Sitka Alaska Fishing Cruise

Alaska Liveaboard Fishing Charter

Sitka is a 2.5-hour Flight from Seattle.

Salt and Freshwater Fishing

Embark on the ultimate Alaskan adventure with Captain Brandon, Sitka-born and raised. In the vast 17-million-acre wilderness of the Tongass National Forest, you'll be immersed in Alaska's raw beauty while fishing fresh and saltwater. Tailor your trip to your group's interests, including halibut, hardcore salmon fishing, relaxing in natural hot springs, crabbing and shrimping, and a guided Cast-and-Blast. Get together a group of up to six guests and customize an unforgettable trip aboard The Desperado, a 67-foot liveaboard.
2026 Rate:  $26,000 per group (up to six guests) for 5 nights and 4.5 days guided fishing.


Sitka Liveaboard Adventure

Experience Sitka, Alaska, aboard the 67-foot liveaboard vessel Desperado, fishing the rich North Pacific waters for salmon and other species.


Sitka, on the west side of Baranof Island, is part of the Tongass National Forest, the country's largest national forest. With a population of 8,500, Sitka is Alaska's fifth-most populous city. As the sixth largest seafood port in the nation, Sitka is also a hub of maritime commerce.
The Liveaboard:  Aboard the Desperado, a 67-foot liveaboard, you'll explore Sitka's pristine Pacific waters. With state-of-the-art navigation and fishing gear, the Desperado transports you to the area's most fertile fishing grounds for king and silver salmon, rockfish, and lingcod.
Season:  Liveaboard packages are available from May through November.
Group Size:  The Liveaboard comfortably accommodates up to six guests. Groups are not mixed. So you will need to get your own group together.

4.5-Day Packages

Customize your liveaboard adventure with Captain Brandon aboard the Desperado, a 67-foot trawler. Five-day package options.

Customize your five-day package with Captain Brandon. You may decide to fish hardcore for three days, then take a whale or wildlife-viewing tour.
Package Options:
• Halibut
• King Salmon Combo
• Silver Salmon Combo - July through September
• Rockfish are available all season.
• Lingcod fishing, all season
• Guided Cast-and-Blast
• Unguided Blacktail or Bear Hunts
• Whale viewing opportunities
• Five-day packages.
Customize Your Package:  Trips are tailored to your group's interests. If you want to fish hardcore for a few days and get fish in the freezer, then spend a day exploring Sitka's unique bays and natural hot springs, or crabbing and shrimping, followed by a fire on the beach and a fresh seafood dinner, there are numerous options.

A Typical Fishing Day:
Daylight Hours in Sitka:  4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
5:00 a.m. - Coffee is hot.
5:00 to 6:00 a.m. - Head to fishing grounds. The deckhand will prepare breakfast during the cruise to the fishing grounds, and you’ll sit down for the meal once the boat is anchored.
Noon - Anglers will have a deli-style lunch in the boat and then return to fishing.
4:00 to 5:00 p.m. – The vessel will cruise to pull up crab and shrimp pots. The deckhand will prepare dinner during the cruise. Once the boat is anchored, you’ll enjoy dinner. Depending on the group’s desires, the day’s catch can be prepared for dinner, or, if the weather is pleasant, enjoy a fire on the beach and boil up some fresh crab.
You can fish as much or as little as your group wants. Kayaks and paddleboards are available to take to shore, where you can explore multiple hot springs, which are enjoyable after a long fishing day.
Evening - The yacht will move daily and anchor in a different sheltered cove each night.

The Fishing Program

Fish for halibut, salmon, and lingcod aboard the Desperado with Captain Brandon and an experienced deckhand.

Captain:  Brandon, the owner/captain, has his 100-Ton Master License and will oversee your fishing days. His deckhand is also the cook and your fish care guy.
Fishing Equipment:  Rods, reels, and tackle are provided, plus crabbing and shrimp pots.
Fishing Licenses are not included. Rates (2025) are subject to change.
• A non-resident Alaska license is $45.
• A king salmon stamp is $45.
• A halibut tag is $20.
Visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Fish Care:  Your catch will be cleaned, filleted, and iced, then vacuum-sealed, frozen, and packed in airline-approved fish boxes. Each fish box can weigh up to 50 pounds. A Sitka fish box tax of $10 per box applies.
Paddling Vessels:  Four kayaks and two paddleboards accompany the liveaboard, plus a 12-foot inflatable skiff for transfer to the beach.

Cast-and-Blast Options

Experience an Alaska cast-and-blast adventure aboard a liveaboard vessel while your group hunts and fishes around Sitka.

Cast-and-Blast Option:  Cast-and-Blasts are available from September through December during duck hunting season; dates vary by year. Guided fresh and saltwater fishing for pink salmon, silver salmon, chum salmon, steelhead, rainbow trout, dolly varden, and guided waterfowl hunts for puddle or sea ducks.

Blacktail Self-Guided Hunts

The Desperado liveaboard adventure offers opportunities to hunt Alaskan brown bear and Sitka blacktail deer while exploring the waters around Sitka.

DIY Blacktail Deer Hunts:  Sitka has a fantastic deer population, which can be harvested from August 1 through December 31, with peak hunting from mid-October through mid-December during rutting season. The hunts are unguided, and the liveaboard offers transport to and from the beach (by inflatable skiff) whenever you wish to go to the hunting areas.
Group Size:  The required group size is four. Groups are not mixed. You will need to form your own group. Request more information.


Lingcod Fishing

Lingcod are known for their aggressive strikes and large size, providing an exciting challenge for anglers fishing around Sitka from May through September.

Crab Leg Dinners

The pristine waters around Sitka are home to abundant crab populations and unforgettable crab feasts.

Alaska Cast-and-Blast

Experience an Alaska cast-and-blast adventure for puddle ducks and waterfowl aboard the 67-foot liveaboard Desperado out of Sitka.

Halibut Fishing

Fish for halibut, salmon, rockfish, lingcod, and more on this Alaska liveaboard adventure.

King Salmon Fishing

Fish for king salmon in Sitka, Alaska, aboard the Desperado liveaboard adventure.

Sitka Scenery

Sitka, Alaska, is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and crystal-clear waters, creating an angler’s paradise.


The M/V Desperado

The 67-foot M/V Desperado is your home for the week during your Alaska liveaboard adventure with Captain Brandon.

The M/V Desperado is a 67-foot steel custom-raised pilothouse trawler with a 370 HP John Deere diesel main engine. She has two 25-kW generators for electricity. USCG-approved safety, communication, navigation equipment, an eight-man emergency life raft, and an EPIRB (Emergency position-indicating radio beacon).
The Desperado has a spacious interior with three staterooms, a crew room, three bathrooms, two showers, and a step-down swim platform.
The fully equipped kitchen features two chest freezers and a vacuum sealer to handle your fresh catch efficiently.

View Photo Gallery of the Liveaboard

Meals:  Tasty meals are prepared and served by the crew. Dinners feature fresh-caught seafood accompanied by various side dishes.
Alcohol:  Alcohol is allowed but not included in the package. You can purchase it in Sitka upon arrival.
Communications:  Starlink Wi-Fi is available on the Liveaboard. A satellite phone and VHF radio are also available for emergency communication.


Three Staterooms

Cabin accommodations aboard the Desperado feature two bunk beds for up to four guests.

Two cabins have two bunk beds, and the front stateroom has a queen-size bed. Bedding is provided, but you are welcome to bring a sleeping bag.

Getting to the Liveaboard:

Trips run Sunday through Thursday.
1.) Flights to Sitka (SIT).
The flight from Seattle is approximately 2.5 hours.
2.) Arrival Day (Saturday)
Your flight must arrive in Sitka no later than 7:00 p.m.
If you arrive after 7:00 p.m., you will need to stay overnight in a Sitka hotel at your own expense.
A liveaboard representative will meet you at the Sitka Airport and provide a short, approximately six-minute transfer to the liveaboard.
En route, the driver will stop at a local liquor store so guests may purchase alcohol or other personal items.
Dinner on the arrival night is on your own.
All meals are included on the liveaboard from Sunday onward.
You will spend your first night aboard the liveaboard while docked in Sitka.
Departure Day:  Return to Sitka in time for a flight to Seattle, or stay out later for a partial fishing day and overnight in Sitka. Captain Brandon recommends staying at the Southeast Resort Hotel, as it has a walk-in freezer for fish boxes and offers early airport shuttle service.
Please note:  If guests choose to stay at a different hotel, the Desperado is not responsible for handling and storing their fish.
(Hotel stay and meals in Sitka are not included.)



2026 USD Rates:

Season:  May - November.
Groups are limited to six guests. Groups are not mixed - you will need to form your own group.
Sitka Sales Tax:  Rates do not include a $720 Sitka Sales Tax on the total package.

Season:  May through September
Guided Fishing - 5 nights / 4.5 days
$26,000 per group
Per-Person Cost (based on group size):
6 guests:  $4,333.33 per person
5 guests:  $5,200 per person
4 guests:  $6,500 per person

Cast-and-Blast 5 nights / 5-days
Season:  September - December
Per-Person Cost (based on group size):
6 guests:  $4,333.33 per person
5 guests:  $5,200 per person
4 guests:  $6,500 per person

DIY Self-Guided Blacktail Deer Hunts
Season:  Mid-October through mid-December during the rut.
6 nights / 7 days Self-Guided
$26,000 per group - limited to 4 hunters
Per-Person Cost (based on group size):
4 guests:  $6,500 per person
3 guests:  $8,666.66 per person
You will need to form your own group.

Request a Desperado Liveaboard
Information Packet.  


The Packages Include:

• Ground transfers between Sitka Airport and the Liveaboard
• Liveaboard lodging, double occupancy
• Meals on the Liveaboard
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Starlink Wi-Fi on the Liveaboard
• Guided fishing
• Guided waterfowl hunting for Cast-and-Blast
• The use of spin gear and tackle
• Vacuum-packed fish care
• Use of kayaks and paddleboards
• Sitka bed tax, $100 per group

The Packages Do Not Include:

• Airfare to and from Sitka, Alaska
• Alaska fishing license, $45
• King salmon stamp, $45 (if applicable)
• Halibut tag, $20
• Freshwater fishing gear
• Sitka fish box tax, $10 per box
• Alcohol, mixers, and sodas
• Dinner in Sitka on the night of your arrival
• Hotel nights and meals in transit to/from the Liveaboard
• Gratuities to guides and staff
• $720 Sitka Sales Tax on total package
• Travel Insurance
• Global Rescue coverage
• The Cast-and-Blast does not include guns, ammunition, an Alaska small game hunting license, an Alaska non-resident Annual State Waterfowl Stamp, and a Federal Duck Stamp.
• Anything not listed under inclusions.

SIMILAR LINKS...

Call a Fishing Travel Expert

1-800-205-3474

Free Call in the U.S. & Canada

Guy Schoenborn

Guy Schoenborn

Cell: 406-698-0874
1-800-205-3474 ext. 1
guy@fishingwithlarry.com

Brad Staples

Brad Staples

Cell: 503-250-0558
1-800-205-3474 ext. 3
brad@fishingwithlarry.com