Area Sport Fishing Reports
Sitka

Archived Sport Fishing Report

April 24, 2017

King Salmon

King salmon fishing in Sitka area waters is just begining to pick up.

The 2017 King salmon regulations are effective until May 1st, 2017 and are as follows:

• Alaskan Resident
  • The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
  • There is no annual limit for Alaska resident anglers.
• Nonresident
  • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length
  • The nonresident annual limit is three king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
  • Nonresident anglers shall immediately record, in ink, all king salmon harvested either on the back of their sportfishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

Steelhead

The spring steelhead season has begun and fish are begining to be seen in local rivers.

Generally associated with stream systems with lakes, the Sitka area has several locations with steelhead. Steelhead in the Sitka area generally enter freshwater streams to spawn during May. See the Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulatory summary for addition information on fishing for steelhead in freshwaters.
 

Dolly Varden and Trout

There are several great locations for trout and Dolly Varden fishing in the Sitka Area. Dolly Varden and trout can be targeted year round but are most active in the spring months.

When fishing for trout be sure to check the "2017 Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary" to understand regulations for the waterbody you intend to fish. Regulations regarding size limits, bag limits and the use of bait can vary by waterbody.
 

Halibut

• Season: February 1- December 31
• Unguided anglers may catch and retain two halibut per day- no size limit, 4 in possession
• Charter vessel anglers may catch and retain one halibut per day, which must be less than or equal to 44 inches or greater than or equal to 80 inches in total length. Unguided anglers may retain two halibut of any size.
• Charter operators and crew members may not retain halibut while clients are on board the vessel.
• The Sitka sound special use area is closed to the retention of halibut by chartered anglers between June 1 and August 31

Lingcod

Size limits vary between Yakutat, Northern Southeast and Southern Southeast areas. For a description of these boundaries, please follow the link to emergency orders located at the bottom of this page.

• Northern Southeast area (including the Sitka area):
  • Season: May 16 –November 30
• Limits:
  • Resident – one daily two in possession, no size limit.
  • Nonresident – one daily, one in possession, size limit: 30 inches or greater in length and less than 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, nonresident anglers shall immediately record, in ink, all lingcod harvested either on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.
• Charter operators and crew members may not retain lingcod while clients are on board the vessel.

Rockfish

• Season: year round
• All non-pelagic rockfish caught must be retained until the daily bag limit is reached.
• Daily bag and possession limits vary between southeast outside waters and southeast inside waters. For a description of these boundaries, please follow the link to emergency orders located at the bottom of this page. Persons sport fishing from a charter vessel when releasing non-pelagic rockfish, (e.g. after an angler reaches their bag limit), must be in possession of, and utilize a deep water release mechanism to return the fish to the depth it was hooked or to a depth of at least 100 feet. Charter operators and crew members may not retain non-pelagic rockfish while clients are on board the vessel.

 

All Southeast Waters:

• Pelagic Rockfish- In the Sitka Area- three per day; six in possession
• Resident – One non-pelagic rockfish daily; possession limit of one fish.
• Nonresident –  One non-pelagic rockfish daily; possession limit of one fish; with an annual limit of one yelloweye rockfish.
• Nonresident anglers must immediately record all yelloweye rockfish harvested, in ink, either on the back of their sport fishing license, or on a nontransferable harvest record.

 

Regulation summaries and copies of the most recent regulatory changes are available at the Sitka ADF&G office and online at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/EONR/index.cfm?ADFG=region.R1

For further information, please feel free to contact the Sitka area management biologist: Troy Tydingco (907) 747-5379