The Emerald Island Mothership concept began twenty years ago with the Highliner Lodge owner, Steve Daniels’, vision of providing the proven best fishing opportunities for his guests. His singular ambition... to have the Highliner Lodge known as the very best fishing lodge in all of Alaska! Choosing the name, "HIGHLINER" for the lodge, which literally means the very best fisherman, he has been unabashed about this ambition.
The Highliner Lodge's phenomenal success was made possible by channeling Steve's drive, and his commercial fishing experience, knowing that the Highliner Lodge was closest to the very best fishing in all of Alaska. The Highliner Lodge adopted the motto, "Closest to the Fish!" Twenty years ago, after successfully commercially fishing for 25 years, he knew this fishing location was vastly superior to the rest of Alaska and that he could prove it with published statistics from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The Highliner Lodge grew from a one boat operation with 12 guests in 2005... to 6 boats and 331 guests in 2015… and to 500 guests in 2018! What is truly remarkable about this, is that he accomplished this while most well established lodges lost many guests and more than a few formerly successful lodges went out of business during the Great Recession. Some might rightly conclude that this is proof enough that the fishing must be vastly superior at the Highliner Lodge!
In his quest to make the Highliner the best, he conceived of the Emerald Island Mothership Operation to place his guests even closer to the fish than at the Highliner Lodge. By moving the accommodations (the Emerald Island), essentially a floating lodge, and locating the vessel in a sheltered harbor 5 to 10 minutes from the best halibut and salmon fishing in Alaska... he could reduce the time his guests spent in transit to and from the fishing grounds every day. This saved at least two hours each day that could be added to the fishing experience! The goal was to add 2-3 hours of active fishing for his guests every day. More time fishing results in catching more and bigger fish!
2016 was the successful inaugural season for the Emerald Island and we are constantly upgrading and improving the operation.
While there are some yachts that do fishing side trips with small charter boats, we believe the Emerald Island is the only mothership operation with full sized charter boats, that are fully focused on fishing, operating in Alaska!
To learn more, contact us or visit highlinerlodge.com.
