FAQs: Planning a Luxury Trip to Alaska
Considering Alaska for your next luxury adventure? We've rounded up the most common questions we get, from world class fishing to wildlife excursions to the dining experience.
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Not only do you get to bring home amazing memories of glaciers, grizzly bears, and reeling in wild halibut, but you’ll also bring home as much fresh fish as you can catch! Our world-class staff will professionally filet, rinse, vacuum seal, and freeze your fish all on our state-of-the-art fish house. All you’ll have to do is get your fish home! This might sound complicated, but it’s easier than you think! All it takes is a little planning, and as always, our friendly staff is here to help answer any questions you might have along the way.
Thanks to our high-quality fish processing house, we don’t have a limit on how many pounds of fish you can take home. The moment you pull into our docks after a day on the water, our staff will take your fish directly from the boat to our fish processing house. There, your fish will be expertly fileted into conveniently sized pieces that will make cooking easy.
After fileting, our staff carefully rinses each filet. Rinsing is an important part of the process, as it helps the fish stay and taste fresh for as long as possible. Fish that is not properly rinsed can take on an unpleasant fishy flavor.
After the filets are rinsed, they are packed into portable freezer bags. Each bag will contain two servings of fish and be labeled, letting you know what species of fish are inside. Throughout this whole process, our dockhands carefully document each filet, ensuring that the fish you catch is the same fish that you take home.
After your fish is placed into our custom-made freezer bags, it’s time for vacuum sealing! Vacuum sealing is a quick, two-part process. First, all air and moisture within the freezer bag are sucked out. We do this to ensure a longer shelf life for your fish; air and moisture can cause the fish to decay quickly, even when frozen solid. Then, immediately after vacuuming, the bag is thermally sealed shut, making it impossible for any air or moisture to enter. Because of this process, you can expect your filets to stay fresh for up to two years!
Immediately after your fish is vacuum sealed, our dockhands will pack the bags into our new sub-zero freezer located right on our dock. Freezing fish maintains the quality and texture of your catch while preventing the growth of bacteria and parasites that cause food-borne illness. Because of the ultra-low temperatures of our freezer, your fish is flash-frozen, meaning that the fish is preserved at the peak of its freshness.
Before you leave the lodge, our dockhands will pack your filets into our custom-designed fish boxes. These boxes are reinforced and lined with a special-insulated mylar fabric that will keep your fish frozen for up to 72 hours.
Getting your fish off Admiralty Island is an easy process. Your all-inclusive stay at Pybus Point Lodge includes the free transportation of your fish back to Juneau. Before leaving the lodge, we’ll give you a special tag that you can use to claim your fish box(es) after arriving at Juneau International Airport.
If you plan on spending some time exploring Juneau after your departure from the lodge, don’t worry about keeping your fish frozen. Juneau’s airport has freezer space available for $25 a day. If you’d like to spend the night in Juneau, let us know. The first day of storage is on us!
As long as you give yourself plenty of time, flying your fish home is a stress-free process. All fish boxes will be under 50 pounds. This means that fish boxes can be taken on your flight as a checked bag, costing nothing more than the standard checked-bag fee.
Both Delta and Alaskan Airlines allow two checked bags per person before charging you for excess baggage. We recommend traveling to the lodge with only a carry-on, allowing you to fly home with up to 99 pounds of fresh fish without encountering any extra fees.
Most flights out of Juneau leave at similar times, which can cause lines at the airport to be fairly long. Because of this, we recommend pre-checking your bags before you get to the airport. If you do this, most airlines will pre-print tags for your fish boxes, allowing you to go through the check-in process as quickly as possible.
If you’d rather not worry about taking your fish through the airport, you always have the option of shipping your fish to your home destination. If you prefer this option, simply talk to our lodge hosts. They’ve spent over a decade filling our guests’ freezers with wild Alaskan fish, and they’ll be more than happy to help you fill your freezer too!
The final step in the process is impressing your friends and family with a delicious meal of fish you caught yourself at Pybus Point Lodge. If you liked the way our chef prepared your catch at the lodge, or if you want to see some of our other favorite recipes, check out the recipes section on our website at www.pybus.com/recipes
Download, share, or print out our PDF Packaging list to make sure you bring all the gear you need for your Alaska vacation!
DOWNLOAD NOWConsidering Alaska for your next luxury adventure? We've rounded up the most common questions we get, from world class fishing to wildlife excursions to the dining experience.
LEARN MOREA day at Pybus Point Lodge includes a hearty breakfast, fishing or sightseeing on calm waters, gourmet dinner, and evening activities like hikes, kayaking, or fireside relaxation—an unforgettable Alaskan adventure!
LEARN MOREDiscover why people like you can’t stop talking about Pybus Point Lodge. More than 30 years ago, the lodge opened as a simple fishing camp, drawing a devoted following in spite of basic accommodations. With new owners and experienced guides and crew, our corner of Alaska has become an unbeatable fishing and eco-tourism resort.
