Featured in the National Geographic Channel show Port Protection, this remote outpost on Wooden Wheel Cove on the northwestern coast of Prince of Wales Island lies only minutes from some of the most productive fishing anywhere in Alaska — not just for salmon, but also for monster lingcod, halibut, and yelloweye rockfish.

We offer the only charter fishing available in the area, which is accessible only by boat or float plane. It's not easy operating a lodge and charters here, but the opportunity to share the experience of fishing these pristine waters with our clients and friends is more than worth the challenge.

Different species of salmon inhabit these waters at different times of the summer. Kings are available year-round and silvers (cohos) usually show up in August. But that's only part of the story. Because bottom species are less migratory than salmon, their numbers and size in a given area are much more easily affected by fishing pressure. That means the bottom fishing out of Port Protection, which experiences only a tiny fraction of the pressure of more established destinations, is truly exceptional, with abundant halibut, yelloweye rockfish and especially gargantuan lingcod.

The remoteness of the area also brings its challenges. There is no easy way to replace gear or get equipment repaired, so we not only make sure our boats are in top shape before making the trip, but also take spares of nearly everything — rods and tackle, fish processing tools and supplies, even gear like downriggers and kicker motors. Simply put, equipment failure will not affect your trip.

Because Underdog Sportfishing holds a NOAA-issued Halibut Charter Permit, you may retain halibut according to the year's charter angler halibut regulations.

We also participate in the GAF (Guided Angler Fish) program. In simple terms, this allows us to acquire for our clients some of the catch share allocated for commercial fishing. Currently, the GAF program offers you the exciting opportunity to harvest two halibut per day of any size until our GAF quota is depleted. Please note that an additional fee of per fish applies for fish harvested under the GAF program. See our Details page for further information.

One of our favorite things about fishing Port Protection is that we can spend all day with our lines in the water. We sometimes fish as little as 5 to 10 minutes from our dock and rarely more than 30 minutes. We can also fish our protected waters in virtually any weather.

The only reason we run farther than 20 minutes or so is to visit the virtually untouched waters around Kuiu Island, just across Sumner Strait. At nearly 750 square miles, Kuiu is the 15th-largest island in the United States.

The southern portion, which we visit, is home to one of the world’s densest populations of black bears, plus wolves, numerous smaller mammals like beaver and mink, sea otters, sea lions, seals, and whales. The fishing is equally pristine, with hundreds of miles of coves, islands, and points, many of which have never before been fished with rod and reel.

Guests stay in newly renovated cabins overlooking Wooden Wheel Cove and our private dock. All of our cabins are connected by a boardwalk to each other and to the shared dining hall, where meals are served.

Each cabin consists of two completely separate two-bedroom/one-bath units, each with its own refrigerator, private bathroom with shower, and independent thermostat. Interiors feature new pine-panel ceilings and cedar-panel walls, new beds, new lighting, and new high-end waterproof vinyl flooring.

Guests have unlimited access to Starlink for seamless phone communications, wireless internet and satellite television (in dining hall only). A large solar array and battery bank provide 24-hour electricity without generator noise.

Breakfasts are continental-style, and lunches are served on the water. Dinners are prepared from scratch by a professional chef and heavily influenced by fresh local seafood and locally grown vegetables. Guests eat together in our dining hall. The dining hall kitchen is available for guest use when not in use by staff.

We offer both fully guided and self-guided package trips to Port Protection that include lodging and meals, tackle and bait, foul weather gear, and unlimited fish processing and fish boxes. Guided fishing is aboard our beautiful North River Seahawk Offshore 2700S. Self-guided anglers get unlimited use of one of a pair of 22-foot Hewescraft Sea Runners.

Because we know the expense and time involved in getting to Alaska, we offer longer trips than the common 3 days of fishing and 4 nights of lodging offered by others. Charter packages include 4 days of fishing and 5 nights lodging. Self-guided trips included up to 7 days of fishing and 7 nights lodging. We strive to keep our pricing extremely competitive and invite you to compare us with other lodges around Prince of Wales Island.

Typically, you'll arrive the evening before you fish, wash away the trip with a cocktail and some fresh local seafood, get a good night's rest, and then spend the next three or more days battling the biggest salmon and halibut on the planet. Departure is typically the morning after your last fishing day.

Please visit our Details and Self-Guided pages for pricing and additional information.