Area Sport Fishing Reports
Haines/Skagway

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 17, 2022

Check out ADF&G's new gofishak interactive map to discover popular fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat and angler access tips!

Fresh Water Fishing

Sockeye Salmon

The Chilkoot River weir was installed last week, and the first few sockeye salmon have passed upstream. 2022 sockeye salmon counts compared to the recent 10-year average will be posted throughout the season.

Watch ADF&G Ryan Ragan's YouTube video to learn about sockeye salmon fishing gear and techniques. Highlights are at the video times listed below.

39:47 Rod & reel choice
47:00 Fly and shrimp fly options
59:00 Rigging with weights
1:04:20 Fishing methods

Char and Trout

The Chilkoot River, with the upstream lake acting as a settling pond, is still fairly clear. Emigrating salmon fry is the major food source for Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout.

Chilkat Lake and Mosquito Lake

Both with clear waters have special regulations to protect cutthroat trout:

  • Bait is not allowed.
  • Cutthroat and rainbow trout: 2 fish bag and possession limit, with a slot limit of 14-inch minimum to the 22-inch maximum length required to keep a fish.

In the remainder of the Haines and Skagway area fresh and salt waters, bait is allowed, and the regional length limit for cutthroat and rainbow trout is 11 minimum to the 22-inch maximum.

Chilkoot Lake and Chilkoot River

Have a special Dolly Varden bag limit:

  • Dolly Varden: 4 fish bags and possession limit, no size limit.

In the remainder of the Haines-Skagway area salt and fresh waters and most of Southeast Alaska, the Dolly Varden bag and possession limit is 10 fish

Salt Water Fishing

Shellfish

Pot fishing for shrimp and Dungeness crab is open year-round in the Haines and Skagway area saltwater.

  • Non-Alaska residents with a sport fishing license can catch shellfish with these bag & possession limits:
    • Dungeness crab - 3 legal size males.
    • Shrimp - 3 quarts or pounds.
  • Alaska residents catch shellfish under subsistence or personal use regulations with more liberal bag & possession limits.

See the shellfish summary pages in the Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation booklet for details.

All shrimp harvesters must print a no-cost permit from the ADF&G online store and record their daily pot fishing effort and harvest on the paper permit. The harvest information must be reported online, or the paper permit must be returned to ADF&G by December 31 each year.

Char and Trout

Many Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout spend the summer feeding in salt waters near large river mouths, such as the Chilkat, Chilkoot, and Taiya Rivers. They can be caught by casting from shore.

King salmon

To conserve Chilkat River king salmon, retention of king salmon is not allowed now through December 31, 2022, in the Haines and Skagway area.

Sport Fishing Licenses

Alaska residents under 18 years old do not need a sport fishing license. Non-Alaska residents under 16 years old do not need a sport fishing license.

Residents of Yukon Territory in Canada may purchase an annual Alaska sport fishing license for the same price that Alaska residents pay. Yukoners are not Alaska residents, so Yukoners must comply with the nonresident regulations such as the number of shellfish pots, shellfish bag limits, and king salmon bag and annual limits. The Yukoner license is available under the nonresident alien category through the ADF&G online store or from license vendors in Haines and Skagway.

For more information about sport fishing in Haines and Skagway, call Area Biologist Richard Chapell at 907-766-3638.

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