Sam Pflaum is a lifelong Alaskan and the heart behind Ketchikan Sam’s, a family-run smokehouse in Ketchikan, Alaska. He lives at Herring Cove—the very place he grew up—alongside his wife Leah and their three children, who are already inheriting his deep love for fishing and the ocean.

Rooted in generations of tradition, Ketchikan Sam’s began with the family’s time-honored smoked salmon recipe, passed down through years of fine-tuning. What began as a beloved family staple has now become a business, with Sam leading the way in bringing that same handcrafted smoked salmon to tables across the country.

But Sam hasn’t stopped there. With a mind for tradition and a knack for innovation, he’s expanded the line to include smoked black cod—a recipe born not from family lore, but from his own ingenuity. Every batch is smoked in Ketchikan, with Sam personally overseeing production alongside a tight-knit team of family and friends.

Ketchikan Sam’s isn’t just a business—it’s a family endeavor built on quality, care, and a genuine love for the craft. Whether you’re ordering from across town or across the country, you’re getting the best smoked seafood Alaska has to offer, made in the very place where it all began.