Getting your catch home
Processing, freezing and shipping fish home
Everyone who catches fish here has to solve this, and there is almost nothing written about it that is not one operator selling their own service.
We deliberately do not publish prices we have not verified. Processing and shipping costs move with fuel, airline fees and the season, and a wrong number here would cost you more than no number. Ask two processors for a quote — it takes five minutes and they are used to the question.
How the process actually works
Off the boat
Your guide or charter delivers the catch to a processor, often the same day. Some processors collect dockside.
Cut and sealed
Filleted to your instruction, vacuum sealed in meal-sized portions, then flash frozen. Smoking is usually available and takes longer.
Boxed or shipped
Either packed in an insulated box timed to your flight, or shipped direct to your home address.
Worth knowing
The things people get wrong
Leaving it to the last day. Processors get busy in July. If you are fishing several days, drop fish off as you go rather than arriving with a cooler the afternoon before your flight.
Not saying how you want it cut. Portion size is your call and nobody will guess it right. Say whether you want skin on, whether you want the collars, and how big a portion suits your household.
Assuming the guide's processor is included. It usually is not. Processing is nearly always a separate cost from the trip.
Forgetting the airline's rules. Fish boxes count against baggage allowances and airlines have their own limits on frozen goods. Check with your carrier before you commit to a box size.
Straight answers
Shipping questions
How do I get my fish home from Alaska?
Most visitors use a processor near where they fished. The processor fillets, vacuum seals and flash freezes the catch, then either boxes it for you to check as baggage on your flight home or ships it directly. Processors are listed in our directory by town.
Is it cheaper to check fish as baggage or ship it?
It depends on weight and how many bags you already have. Checking a frozen fish box as an extra bag is often cheaper for moderate quantities, while shipping wins when you have a lot of fish or a tight connection. Ask the processor for both prices — they do this every day and will tell you straight.
How long will vacuum-sealed frozen fish keep?
Properly vacuum sealed and kept frozen, salmon and halibut keep well for months. What matters most is that it stays hard-frozen in transit, which is why processors pack in insulated boxes and time the pickup to your flight.
Do I have to use the processor my guide recommends?
No. Guides often have a processor they work with, and that is usually a sensible default because the handover is smooth. But you are free to use any processor. Compare on price per pound, turnaround and whether they ship or box.
What should I ask a processor before handing over my fish?
Price per pound for filleting and vacuum sealing, whether freezing and storage is included, box and shipping cost, how long they will hold your fish, and whether they can deliver to your hotel or the airport on the day you fly.
Who can take you
Processors in Soldotna, Homer, Seward and Ninilchik
Every business in our directory is listed free and lists its own phone, email and website. We take no commission and no booking — you deal with the operator directly.