Area Sport Fishing Reports
Juneau
Archived Sport Fishing Report
June 09, 2014
Spring king salmon
Although fewer king salmon were harvested in the Juneau area this week compared to last, anglers continued to bring king salmon back to Juneau area docks. Fish were reported by marine boat anglers from a variety of areas: St James Bay, north Shelter, Auke Bay, the Breadline, Pt Retreat, mouth of Fish Creek, Outer Point, Pt Bishop/Salisbury, Gastineau Channel and Doty Cove. A few fish were also reported from Cordwood, Funter Bay, Couverden, and Pleasant Island. With hatchery fish beginning to return to local Juneau waters, harvest should continue to increase in the immediate Juneau area.
Anglers are reminded that the Terminal Harvest Area regulations are now in effect for the immediate Juneau area. For anglers fishing in the Auke Bay/Fritz Cove and upper Gastineau Channel areas the following regulations apply through Sunday, August 31st:
• The daily bag and possession limit is four king salmon of any size;
• King salmon harvested by nonresidents in the designated terminal harvest area and time period do not count toward the annual limit.
King salmon sport fishing regulations for freshwaters crossed by the Juneau road system were also liberalized to allow harvest of hatchery king salmon entering local streams near hatchery release sites. The harvest limits are as follows and apply through August 31st:
• The daily bag and possession limit is four king salmon of any size;
• King salmon harvested by nonresidents in the designated terminal harvest area and time period do not count toward their annual limit.
Additional regulations for Fish Creek Pond on Douglas Island are as follows:
• Use of bait is allowed;
• Use of weighted hooks and lures, and multiple (treble) hooks with a gap greater than ½ inch between the point and shank is allowed;
• Anglers may retain king salmon that are hooked elsewhere than in the mouth (snagged)
These regulations do not apply in the freshwaters of Fish Creek proper (excluding Fish Creek Pond) and in intertidal waters within a 200 yard radius of the creek mouth. Attempting to snag or retain fish hooked elsewhere than in the mouth is prohibited.
Halibut, Blackcod, and Rockfish
Marine anglers fishing Vanderbilt Reef, St. James Bay, Hump Island, Funter Bay, Pt. Couverden, Hanus Reef and The Sisters reported halibut, blackcod, and rockfish catches this week. Anglers are reminded that all non-pelagic rockfish caught must be retained until their bag limit is reached. Also, anglers are advised that the daily bag and possession limit for all anglers is 4 blackcod of any size, there is an annual limit of 8 blackcod for nonresidents fishing in the Lower Lynn Canal/Chatham Strait area, and harvest recording is required for non-residents in this area. Harvest records are printed on the back of each sportfishing license and must be filled out immediately upon harvest. Please consult the 2014 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary Book to identify pelagic and non-pelagic rockfish and for daily bag and possession limits.
Cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden char
Reports indicate that the Dolly Varden char and cutthroat trout fishing has been good and anglers are having luck catching fish in the saltwater areas at the mouths of local streams. Local anglers targeting Dolly Varden and trout should try their luck along the shoreline of Gastineau Channel, at the mouth of Salmon, Sheep, Montana, Peterson and Cowee creeks.
Anglers are reminded that the following bag and possession limits apply in freshwater drainages crossed by the Juneau road system as well as saltwater areas within ¼ mile of shore:
• Dolly Varden: 2 daily, 2 in possession, no size limit.
• Cutthroat and rainbow trout: 2 daily, 2 in possession, 14 inch minimum and 22 in maximum size limit.
Current emergency orders and news releases for Southeast Alaska can be found here: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/EONR/index.cfm?ADFG=region.R1