ORION CHARTERS - CATCH STATISTICS & INFORMATION
If you want to go fishing on Orion Charters here are some of the things to expect and some general information about fishing in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska. We start halibut fishing in April and fish through September. We specialize in Gulf of Alaska 12-hour day charters. For the 2006 Season we will leave the dock at 6:00 AM and return by 6:00 PM. Our boat is located at slip E-30 in the Valdez Boat Harbor. The information presented below is based on our captains personal fishing log data from our 1997 through 2006 seasons.
ITEM |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | Totals |
Chance of catching 2 halibut. | Approx. 75% | 84% (159 out of 189 people caught their limit of 2 halibut in 1998) | 78% (293 out of 376 people caught their limit of 2 halibut in 1999) | 93% (407 out of 437 people caught their limit of 2 halibut in 2000) | 94% (528 out of 562 people caught their limit of 2 halibut in 2001) | 95% (in 2002 season) | 85% (in 2003 season) | 99% (in 2004 season) | 90% (in 2005 season) | 81% (398 out of 492 people caught their limit of 2 halibut in 2006) | |
Number of 60"+/100# halibut landed on ORION |
32
|
42 | 65 | 104 | 197 | 133 | 180 | 115 | 156 | 121 | 1145 |
Number of 74"+ / 200# halibut landed on ORION |
1 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 18 | 5 | 18 | 15 | 21 | 13 | 113 |
Number of (80"+) halibut landed in on ORION | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 28 |
Number of 87"+ / 300# halibut landed on ORION |
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Number of 100# (60") plus halibut per day. | 0.89 (32 -100# halibut caught in 36 days fishing in 1997, 32/36= 0.89) | 0.89 (42 - 100# halibut caught in 47 days fishing in 1998, 42/47 = 0.89) | 0.86 (65 - 100# halibut caught in 76 days fishing in 1999, 65/76 = 0.86) | 1.28 (104 - 100# halibut caught in 81 days fishing in 2000, 104/81= 1.28) | 1.93 (197 -100# halibut caught in 102 days halibut fishing in 2001, 197/102 = 1.93) | 1.27 (133 - 100# halibut caught in 105 days halibut fishing in 2002 , 123/100=1.27) | 1.98 (180 - 100# halibut caught in 91 days halibut fishing in 2003 , 180/91=1.98) | 1.16 (115 - 100# halibut caught in 99 days halibut fishing in 2004, 115/99=1.16) | 1.44 (156 - 100# halibut caught in 108 days halibut fishing in 2005, 156/108=1.44) | 1.42 (121 - 100# halibut caught in 85 days halibut fishing in 2005, 121/85=1.42) | |
Largest Halibut Landed on ORION CHARTERS | 200#/74" | 230#/79" | 208#/78" | 280#/87" (2nd largest halibut landed in Valdez during 2000) | 322.6#/88.5"(3rd Largest halibut ever landed in Valdez on sport tackle) | 212.2#/79" | 251.0#/83" |
230.8#/80" | 268.8#/82" | 262.7/84" The 2006 Valdez $5,000.00 2nd place Halibut Derby Winner |
322.6# |
Largest Ling Cod Landed on ORION CHARTERS | 46# | 60# (Released, caught in June) | 64# | 67#/53", also Released 70#/58" in June | 76.6#/54" (x-Alaska State Record, IGFA World Record) | 74# released | 65# | 66# | 62.6# | 71.0# | 76.6# |
Largest Salmon Shark Caught on ORION CHARTERS | 7'/301# | 8'/325# | 9.5'/500# | 9'/400# | 9'/450# | 9'4"/540# | 450# | 425# | 9'/450+# released |
9.5'/500# released |
540# |
Number of Salmon Sharks Caught on Orion Charters | 1 in 1997 | 7 in 1998 | 28 in 1999 | 44 in 2000 | 105 in 2001 | 111 in 2002 | 32 in 2003 | 55 in 2004 | 96 in 2005 | 52 in 2006 | 527 |
Largest Red Snapper Landed on ORION CHARTERS | 18# | 18.6# | 15# | 21.0# | 23.4# (largest Red Snapper landed in Valdez during 2001 season) | 24.0# (largest Red Snapper landed in Valdez during 2002 season) | 22# | 21# | 22# | 18# | 24.0 |
Largest Black Sea Bass Landed on ORION CHARTERS | not recorded | not recorded | not recorded | not recorded | 16.5# | not recorded | not recorded | not recorded | not recorded | not recorded | 16.5# |
Chance per person of catching a 100# (60") plus halibut per day. | 21% (32 -100# halibut caught in 36 days in 1997 with 150 people fishing, 32/150 = 21%) | 22% (42 - 100# halibut caught in 47 days in 1998 with 189 people fishing, 42/189=22%) | 17% (65 -100# halibut caught in 76 days in 1999 with 376 people fishing, 65/376=17%) | 24% (104 - 100# halibut caught in 81 days in 2000 with 437 people fishing, 104/437 = 24%) | 35% (197 - 100# halibut caught in 102 days in 2001 with 562 people fishing, 197/562 =35%) | 23% (133 - 100# halibut caught in 105 days in 2002 with 578 people fishing, 133/578 =35%) | 36% (180 - 100# halibut caught in 91 days in 2003 with 495 people fishing, 180/495 =35%) | 21% (115 - 100# halibut caught in 99 days in 2004 with 545 people fishing, 115/545 =21%) | 25% (156 - 100# halibut caught in 108 days in 2005 with 618 people fishing, 156/618 =21%) | 25% (121 - 100# halibut caught in 85 days in 2006 with 492 people fishing, 121/492 =21%) | |
Number of people halibut fishing on ORION per day. (max of 6 per day) | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.8 | |
Average size of halibut retained on ORION in. | 40# | 40# | 40# | 45# | 50# | 40# | 50# | 45# | 40# | 35# | |
Chance of catching a Ling Cod (while halibut fishing). | 25% | 75% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 80% | 70% | 70% | 50% | 50 % | |
Chance of hooking a Salmon Shark while specifically fishing for Salmon Sharks. | Did not do any Salmon Shark Charters in 1997 | 50% - approx. July 1 to approx. August 7 | 99% - approx. July 1 to approx. August 7 | 99% - approx. July 1 to approx. August 31 | 99%- approx. July 1 to approx. August 31 | 99%- approx. July 1 to approx. August 31 | 99%- approx. July 1 to approx. August 31 | 99%- approx. July 1 to approx. August 31 | 99%- approx. July 1 to approx. August 31 | 99%- approx. July 1 to approx. August 31 | |
Chance of catching Silver Salmon while specifically fishing for Silvers. | 90%- approx. Aug.1 to approx. Sept. 1 | 95% - approx. Aug.1 to approx. Sept. 1 | 99%- approx. Aug.14 to approx. Sept. 1 (Late Silver Run) | 99%- approx. Aug.1 to approx. Sept. 1 | 99%- approx. Aug.1 to approx. Sept. 1 | 99%- approx. Aug.1 to approx. Sept. 1 | No Silver Salmon Charters in 2003 | No Silver Salmon Charters in 2004 | No Silver Salmon Charters in 2005 | o Silver Salmon Charters in 2006 | |
Chances of seeing ORCA or Humpback Whales | Approx. 50% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 60% | Approx. 50% | |
Chances of seeing Stellar Sealions | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 60% | Approx. 60% | |
Chances of seeing Sea Otters | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | Approx. 95% | |
Chances of seeing Dahl Porpoises | Approx. 5% | Approx. 10% | Approx. 10% | Approx. 20% | Approx. 30% | Approx. 50% | Approx. 75% | Approx. 80% | Approx. 85% | Approx. 85% | |
Chances of seeing Puffins | Approx. 75% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 90% | Approx. 80% | |
Average Seas in Prince William Sound (summer) | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 4 feet | 2 to 5 feet | 2 to 5 feet | 2 to 5 feet | 3 to 6 feet | |
Average Seas in Gulf of Alaska (summer) | 3 to 6 feet | 3 to 6 feet | 3 to 6 feet | 3 to 6 feet | 4 to 6 feet | 4 to 8 feet | 4 to 10 feet | 4 to 10 feet | 4 to 10 feet | 6 to 10 feet | |
Average Prince William Sound Tide change (summer) | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | 10 to 12 feet | |
Average depth that we fish halibut in | 100 to 150 feet | 100 to 150 feet | 100 to 200 feet | 150 to 250 feet | 150 to 250 feet | 150 to 250 feet | 100 to 400 feet | 100 to 400 feet | 100 to 400 feet | 100 to 400 feet | |
Average amount of weight needed to hit bottom | 32 to 48 oz. (2 to 3 lbs.) | 32 to 64 oz. | 32 to 64 oz. | 32 oz., less weight due to started using "Power Pro" Line (braided spectra) which is much thinner/stronger then Dacron | 32 oz. | 32 oz. | 32 oz. | 32 oz. | 32 oz. | 32 oz. | |
Average length of boat trip to reach Halibut fishing | 75 miles (one way), 2.5 hours | 75 miles (one way), 2.5 hours | 75 miles (one way), 2.5 hours | 100 miles (one way), 3 hours | 100 miles (one way) 3 hours | 100 miles (one way), 3 hours | 100 miles (one way), 3 hours | 100 miles (one way), 3 hours | 100 miles (one way), 3 hours | 100 miles (one way), 3 hours | |
Average cruise speed | 27to 30 knots | 27to 30 knots | 27 to 30 knots | 30 to 35 knots | 30 to 35 knots | 32 knots | 32 knots | 30 knots | 30 knots | 30 knots | |
Average length of boat trip to reach Silver Salmon fishing | 2 to 10 miles (one way) | 2 to 10 miles (one way) | 2 to 10 miles (one way) | 2 to 10 miles (one way) | 2 to 10 miles (one way) | 2 to 10 miles (one way) | NA | NA | NA | NA |
To book a charter or provide feedback, you may contact ORION CHARTERS at the following:
ORION
CHARTERS
Dave & Frieda Wiley
P.O. Box 3577
Valdez, AK 99686
EMAIL:
DAVE@ORIONCHARTERS.COM or
FRIEDA@ORIONCHARTERS.COM
PHONE: (907) 835-8610
Check out these other pages for pictures and information.
HALIBUT FISHING:
200# CLUB, 2004
HALIBUT PICS, 2003 HALIBUT PICS,
2002 HALIBUT PICS,
2001 HALIBUT
PICS, 2000 HALIBUT PICS,
HALIBUT
ARTICLES
SHARK FISHING:
Salmon Sharks,
Sleeper Sharks,
Unusual Sharks,
Dog Sharks,
Catch and Release Sharks
LINGCOD FISHING: Ling Cod, Ling Cod Articles
ROCKFISH FISHING: Rockfish
SALMON FISHING: Salmon
UNUSUAL FISH: Unusual Fish
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND: Scenery, Glaciers, Whales, Sea Lions
ORION CHARTERS INFO:
Catch Statistics,
Prices, Terms & Conditions
BOAT INFORMATION
POLITICS: Politics
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This page was last updated on 11/14/06.