Ice Fishing at Chena Lake: Learn from Local Guides

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/7

Duration3h

GroupUp to 24

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Catch fish and cook your own meal in a heated shelter

You’ll meet your guide right at Chena Lake for a real Alaskan ice fishing day — drilling your own hole, warming up in cozy shelters with hot drinks, and grilling your catch for supper. There’s plenty of help if you’re new (like I was), plus all the gear is ready for you. It’s less about big catches and more about sharing laughs and stories in the crisp winter air.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ice fishing experience at Chena Lake

Check in with fishing guide
Attend safety briefing
Receive gear, bait, and instructions
Set up fishing hole and seat
Fish inside heated shelters or outside
Use underwater cameras and equipment
Learn to clean fish or set holes
Enjoy grilled fish cook-out

The Experience

The first thing I noticed was the sound — not silence, but this muffled crunch under my boots as I crossed the snow toward the little fishing cabins on Chena Lake. The air smelled sharp, almost metallic, and I kept blowing clouds just to watch them drift. Our guide, Matt (he grew up nearby), waved us over with a thermos in hand and asked if anyone had ever held an ice auger before. I hadn’t — turns out it’s heavier than it looks. He laughed when I tried to drill my own hole (“It’s like making your own front door,” he said), and then showed me how to set up the rod and bait without losing my gloves to the cold.

I liked that we could duck into the heated shelter whenever our fingers started to ache — someone always seemed to have hot cocoa going. There were underwater cameras too; watching a fish nose around my bait felt weirdly suspenseful, like waiting for a text that never comes. When I finally caught one (not huge, but still), Matt showed me how to clean it right there on the ice. My hands smelled like lake water and fish for hours after, but honestly? Didn’t mind at all.

We cooked what we caught on a little grill outside the cabin — smoky, salty, nothing fancy but so satisfying after sitting out in that cold. A couple from Anchorage shared stories about their worst fishing fails while we ate; everyone laughed when someone’s hat blew off across the lake. It wasn’t really about catching a trophy or anything — more just being there together, cheeks red from wind and coffee, learning this old Alaskan thing side by side. Sometimes I still think about how quiet it got right before sunset, just us and that huge sky.

What’s included

Your day includes meeting your professional fishing guide at Chena Lake with all rods, bait, seats, and tools provided.
access to heated shelters with hot drinks like cocoa or tea.
hands-on help learning techniques.
use of underwater cameras.
plus grilling your fresh-caught fish for supper before heading home warm and full.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Alaska Fishing and Raft Adventures

Is this one for you?Learn ice fishing from year-round professional guides in heated shelters, then grill and eat your own catch—a genuine Alaskan tradition made accessible and comfortable.