One of the biggest draws of Alaska, however, is its unparalleled fishing opportunities. Alaska features some of the best fishing in the entire United States. Indeed, if you’re used to fishing in the lower 48, you’ll have to create new criteria as to what constitutes a “good” day of fishing after trying out Alaska. The fish are bigger, more bountiful, and put up stronger fights than anywhere else in America.

The images below will give you just a taste of what Alaskan angling is all about. Everyone has their own favorite method of fishing, so come up to Alaska and discover your own preferred style of this hobby that can last a lifetime.

Fishing is one of those pastimes with endless minutiae that will hold a person’s interest for decades. This flybox displays just a fraction of the types of patterns anglers use on Alaskan rivers. (Photo: Wikimedia)

A beautiful Rainbow trout with its famous multi-color sheen. (Photo: FishEyeGuy)

Fishing is the ultimate hobby to share with your children. Lake fishing offers an ideal setting to get your kids hooked on this awesome sport! (Photo: Wikimedia)

Anglers jockey for positions along the banks of the Kenai River near the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge as they engage in what Alaskans refer to as “combat fishing.” Space is so limited, it’s a fight just to have a spot to stand in the water! The annual summer sockeye salmon run is more than plentiful; everyone here will leave with tasty fish. (Photo: jripple)

Humans aren’t the only ones in the know about the annual salmon run! Man and beast share the same goal in this wild photo. (Photo: mpost)

Of course, it isn’t always a mob scene on the river! A majority of the time you can find all the peace and quiet you will ever need on Alaska’s endless streams and rivers. (Photo: Alaska in Pictures)

Lake fishing is the perfect way to spend a peaceful day on the water. Set out in a canoe and roam the still waters for that trophy trout. (Photo: Wikimedia)

Dolly Varden are another favorite target of Alaska’s fly fisherman. Dolly Varden are commonly found lurking amongst the salmon waiting for them to drop their eggs. (Photo: Alaska Fishing)

You knew halibut was tasty, but did you know it’s this ugly? They can be extremely fun to fish for, because these behemoths put up a major fight. The waters around Alaska are home to some of the biggest halibut in the world, occasionally weighing in at over 250 lbs! (Photo: Wikimedia)

A well-known angler-ism: a bad day on the water is still better than a great day at the office. And in Alaska, you’re guaranteed to be fishing amongst some of the best scenery this world has to offer. (Photo: Alaska 411)

Gorgeous view above Dawson City

Dawson City 2004, I had just driven across Canada from Ontario to Whistler BC and heard from a friend that Dawson City was a quiet place for me to enjoy a summer. We drove up from Whistler the next few days and arrived into Dawson in my ‘Green Machine’ (VW Van). I applied at Holland America and was hired on full time halfway through the season. I returned home that winter and in the new year travelled back to Whistler to repeat my western adventure back to Dawson City. I stayed the winter of 2005, and after the season and acquired two dogs from a dog musher in Eagle Alaska. I have since been living in Dawson ever since, year round. I experience different extremes and would not change it for anything. The company gave me a reason to return my second summer. I have worked fulltime for Holland America since 2004 and continue to return.

Mt. Mckinley in Denali National Park (Source: Nic McPhee)

Alaska?  Sure, that sounds interesting!   One spring morning, many moons ago a friend called and was driving across the US on her way from New York to Alaska.  She asked if I wanted to tag along and work in Alaska for the summer.  I was currently working in St. Louis and thought, sure why not it will be a great adventure, I’ll be back in the fall.  Ha… little did I know.

So off I went with only a back pack and the hopes of a grand adventure.  I ended up getting a job in Denali National Park, working at the front desk of the hotel and the tour desk.  It was great, I met so many fun and interesting people, both visiting and working there.  What an exciting and energetic environment.  I packed my summer with hikes, river trips, car trips, flight seeing, midnight volleyball, horseback riding ….. anything.  Summer solstice meant the sun never set, so I decided to make the most of that and did everything I could.   The northern lights were amazing in August in Denali… took my breath away.   Alaska was so much more than I had expected.  People can try to describe the natural beauty, but it seems so much more vibrant in person.  And staying for the summer gave me so many more opportunities to experience the unusual things, seeing a brand new moose calf taking its first steps, seeing grizzly bears catch and eat salmon, spending the night on the Ruth Glacier.  Talk about priceless!

When summer was coming to a close, several people were talking about “wintering” over in Anchorage.  It sounded so mysterious, I thought, why not.  Let’s give it a try.   I was persistent in my task of securing full time employment and was able to start working full time in tourism that winter.   Ever since I’ve been an “Alaskan”.   Front Desk, Tour Desk, Transportation, Reservations, Yield Management, Sales, Guest Service and Operations – I’ve done them all.  My Alaskan journey has afforded me many wonderful opportunities.  I’ve met some great people, experienced amazing things and have parlayed my summer adventure into a 20 year tourism career.

Scenic Alaskan Highway (Source: Alaska-in-Pictures)

I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Growing up, I was well aware of the high volume of tourists that ventured to The Last Frontier in the summers, and I couldn’t blame them. Not only does Alaska have a breathtaking landscape, but the people that live here share an adventurous spirit. Alaska attracts those that want to explore and those that crave adventure.

When I was sixteen years old, a sophomore in high school, I started working for Princess Tours as a Guest Service Host. I wanted to work in the tourism industry because I was excited to share Alaska with others. For five seasons straight, I worked at the hotels in downtown Anchorage assisting guests as they traveled Alaska. I loved to see the thrill of excitement guests wore on their faces as they arrived at the hotel after an excursion to see brown bears, or after catching their first salmon, or simply after admiring the view from a ride on the train. Something that Holland America-Princess does very well is to offer our guests countless opportunities to customize their adventure to fit their unique dreams. Part of my job as a Guest Service Host was to steer visitors in the right direction in order for their Alaskan dream to be realized. I met many interesting and remarkable people from all over the world in that position, and I gained invaluable customer service experience during those seasons. The skills you take with you after working in a position like that are applicable to any job you may have in the future.

For the past two seasons, I have been working in the Anchorage Transportation Division office as an Administrative Assistant doing Payroll. I have really enjoyed my role here as I get to work more closely with the managers and other administrative staff. I have learned a lot more about the Human Resources side of the business as well as other behind the scenes preparations that form the basis of a smooth running operation. I really appreciate my experiences with Holland America-Princess and I know my co-workers do as well. The high return rate that we witness each season at this company is a testament to how much people enjoy working here as well as the overwhelming desire our employees have to give visitors to Alaska the unbelievable experience they have only dreamed of.

Beautiful Ketchikan (Bob Hirschfeld)

My trek to Ketchikan, Alaska was an unusual one.  I’m from New Jersey and I was employed as an Account Executive for a finance company in midtown Manhattan.  I had been in this position for almost a year, after originally being trained as a credit analyst and commercial lender in the banking industry.  It was in February of that year that I realized this particular job was not turning out to be what I had hoped, and the three hour daily commute was beginning to wear on me.  I decided it was time to move on from this job and began to circulate my resume to obtain a New Jersey based banking position.

The only snag in this plan was I had just gone on a cruise with my best friend Nancy, who had been working as a Driver/Guide in Ketchikan for the past three years.  Nancy and my other good friend Jill told story after story of the people they met while guiding tours and of the fun side trips they took when they had time off.  Additionally, they had just come back from a month long cruise to Australia!  Needless to say, I became enamored with their lifestyle of working all summer in Alaska, and then traveling to exotic places in the off season!

After a few days of thinking it over I applied online for a Driver/Guide position in Ketchikan.  Originally, my thinking was my stay in Ketchikan would be an extended “vacation” from my professional life back East.  I even went as far as to let some of my banking colleagues know that I would be back in roughly six months and in the job market then.   Little did I know then, how wrong I was!

I found Ketchikan to be nothing short of incredible when I first arrived.  I can remember crossing the Tongass Narrows on the airport ferry taking in the mountain vistas on a clear sunny day in April.  Only two weeks prior my view at work had been midtown Manhattan!  What a change!

My first year as a Driver/Guide was nothing short of awesome!  It was different adventures everyday with the people I met on the tours that I took out to Saxman Native Village or Totem Bight State Park.  I met people from all over the world and had the satisfaction of knowing I had made a positive impact on their vacations.  When September came, I did not want the season to end as my time in Ketchikan had become one of the most rewarding jobs I had ever had.

However, now that the season had ended, it was time to take a cruise!  For the first time I didn’t have to hear about my friends’ experiences abroad…I was able to join them!  The winter of 2005 I embarked on the Regal Princess for a 39 day cruise from Florida through the Caribbean all the way around South America, culminating with 8 days cruising through Antarctica!  I had been to places in the world most people only read about in books!   It was a great experience to share with my friends!

The following year I returned to Ketchikan and that season was extra special for me as I met my boyfriend Greg at work (he’s one of our mechanics) and I received the honor of being named Employee of the Month in September!  I have found my time here to be a new challenge everyday as well as a lifetime of memories.

Deer Moutain Towers Above Ketchikan (Laura Milholland

In 2002 I retired from my job in City Government and decided to try the adventure of a lifetime, that of visiting Alaska.  Alaska was my homeland for a short period of my childhood, living both in Anchorage and Juneau.  It was a tremendous honor to return to Alaska and my first assignment was in Ketchikan.  I have worked for the company every year since and have had the pleasure to visit a great deal of Alaska.  I have worked from Anchorage to Fairbanks and spent a good deal of time in Denali National Park.  Ketchikan always calls me back and this is my sixth contract in Ketchikan.

The beauty here is unmatched and though all of Alaska holds treasures, I have found a home in Ketchikan.  The people here are so amazing to be around and the mountains of Ketchikan are incredible at any time of year.  Deer Mountain is covered with snow when I first arrive each year and by July the snow is melted.  That allows hiking of Deer Mountain to the top of its 3001-foot peak.  The vistas are incredible and you feel an awe and amazement viewing the world from there that I have not been able to equal anywhere else.

Being the first city of Alaska, many of the ships stop here first and it is up to us as tour guides to present Alaska in all its glory and beauty.  There are so many different tours in Ketchikan that we can participate in that all my days off are filled with excitement and experiences that will last me a lifetime.  I have watched many people of all ages and backgrounds come to Alaska to work for our Ketchikan Division and all of them leave here a different person.  Some are much more outgoing, some are more rounded individuals, and some are persons to be admired leaving me to hope they come back again to work for Princess Cruises and Holland America Line.

I have made friends for life in this job, and have kept in touch with many, many of our former drivers over the years.  It is wonderful to meet drivers from all walks of life and see how they all bring part of their world to show the cruise passengers how incredible Alaska really is.  With what we all take away from Alaska each year, it leaves a profound impression on our lives and makes the path we choose for future adventures so much more rewarding.  I only hope you will come to Alaska and experience what I am talking about for yourself.  I cannot imagine not returning to Alaska and seeing the great land year to year.

If you enjoy adventure, this is certainly the job for you.  The opportunity to fish, kayak, zip line, ride go-karts, travel by jet boat, or float plane, snorkel, jeep the back country, walk the rain forest, or go crab fishing, as well as learn and guide tours regarding native life and totem poles has sold me on Ketchikan.  I hope you will come to Ketchikan and let us show you the experiences of Alaska.

Orca whales are a common site around Ketchikan (Source: Alan Wolf)

“Why do you live here?”

It’s a question I’m often asked when I tell people that Ketchikan is my home. I was standing there by my coach, loading passengers on a Saturday morning when the question came up again. It’s not an easy question, because there are so many reasons. The incredible beauty of southeast Alaska, with towering mountains rising out of the sea. The sense of community that comes with living in a small town on an island. The wonderful culture of the Native people who have lived here for thousands of years, their clan houses and their totems and their dancing. Hiking through the rainforest and coming upon a mama bear teaching her cubs how to fish for salmon. Kayaking in the early morning and having a pod of orca whales swim past. Raising our children in a town where everyone looks out for them. How the weather here makes us appreciate the sunshine so much more.

I try and share all this with my guests as I drive them around, and they all appreciate the beauty of southeast Alaska, but coming here on a cruise you really only scratch the surface a little bit. This is my fifth year driving. I’m one of many “townies” that come back year after year. And each summer we get a new group of driver guides that come up to work for the summer, they have lots of chances to go hiking, or fishing, or kayaking, sometimes we even get to go on the boat tours with our guests. The Driver Guides really get to know Ketchikan and learn why it’s so special.  Some of them come back the next year, some don’t, but I think they all look back at the summer with fondness as they leave at the end of their season.

So I was standing there, trying to think of how to answer the question, and all of a sudden a bald eagle swooped down and flew right past us, not more than twenty or thirty feet away.

I just smiled.

Words do no justice to the views along the Denali Highway (akphotography.com)

My Denali story began in Arizona in October, 2009. Having retired the previous year with aspirations of finding interesting work but not knowing exactly where to look, I was surfing the net and looked at a website, coolworks.com, which had been given to me by a Yellowstone employee over a year before.    On that site was an amazing opportunity for people like me to apply for interesting work all over the country!

The Princess and Holland America job openings site attracted my interest and soon my application was submitted.   At that time I thought I would be on a ship, I had no idea how big Alaska was, and I was generally unclear about what I was really applying for.  Thankfully, all those questions got answered in due time.

With the application made, I forgot about it.   Before Christmas, I received an email from the company requesting a telephone interview and next came a request to attend a recruitment seminar in Mesa, Arizona.  I am so glad that I went to that.  There I met Jenny Behan and she helped me match my skills to the Guest Service Representative openings in Denali.

I was hired to work for the Holland America Gray Line Guest Service Desk next to the McKinley Chalets in Denali, Alaska beginning on May 3^rd.  My new boss, Sherry Buron, booked a flight from Phoenix to Anchorage for me and filled me in on all the information I needed to work in Denali for the summer.  When I arrived in Anchorage on May 2^nd and was being shuttled for hours and hours to my home away from home in Denali, all I could see was snow, frozen rivers and leafless trees and I wondered, What have I gotten myself into?

What….  I had gotten into a job which suited me.  I had moved into housing where there were roommates who have become like family and I had found a serene and beautiful part of the world where the beauty of each rapidly succeeding season is breathtaking.  I have learned so much more about customer service and how tours work.  I know how to tag my bags properly when I travel.  Most of all I have made so many new friends from all over the world and all walks of life.  I feel so blessed to have been able to work in this Great Land.

Alaska's capital city located at the base of beautiful Mt. Juneau (Wikimedia Commons)

Coming to Juneau has been a once in a life time experience. My job as an Operations Supervisor has provided me with the opportunity to grow and gain new skills. Working in tourism is a fast paced world but it’s so much fun! Outside of work I have been able to do some amazing things; I took a helicopter ride to the top of Mendenhall glacier; I experienced dog mushing; I watched a black bear fish for salmon; I went on a boat in the middle of the ocean where I saw 11 whales bubble net feeding. I made new friends from all over the world, and made memories of a lifetime. I was born and raised in Utah, I always wanted to see what it was like outside of the so called “bubble” most say Utah is and Alaska provided the perfect opportunity for me to do so. Alaska is an experience I will remember forever!

Gastineau Channel provides stunning vistas for Juneau (Wikimedia Commons)

My Alaskan adventure began the summer of 2009. I had just turned 22 and was on a plane from Seattle to Juneau with all the stops in between. It seemed hard to believe that just four months earlier I had accepted the position of driver guide and found myself behind the wheel of a 40’ motor coach in the parking lot of GI Joe’s.

I was excited to try something new, get out of my comfort zone and make some money, and my summer in Alaska certainly delivered. Not only was driving tour buses something I had never done or even thought about before, it was a fast paced adventure that challenged me and provided much needed income to support my scholastic endeavors. Every day proved to be unique and I learned very quickly to “expect the unexpected”. I met people from all over the world and enjoyed sharing with them the beauty that Alaska has to offer.

I flew in a helicopter over the Juneau ice field and admired the beauty of a pod of humpback whales bubble net feeding. I counted thirty bald eagles in one day and watched the snow slowly melt off of the top of Mount Juneau. Nothing can compare with the vast wilderness of Alaska and I am thankful that I had the chance to experience it firsthand while learning valuable interpersonal skills and earning a CDL to cap it all off.

Whether I found myself admiring the beauty of the Mendenhall Glacier or enjoying local fare at the Island Pub, Juneau was a perfect place for my summer Alaskan adventure.