Quest Alaska Lodges®

Alaska is a land of wilderness, wonder and natural beauty. Volumes have been written about its breathtaking mountainscapes and seemingly endless coastal waterways. Whether it is the exciting fishing adventures, incredible northern lights or friendly native faces, you will discover your own Alaska, one that will linger in memory for years to come.

World-renowned Sitka sport fishing highlights your visit to Alaska. Quest Alaska Lodges are located on beautiful Hummingbird Island, just a five-minute boat ride from historic Sitka, Alaska. We offer a new alternative in world-class fishing. You’ll enjoy island living, the privacy of our own modern waterfront lodge, and a new fully guided, 27-foot fishing boat.

Accommodations At the end of your fishing day, you’ll retreat to the comfort of your own private hideaway. Hummingbird Island is the home of only three of these secluded cabins. An illuminated boardwalk encircles this scenic island and conveniently connects each cabin. Each fully furnished modern cabin has two bedrooms (four twin beds per room) and two bathrooms. Although you won’t want to miss our meals, each cabin is furnished with a fully equipped kitchen, and a deck with a barbecue in case you would rather curl up and enjoy the peaceful surroundings with a view you’ll never forget. Whales, eagles and otters are a sample of the wildlife you might spot when enjoying a cocktail on your deck or while relaxing on the couch and gazing our your picture window. Your cabin will be clean and well stocked with fresh towels every day. Our packages run one extra evening versus days (for example, 3 days/4 nights). There may be an occasion when the cabins are occupied on the evening of your arrival. In such circumstances, accommodations will be secured within Sitka at our affiliated Super 8 Motel. We will provide assistance with all transportation and baggage handling when such controlling factors prevail. As occupancy allows, we shall avoid this extra transition whenever possible.

Cuisine Another highlight to your visit will be the superb Alaskan cuisine. The culinary staff has perfected many Pacific Rim dishes, including King and Dungeness crab, shrimp and various other shellfish. After a great day of fishing, relax and enjoy sampling one of the saltwater delicacies of choice. Halibut, salmon and red snapper are but a few of the house specialties. Our Pacific Rim and local Alaskan cuisine will have you begging for recipes. Our hearty breakfasts, delicious lunches, gourmet dinners and mouth-watering desserts are supplemented with snacks and soft drinks. Such will be enjoyed afloat or in our newly-constructed island dining room. A sample of these gourmet delights might include Dungeness crab, Pacific prawns and tenderloin beef medallions, not to mention the Sitka staple foods, Salmon and Halibut.

 

	Fishing The famous waters around Sitka provide the best salmon and halibut fishing in the world, and the salmon here are considered the biggest in the world. The halibut frequently weigh over 100 pounds, some over a whopping 200 pounds. Striving for freshness, we will quickly clean, fillet, vacuum pack, freeze and store your fish on the island. Your catches will be boxed and ready to ship upon departure. Quest provides all the necessary fishing licenses and stamps for Salmon and Halibut. The guides take their fishing guests to a remote area on the water for the ultimate fishing experience. Halibut are present year round, but are larger in size and more numerous during the warmer months. Some of the largest King salmon are concentrated around this area. All five of the salmon species are present in the area. King, silver, pink and chum are the most frequent found. King Salmon weighing 25-75 pounds are available any day of the year, but seem to be more numerous from May to September. Mature pre-spawning salmon bound for mainland rivers are commonly intercepted in early summer and may reach a monstrous 70 pounds or more. The kings run hard from the beginning of May through July and into August. Silvers are the most prolific later in the season, July through September. The best fishing is usually when one of the salmon runs is peaking - one of which is during the salmon derby that takes place every year from Memorial Day weekend through the first weekend in June. Nowhere else in the world can you find such a variety and abundance of world-class opportunities for steelhead and cutthroat trout, saltwater salmon, halibut, Dolly Varden and others. Lingcod and red snapper are abundant from May through September. Trophy anglers should take special note of the fact that most of the state’s largest specimens of fish come from the waters surrounding this area. Another of the prime features that makes this area so profitable and super is the milder climate.
	Wildlife Viewing The spectacular scenery is filled with wildlife. Watch as hummingbirds, bald eagles, humpback and killer whales, sea otters and more interact with each other in these majestic surroundings. Keep an eye out for the playful antics of porpoises as they chase each other in the wake of your boat. You may even spot some bear along the shorelines fishing for salmon of their own. Every day is an exploration of wild discovery. Join us for the adventure of a lifetime. Wildlife adds to Sitka’s natural beauty. With a mild climate, rich habitat and relatively low human population, Sitka is one of the best places to view Alaskan wildlife. Nearby waters are a popular feeding ground for humpback whales in the late fall and early spring. Summertime provides a wonderful opportunity to view tufted puffins and other sea birds at St. Lazaria National Wildlife Refuge. Sitka lies at the heart of the largest temperate rain forest in the world, the Tongass National Forest. This national forest encompasses 16.9 million acres. Wildlife abounds in the forest with black tailed deer and its 2 main predators, the wolf and the bear. Mountain goats, lynx, wolverines, foxes, mink and land otters range widely through the area. Smaller mammals such as shrews, red squirrels, brown bats, deer mice, porcupines and more, make the forest their permanent home. Marine mammals found along the shores of the forest include: Dall and harbor porpoises, hair seals, humpback and killer whales, plus more. Bird-life includes: blue grouse, great horned owls, woodpeckers, Steller’s jays, robins, fox sparrows, hummingbirds and swallows. More bald eagles live in this region than in any other place in the world. Large numbers of waterfowl, such as mallards and Canadian geese, live here as well.
	History On shore in Sitka, a city filled with historic beauty and information, you can experience and learn a great deal about Russian Alaska. As the capital of Alaska territory, Sitka played an important role in the development of the scenic Southeast with its unique blend of Tlingit culture and Russian history. The city’s downtown business and historic districts are on the same streets and paths used by Russian colonists and the native Tlingit villagers before them. Most sights and attractions, such as the Alaska Raptor Center, St. Michael’s Cathedral, Sitka National Historical Park, the Russian Bishop’s House, Starrigavan State Park and many more, are within easy walking distance. With views of island-studded waters and stately spruce forest reaching to the water’s edge, Sitka is considered one of Alaska’s most beautiful seaside towns. Museums, parks, the Sitka Centennial Building, and many other informational and historic activities are all part of the rich history of the city of Sitka as well as Mount Edgecombe, the Fuji-like dormant volcano, which rises above Sitka at 3,201 feet high.
	Boats Our fishing fleet is made up of our very own custom-designed and custom-built fishing vessels. Two high-speed I/O engines power each outfitted vessel--perfect for quickly getting to and from Sitka’s renowned fishing spots. These customized twenty-seven-foot boats are tunnel hulled and have an ultrawide, eleven-foot beam to provide the smoothest ride possible and minimize the effect of a possible choppy water day. With safety in mind for four to six fishermen and a captain, these full-exterior walk-around vessels, with a private head, have a very spacious cabin, strategically centered to promote a smooth ride. This climate-controlled, fully enclosed, heated cabin is surrounded with glass so you won’t miss a moment of the spectacular scenery. Our custom fleet comes complete with all the latest electronic equipment, as well as weather gear, tackle and bait.
	Guides Quest Lodge employs experienced guides who operate our fleet of custom-designed fishing vessels and will take their fishing guests to a remote area on the water for the ultimate fishing experience. Typically, our guests have the same guide throughout their stay at the lodge.