LONG RANGE FISHING: Seward, Alaska

Some locations grab a hold of a fisherman's attention and stay with them for their entire life. Alaska is one of those places. It draws fishermen like a moth to a light.

Once you see a photo of a halibut the size of a barn door, or a salmon so giant it takes two people to hoist it up for the camera, you can't help but imagine a trip to the final frontier. Add in the wild landscapes and remoteness of this gorgeous country and it's no surprise that just about every angler has Alaska on the top of his or her bucket list of places they hope to fish before they die. Even those fortunate enough to have made the trek to fish Alaska start dreaming about their next adventure the moment they leave.

"Fishing in Alaska is like an addiction you can't shake."

For many anglers, the pilgrimage to Alaska is deemed a success after catching a few salmon and winching up a halibut or two from the cold, deep waters.

There's certainly nothing wrong with that, but if you're looking for a bit more adventure and you want to add a few more fish to the tally, an Alaska long-range trip represents the best way to discover new horizons. We began offering longer trips through Crackerjack Sportfishing in 2005. The objective? Take fishermen out to the farthest reaches of the North Gulf Coast. These trips give the crew more time to find big halibut, lingcod and salmon on top of shallow-water reefs, kelp forests and pinnacles that seldom see any type of fishing pressure. Don't get me wrong, a good day trip in any of Alaska's ports or lodges is the stuff that dreams are made of, but fishing remote areas offers much more than a typical day trip. The best part is you can score more fishing time in virtually untapped areas. On an Alaskan long-range trip, we fish at least 12 hours a day, often more than that, and you can rest assured that the fish will bite at some point during the day. When they hit the feedbag, it's going to be spectacular, especially when you're the only boat around and have it all to yourself. There's something special about fishing in waters where few others venture to go. The adventure is greater and the payoff even sweeter, especially when you fish with light tackle.