Area Sport Fishing Reports
Haines/Skagway

Archived Sport Fishing Report

April 07, 2014

Spring 2014 fishing opportunities

Char and Trout

Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout is picking up in the Chilkat and Chilkoot Rivers as fish leave the deep lakes where they spent the winter.

Bait is prohibited when fishing in Chilkat Lake or Mosquito Lake and their inlet and outlet streams. Use the Sport Fishing Regulations link on the left for details and a map.

King salmon

2014 Southeast Alaska salt water king salmon regulations

  • For Alaska residents, the bag and possession limit is 3 king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
  • For non-Alaska residents, the bag and possession limit is 1 king salmon 28 inches or greater in length, except dugin May and June whenr the bag and possession limit is 2 king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
  • The nonresident annual limit is 6 king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.

Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon, nonresidents must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or harvest record.

Summary of 2013 salmon run

King salmon

The mark-recapture estimate of Chilkat River abundance was 1,833 large king salmon, which was below the goal of 1,850 to 3,600 large fish. Spawning ground surveys showed the escapment was well distributed among the spawning tributaries. Younger age classes were strong, indicating that marine survival rates may be improving.

Coho salmo

Stream surveys showed the Chilkat River coho salmon escapement was about 51,000 fish, which is the middle of the escapement goal range (30,000 to 70,000 fish). Sport fishing was good on the Chilkat River on most October weekends.

Sockeye salmon

The Chilkat Lake sockeye salmon count (111,000 fish) was above average and in the middle of the escapement goal range (70,000 to 150,000 fish).

The Chilkoot River weir sockeye salmon count (46,000 fish), was run was below average and near the low end of the escapement goal range (38,000 to 86,000 fish).

Pink salmon

The number of salmon caught in the Chilkat River fish wheels (10,600 fish) was about twice the average.

The Chilkoot River pink salmon run was weak, only 25% of average.

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