Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

September 16, 2026

General Area Description: All waters between Cape Fairfield and Cape Suckling, including salt waters within 200 miles of shore.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

Coho salmon are running well in the Cordova area. Fishing has been good regardless of the low water up to date. With the low water, mornings and evenings have been better. Rain is forecasted for the next few days, which will bring the water up and some fresh fish in. Ibeck and Alangnik water levels will come up and get dirty, yet these systems will remain fishable, but fishing at small tributaries, such as 18-mile, will improve greatly with some much needed rain.

Cutthroat Trout/Dolly Varden

Cutthroat trout fishing has been excellent in lakes in the Cordova area and many of the other lakes in Prince William Sound. Eshamy Lake is a reliable location to catch cutthroat trout. Exploring lakes for cutthroat trout in Prince William Sound can also be very fun and productive. Dolly Varden has been hot, and these fish are entering many creeks throughout Prince William Sound and the Cordova area. Try fishing flesh flies, small streamers, or beads.

Local lakes

Blueberry and Thompson Lakes are fishing very well. Fall fishing can be great on both lakes until the snow falls. Anglers can target Arctic grayling and rainbow trout from both a boat and shore and can expect good catches, but targeting lake trout will require a boat or canoe and anglers should expect to put in time to catch these small lakers in Blueberry.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

Halibut continues to be hit and miss for anglers in Prince William Sound. Patience and a chum bag are often the keys to success. Anglers can find more consistent catch rates near the entrances into Prince William Sound and out in the Gulf of Alaska, when weather allows. Many of the larger halibut are beginning to migrate offshore, so expect mostly smaller halibut (10-25 pounds).

Lingcod

Lingcod season opened on July 1 in Prince Williams Sound. Lingcod catch rates have been reported as decent, but mostly for those traveling outside the ocean entrances. Target rocky pinnacles and outcroppings with large twister tail jig tipped with herring.

Rockfish

Anglers are finding schools of pelagic rockfish throughout the inside waters of Prince William Sound. These schools are likely at their peak distribution for the season. Fishing can be better and more consistent outside of Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska, such as near Elrington, Montague, and Hinchinbrook Islands.

Other finfish

Fishing for Pacific (gray) cod has slowed down. Catch rates throughout Prince William Sound and outside waters have overall been good this season and anglers are coming home with some extra meat by picking up a few cod.

Salmon

• The best catches of king salmon tend to be in the Northeast portion of Prince William Sound, particularly near Glacier Island, and a few kings are being caught near Pigot Point.
• Coho salmon are well into Port Valdez. Coho fishing at Allison Point has improved over the last week as some of the pinks are starting to die off. Coho salmon fishing from shore has been good and anglers are catching by snagging or casting large orange spinners. A few coho salmon are also being caught in the Valdez harbor.
• There are some coho salmon around the northwest portion of Prince William Sound near Whittier. Passage Canal has been slow still, but there are reports of a few coho near the Culross Island and Lake Bay (Esther Island).
• Schools of coho have been moving in and out of Fleming Spit in Cordova. Anglers can find a mix of lock-jawed and fresh fish each tide. Try casting bunny leeches or Dolly Llamas or medium-sized spinners.

Shrimp

Shrimp fishing closed on Monday, June 8th. The reporting deadline Prince William Sound Shrimpers was Monday, June 22nd. Harvest reporting closed on July 9th. The Prince William Sound noncommercial shrimp fishery will not reopen in 2026.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip:

• No emergency orders are in effect at this time.

Don't forget to purchase your 2026 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today. You can also purchase licenses through the ADF&G online store and print them off from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2026 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Office at 907-267-2218.