. We like SIMMS, Orvis, and Patagonia waders, but cheaper Wal-Mart waders also work. If you already have hip boots, you could get by with them.
9. Bring these Family Fishing Essentials
Follow this advice to have a good time on your family fishing adventure in Alaska.
Packing Essentials
• Solid rain gear
• Hats
• Gloves
• Polarized sunglasses
• Boots
• Camera gear
Safety Tips
• Life jackets for kids
• Be mindful of the water and tide
• Be aware of your surroundings (i.e. don’t get hooked!)
What to Bring for the Family
• Sunscreen
• Outdoor toys
• Snacks
• Ample water
10. Keep Kids Engaged
• Get kids involved with the fishing process
• If they get bored, try something else
• Enjoy the moment, and the natural surroundings, wildlife
Family fishing on Fourth of July Creek in Seward is excellent for kids. They can play, fish, throw mud at each other, and simply have fun without worrying too much about disturbing others.
The area in Resurrection Bay is so vast that there’s room for kids to play, run, play in the water, and study their catch.
Snagging salmon is excellent for both beginners and snagging-pros. Whether you’re a first-time snagger or an annual snagger like my family, it doesn’t take that much skill to sling a hook through the water so everyone can catch fish.
A fishing Tradition
Snagging salmon has been a tradition for my family for several years. When we return, we see many of the same fishermen and women we’ve become friends with each year.
Our kids went from playing in the mud in year one to catching their first fish in year two to wanting to stay several hours fishing in year three, and now they can efficiently catch their own and process them for the freezer.
Try Other things in Seward
• Explore Seward: Alaska SeaLife Center, hike Exit Glacier, go on a deep sea fishing trip with J-Dock for halibut, lingcod and rockfish
• Kenai Fjords Glacier Tour: Besides glaciers calving, you can see wildlife such as puffins, otters, whales, and sea lions. Check out the Major Marine Kenai Fjords Tour for more information.
Try Snagging with Your Family This Year
If you live in Alaska or visit the Kenai Peninsula on a summer vacation, consider taking your family to Seward to snag salmon. It’s an easy way to catch salmon without a guide.
If you work hard, you can have fresh salmon throughout the year. Tell me about your experiences snagging salmon in Seward in the comments section below.
Related Alaska Fishing Adventures
• How to Floss Salmon on the Kenai River in Alaska
• How to Catch a Halibut in Alaska
• Flossing Salmon on the Russian River in Cooper Landing