Area Sport Fishing Reports
Sitka

Archived Sport Fishing Report

March 25, 2021

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by following and reviewing the current State of Alaska Health Mandates in effect. This includes practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing and wearing a face covering when fishing and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store as indicated in Health Alert 010.

For more information on travel restrictions please visit the State of Alaska Traveler Information page.

An excellent resource for planning a trip to Sitka is the gofishak interactive map which provides information on fishing locations, species run timing, fishing gear and angler access.

King Salmon

Current regulations are:

Alaska resident:

  • Daily bag and possession limit of 3 king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. No annual limit.
  • From October 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021, a resident angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this regulation may only retain salmon.

Nonresident:

  • Daily bag and possession limit of 1 king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
  • The nonresident annual limit is 4 king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

Try trolling with whole herring or brightly colored hoochies. Using a high-visibility or UV flasher will help make the most of the low winter lighting. You can also try mooching with cut plug herring and a mooching sinker and leader. Catch rates are much lower in the winter and early spring, but there’s nothing better than a winter king!

Steelhead

As we progress further into spring, Steelhead will begin to return to their natal streams. Sometimes called “the fish of a thousand casts”, these tricky fish are notoriously hard to catch, so don’t get discouraged. Steelhead fishing is a great chance to break out your fishing gear and test it out before the summer season. Peak counts are generally towards the end of April and into early May. To retain steelhead, they must be 36 inches or longer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fish for the fun of it. You may catch 1 per day and have 2 in possession. There is an annual limit of two fish, so if you’re lucky enough to harvest a steelhead, be sure to record your harvest as required on your fishing license or harvest card.

Lingcod

The season for lingcod runs from May 16 through November 30th annually. Retention is prohibited throughout the remainder of the year in order to protect spawning/nest guarding lingcod. Be sure to check for news releases that establish bag and size limits as well as annual limits for the area you plan to fish.

Rockfish

In 2021 Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR) fishing remains closed. DSR are a subset of nonpelagic rockfish including: Yelloweye, Quillback, China, Tiger, Rosethorn, Copper, and Canary. Anglers are allowed one slope rockfish daily, 1 in possession. The most common slope rockfish include: Redbanded, Rougheye, Silvergray, Shortraker, and Vermilion. Pelagic rockfish is open year-round. Anglers are allowed 5 daily, 10 in possession, with the exception of CSEO (Sitka Area), where nonresidents are allowed 3 daily, 6 in possession. See the Sitka Area Special Exceptions for a map of CSEO.

The department has developed a guide to assist anglers in identifying rockfish species.

As of 2020, anglers are required to use a rockfish release device to return rockfish that are not harvested to the depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower. Please see the “Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary” or visit your local ADF&G office to see examples of rockfish release devices and learn about their use.

Shellfish

Be sure to check your local fishing regulations to be aware of harvest limits and size requirements for shellfish. Also be aware that certain types of shellfish in Southeast Alaska have been known to cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) which can be fatal.

Now is a great time to use the break in fishing to set pots or rings for crab. For Dungeness crab, try placing pots in bays and around the mouths of river where crabs congregate to feed. If fishing with friends, be sure to keep each angler’s catch separate to avoid pooling bag limits. Double check that your gear meets legal requirements where escape mechanisms, ring sizes, and buoy requirements are concerned. See the shellfish section of the Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing regulation Summary or check out this video: Southeast Pot Regulations

Anglers shrimp fishing are required to obtain a free permit for sport, personal use and subsistence shrimp harvest for each calendar year. 2021 Southeast Shrimp Permits are available online at the ADF&G store or at your local ADF&G office. The shrimp harvest, location, and number of pots pulled must be recorded each day, and the permit must be returned to ADF&G or reported online at the end of the year. Please be aware of the closure boundary in Hoonah Sound.

Dolly Varden and Rainbow/Cutthroat Trout

Dollys and rainbow/cutthroat trout can be targeted year-round in freshwaters. Be sure to check the thickness of the ice if you plan on going ice fishing and stay away from areas near moving water.

To satisfy your winter fishing urges, there are several lakes on the Sitka Road System that contain rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout, as well as grayling and Dolly Varden see the interactive map for more details.

For further information, please feel free to contact the Sitka area sportfish management staff at (907) 747-5355.

Archives

Sitka Area Archives for:
Sep 21, 2021 Aug 26, 2021 Jul 28, 2021 Jul 08, 2021 Jun 11, 2021 Jun 04, 2021 May 06, 2021 Apr 02, 2021
Mar 25, 2021 Feb 23, 2021

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