Area Sport Fishing Reports
Petersburg

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 14, 2023

King Salmon

Wrangell Narrows/Blind Slough:

June 1-July 31

• Bag and possession limit (residents and nonresidents) of two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and two king salmon less than 28 inches in length;
• King salmon caught by nonresidents in this area do not count toward the nonresident annual limit.

Fishing for king salmon opened on June 1^st in Wrangell Narrows/Blind Slough. Early reports show that fishing is slow, but more have been landed in the last week. Harvest is expected to increase over the next three weeks as historically the best catch rates occur during the last two weeks of June.

Anita Bay and Gunnuk Creek:

• Residents: Bag and possession limit of two king salmon greater than 28” in length;
• Nonresidents: Bag and possession limit of one king salmon greater than 28” in length. Nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon.

Both Anita Bay and Gunnuk Creek opened on June 1^st. After June 14^th they remain open under Southeast Alaska king salmon regulations.

Areas opening June 15^th

Southeast Alaska and the Petersburg/Wrangell Area

June 15^th-

• Residents: Bag and possession limit of two king salmon greater than 28” in length;
• Nonresidents: Bag and possession limit of one king salmon greater than 28” in length. Nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon, but changes to two on July 1^st, and changes again to one on July 16^th. Please refer to the advisory announcement Sport Fishing Regulations for King Salmon in Southeast Alaska and the Petersburg/Wrangell Area for 2023 for more details: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/EONR/index.cfm?ADFG=region.NR&Year=2023&NRID=3463.

Beginning Thursday, June 15^th, opportunity to harvest king salmon will open in the majority of waters in the Petersburg/Wrangell management area except the waters adjacent to the Stikine River (district 8 and a small portion of Eastern Passage).

City Creek:

June 15^th-July 15^th

• Bag and possession limit (residents and nonresidents) of one king salmon, any size.
• The nonresident annual limit continues to apply in this area.

City Creek will open on June 15^th which allows for a bag and possession limit of one king salmon of any size. Anglers are reminded that the waters surrounding the City Creek terminal area remain closed to the retention of king salmon until July 15^th.

The new opportunities beginning June 15^th should help spread the fishing effort, which has been concentrated in the Wrangell Narrows/Blind Slough area for the past couple weeks. Advisory Announcements for the Petersburg/Wrangell Area are posted at harbors in Petersburg and Wrangell and are also available on our website. Remember that a king salmon stamp is required whenever fishing for king salmon (including catch and release).

Halibut

Halibut anglers have been being sampled by ADF&G sport fish creel technicians on the dock and good catches have been reported. Typically, halibut catch rates increase as we progress into the summer and peak in the early fall.

And specific to Charter operators in Southeast Alaska and new this year:

• Monday closures. Charter vessel anglers in Area 2C may not catch and retain halibut (except GAF) on all Mondays beginning July 24, 2023, and continuing through December 31, 2023.

Lingcod

Sport fishing for lingcod opened on May 16. Nonresident bag and possession limits have changed since last year. For Northern Southeast Nonresidents – 1 daily, 1 in possession, size limit: 30 to 35 inches in length, or 55 inches or greater in length. Annual limit of 2 fish, one of which is 30 to 35 inches in length, one of which is 55 inches or greater in length. For Southern Southeast Area Nonresidents – 1 daily, 1 in possession, size limit: 30 to 40 inches in length, or 55 inches or greater in length. Annual limit of 2 fish, one of which is 30 to 40 inches in length, one of which is 55 inches or greater in length. Alaskan Resident bag and possession remain – 1 daily, 2 in possession, no size limit.

Rockfish

There have been some changes to rockfish regulations since the last fishing season. Pelagic rockfish regulations remain the same with a daily bag limit of 5 and possession limit of 10 in the Petersburg, Wrangell, and Kake area. Slope and demersal shelf rockfish species both have a daily bag limit of one fish and possession limit of 2 for Alaska residents, but demersal shelf rockfish are closed to retention for nonresidents anglers and yelloweye are closed to retention for all anglers. A helpful species identification guide has been published on the ADFG website. Please see current emergency orders for a full description of these management actions.

Anglers are reminded that a rockfish release device is now required to be used whenever releasing rockfish and a rockfish release device must be onboard your vessel whenever sport fishing in marine waters.