No biggy to me. Just wanted to clarify.
I'm in no way an expert and have never lived up there.
Like I say I've been going to AK for work for 20+ years but generally short trips and just the coastal areas. My opinions are based on that.
Ask me about the interior and I know very little.
Lot's of great choices but if it were me I'd be looking to stay off the road system.
In other words I'd be finding a location that you gotta fly to or take a boat.
Cuts down on the riff raff.
But it all depends on what you are looking for.

Who's Big Stick?

AK is a wonderful place to visit but an impractical place to live. Cold and dark all winter, so there's not much fishing, nor probably hunting, then. All I hear about is Alaskans drinking their way through winter. I can fish year round in WA. Even if you live in AK, it takes an airplane ride to get to the interesting fishing areas. It seems like a better use of time and money to live here and get on a plane and be in Anchorage or other "major" airport in 2 1/2 hours, get on another plane and fly to D'ham, KS, etc.

Sg

I respectively disagree.
I don't know exactly what the darkness to daylight ratio is in S.E. but I was in Petersburg this last December working on a boat in the daylight.
Saw 2 diferent sports fishermen come in with catches of feeder kings.
Beautifull fish.
Alaska is too big of a state to characterize in general terms.

JC,

When I think of the number of degrees latitude that AK covers, I agree that it's not all dark all the time in winter. I was thinking of the area I've fished, SW, and even tho it gets a couple hours of light during winter, it doesn't matter, rivers, lakes, and bay are frozen over, making fly casting a waste of time.

Sg

The only think that would stop me from living in SE Alaska is the rain. Ketchikan averages about 160" per year. Thats 4.5x what Seattle gets. Screw that.

SG, You're right about the fly fishing, that's for sure.
They fish kings though through the winter time around Kodiak, and Kachimak Bay on the Kenai Peninsula as well as S.E.
There does seem to be quite a bit of drinking, you're right there, although it's not required.

Here's a shot going on sea trials last Dec 8 in Petersburg.

Clint,

Wowser! You must have one hell of a flash on your camera to give the scene so much light! <jk> Much brighter than I'd expect. When it barely gets dark, shall we say dim, in the Bristol Bay region in Aug - over a month past the solstice - it's clear to me that latitude makes a lot of difference in AK.

When I was a youngster in college, an old retired guy in the apartment next door said after school I should try to get a job with a federal agency in AK, and that would be the perfect life if I could avoid becoming an alcoholic. I think I know why he knew.

Sg