1) What's the most economical way to get fish home from Alaska?
2) I'd like to fish for reds while we're there. However, I don't want to bring waders there and back. Do some places rent them? Specifically, does anyone in Soldotna rent them?

Fly it.

If YOU were in business, would YOU want to rent out waders?

Have fun. Try to enjoy all aspects of Alaska.

Pack light, we take all our clothes in a carry on and then goto the hardware store in Soldotna and buy hip boots and the styrofoam coolers in a cardboard box for bringing your fish home, we packed our coolers tight with frozen fish, no ice!! They will stay froze until you arrive home. The hip boots will work great for river fishing, everybody uses them. The coolers are 15-20 bucks and the boots are the same. (make sure coolers are in cardboard boxes, they need that for the airline.

Scoot,

Check with a processor up there on their packing and shipping costs and compare that to checking extra baggage.

When we went we packed a cooler full of stuff we were either going to give to people up there or use ourselves on the trip. Then we had our fish vacuum sealed and frozen at a processor when we caught em.

We packed the frozen fish in the now empty cooler, duct taped it shut and checked it as baggage so it made it home with us. You cannot put any ice in it. Don't tape it until you check it though. Homeland Security might make you open it for inspection at the airport. Just bring the tape then throw it in some other baggage you have.

Just make sure you're not overweight. They'll make you take fish out if you are. At that point just give the fish to the check in staff, don't think it's a good idea to pack it in a clothes bag.

Can't say about the waders. Another call to a sports shop might be a good idea. Or buy some up there? A lodge or guide might rent some? I bet they have extras.

When I went we paid the extra baggage fee which was $40 and bought box coolers, I think they were like $20 at a major store on Soldotna. You can buy a set of hip waiters for like $20-25 at the sporting good stores.

I agreee with all the above, you'll do best flying your fish home with you, although it's gotten much more expensive each time we go.
As for the waders, a take my lightweight breathables along...they are really light(the boots less so) but It's worth it to me...I've waded lots of places up there where the extra inches are very useful. Hate those old rubbers hippers...:)

One tip.....I usuually use frequent flyer miles for my annual trip to Alaska.....Always book the home flight in Frist class, gets you an additional bag (3) and no cost on any of them.....worth the extra 12,500 miles......I pack my clothes up in a standard cooler, then put them in a carry on.....

I get by pretty cheap, I have all my fishing stuff at a buddies in Eagle River....so 10 days runs me about $2500, for my dad and I, we rent a cabin outside Sterling, Buy one ticket, FFmiles for the other, Car, cabin....rest goes for beverages and food....

Great time....next summer makes 14 in a row!!

dreamin...thats a nice setup. Wish I had a buddy up there. I do have a friend in Cabo, and I leave my heavy saltwater rods down there so I don't have to lug the rod tube (or pay for it) every time down there.
Good tip on the first class ticket, but I have my airmiles with American as they fly lots of flights to Cabo, but few to AK. Usually take ther cattle cars (charters) to AK, always big fun!
Do you do most of your fishing on the KP or up in the valley?

when i went up to alaska this june, we brought our salmon home in styrofoam coolers with dry ice, all ducktaped shut. i saw just about every other person on our flight did the exact same thing, bringing some sort of fish or seafood home.

and i'd imagine just about any fishing outfitter will rent out waders. fishing and tourism is one of the main industries up there, they know where the money is at. i dont think it would be too hard for you to rent a pair of waders up there for a day

Dry ice isn't allowed on planes anymore.

I have brought fish back several times without ice. I just freeze it and pack it in a cooler or fish box with newspaper for insulation. I have never had any problems getting back to Duluth with frozen fish. I wish I had an answer for you on the wader rentals, but I am not sure about that one. I would imagine with a few phone calls to some of the outfitters up there you could find some to rent.

its what the people who packed our fish did [people who smoked our fish for us]. and they pack fish for people on the planes all the time

we used our coolers as our luggage on the way up their. packed old clothes to wear while fishing and threw the clothes away when we were done fishing. packed one set of 'travel' clothes and had empty coolers to fill full of frozen fish for the way home.

for waders, i had the lighweight fishing ones and they pack pretty small. if you don't have room on the way back, you can mail it back.

also, two words: stuff sacks. you can fit an insane amount of clothes into these things and cinch em up into a fraction of the space.