Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

September 17, 2019

Fall Fishing Report

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• Coho salmon are in the Eyak River, Ibeck Creek, and Alaganik Slough. Water levels have come up and more rain is anticipated in the coming week. Anglers were having good luck over the recent weekend catching fresh, chrome cohos headed upstream with the recent rain.
  • Bait restrictions go into effect for the sport fishery on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at 12:01am. Please see the corresponding Emergency Order below.
  • The use of bait is NOT allowed in Copper River Highway streams for the remainder of the year.
  • Eyak River Special Regulations/fly-fishing only waters are in effect through September 30 around the Eyak Lake dam/weir and highway bridge. Only single-hook, artificial flies with a gap of 3/8 inch or less between a point and shank are allowed AND no additional weight may be attached to the line.
• Alaganik Slough in Cordova is fished best on the incoming tide.
• Eyak River has been fishing best downstream but a more fish have moved up towards the highway bridge. Taking the Eyak River trail down river is a good option if you don’t have access to a boat.
• Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles about the Copper River Highway.
• Remember, a coho salmon that is removed from the water must be retained and becomes part of the daily bag limit for the person who originally hooked the fish. A person may not remove a coho salmon from the water before releasing it.
• Power Creek and Eyak Lake in Cordova are CLOSED to salmon fishing year-round.

Trout/Dolly Varden/Arctic Char

• Unstocked lakes are open to the retention of trout from June 15 - April 14.
• Thompson and Blueberry lakes are a great option to catch stocked rainbow trout!
• Don’t forget about Ruth Pond for catching rainbow trout right in Valdez!
• Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing is currently open, but it closes annually from April 15 - June 14
  • Fishing for Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout has been good in Alaganik Slough and its tributaries. Egg patterns are a good option or small spinners.
  • Pipeline lakes in Cordova are a great group of close lakes to catch cutthroat trout. Give Pipeline lakes 4 and 5 a try with some dry flies

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut/Lingcod/Rockfish

• Halibut are federally managed by NOAA. Make sure you know the regulations. Fishing bigger bait in outside waters will increase your options of catching larger fish.
• Lingcod fishing opened on July 1 and closes on December 31. Fishing for lingcod has been good this year.
  • Bag limits for lingcod are only one per day and in possession. Remember, the minimum size to retain a lingcod is 35 inches with the head attached (or 28 inches with the head removed). Don’t use a gaff to puncture any fish you think you might release.
• Rockfish limits year-round are four fish per day and eight in possession of which only ONE can be a nonpelagic rockfish.
  • Effective January 2020, the use of a deepwater release mechanism will be required to be onboard all vessels fishing statewide and they must be used to release rockfish at depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower.
  • Check out the ADF&G Rockfish Conservation webpage.
  • Having trouble identifying the species of rockfish you caught? Check out our rockfish ID sheet for the more commonly captured rockfish. You can also check out NOAA’s in-depth rockfish identification page.

Salmon

• Coho salmon continue to be caught in Passage Canal. Fish have moved in towards the head of the bay. Fishing in Whittier should continue to be good over the next couple weeks while these fish continue to move in closer to town.
  • Remember, no snagging is allowed in the Whittier Hharbor.
• Coho salmon are still being caught around Valdez right in town. Both Allison Point and the boat harbor continue to be productive for shore anglers. Anglers fishing by boat are still seeing fish out as far as Jacks Bay.
• Cordova Terminal Harvest Area is closed annually to snagging June 1 - September 30.
• Many more pinks have begun to undergo their spawning transformation but are still around Valdez.
  • Starting August 2, 2019, the bag and possession limit on pinks in the Valdez area was increased to 12 per day and 24 in possession. This will not change the bag and possession on coho salmon. For more information see the corresponding Emergency Order below.

Shrimp

• Shrimp season closed on September 15. Harvest must be reported for each individual time you pulled your pots. The full report must be received by October 15.
• You can report your harvest online!
• If your pots were lost or stolen, you should have contacted Alaska Wildlife Troopers and filed a report. Contact information can be found on your shrimp permit.
  • AWT Valdez: (907) 835-4307
  • AWT Whittier: (907) 352-5401
  • AWT Cordova: (907) 424-3184

Emergency Orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and News Releases below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

• Emergency Order 2-SS-6-53-19 restricts the use of bait in Copper River Delta Highway streams effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, September 18 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, December 31, 2019.
• Emergency Order 2-PS-6-43-19 increases the pink salmon bag and possession limit in the saltwaters of Port Valdez north of a line from Potato Point to Entrance Point (Valdez Narrows) to 12 per day, 24 in possession effective through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, December 31, 2019. Fresh water salmon closures remain in effect for Port Valdez.

This is the last fishing report for the 2019 fishing season. This fishing report will be updated when additional information is available. For current seasonal information, please contact the ADF&G Anchorage Sport Fish Information Center at (907) 267-2218.