June 16, 2017

Week of June 14 to June 20

General Area Description: Salt waters within 200 miles of shore from the longitude of Gore Point to the longitude of Cape Fairfield. All fresh waters between Gore Point and Cape Fairfield.

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

• The Resurrection River (fresh water area), downstream of the Seward Highway and Nash Road opens to salmon (except king salmon) fishing on Friday, June 16. Only unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures are allowed; snagging is not permitted in this freshwater portion of Resurrection River.
• Personal use dipnetting for hooligan is closed.
• The personal use season for shrimp fishing with pot gear in North Gulf Coast area waters opened on April 15. North Gulf Coast shrimp permit is required to participate in this fishery.
• Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1.

Saltwaters

Halibut

• Halibut are federally managed by NOAA. Make sure you know the regulations! Unguided and guided anglers have different rules to follow.
• Halibut fishing in the North Gulf Coast has been good with bigger fish being caught. Fish in the 150 lbs range have been weighed in at the Seward Halibut Tournament. This weekend’s weather forecast looks like it might be a good one to get out further for some of those bigger fish! Only a couple weeks left of the tournament!
  • Do not forget to get your derby ticket if you want to participate AND read all the rules.

Salmon

• King Salmon are still being caught in the bay including from the shore. Try trolling with a medium sized herring and oversized flasher from boats. Large vibraxes or herring under a bobber have been productive for those fishing from the beaches in Seward.
• Sockeye salmon continue to be caught at the mouth of the Resurrection River in the salt water section. Fishermen are reporting catching fish in larger numbers especially if they put in extra time around the tide. Fish have made it up to the Bear Creek weir.
• Remember, the Resurrection River downstream of Seward Highway and Nash Road to the ADF&G markers opens to salmon fishing on Friday, June 16.

Other Salt Water Fishing

• Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1 to protect nest guarding males.
• Hooligan fishing is closed in saltwater.
• Rockfish are easy to catch and have a fairly conservative bag limit, so target your rockfish last.
  • The rockfish daily bag limit is four per day, of which only one may be a non-pelagic (demersal) rockfish.
  • Use deepwater release methods to release incidentally caught rockfish.

Never heard of deepwater release for rockfish??? For details, see the Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage.

Fishing Tip: Brush up on your rockfish identification before you head out fishing by reviewing page 90 of the 2017 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet.

Shellfish

• There have been no reports from the personal-use shrimp pot fishery. This fishery is now open in the entire North Gulf Coast area from Cape Fairfield to Gore Point. To participate in the fishery you must be an Alaska resident with a current sport fishing license or ADF&G Permanent ID card, and a North Gulf Coast shrimp pot fishery permit. Permits can be obtained at the Anchorage, Homer, or Soldotna ADF&G offices.
• Review page 83 of the 2017 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for regulations on this fishery, and page 82 for shrimp pot requirements.

Freshwaters

Salmon

• A Youth-only king salmon fishery takes place this weekend, June 16 to June18, at the Seward Lagoon and Outfall stream. Youth anglers 15 and younger are allowed to fish in this area. The harvest limit is two per day, two in possession. Youth anglers may use a single-hook artificial lures and/or bait. Adults may assist but the may NOT fish this area. No snagging allowed.
• The Resurrection River, downstream of the Seward Highway and Nash Road opens to salmon (except king salmon) fishing on Friday, June 16. This is considered the “fresh water section”. Harvest limits are three per day, three in possession, of which only two may be coho salmon. It’s too early for coho salmon right now but sockeye salmon have been making it up to the Bear Creek weir.
• Snagging is NOT allowed in the fresh water portion of Resurrection River.

Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling

• Fish for Dolly Varden around creek mouths, especially creeks where pink and chum salmon usually spawn.
• Try casting small spinners and spoons off the beach for some sea run Dolly Varden action.
• Fry and smolt patterns have been known to produce catches of Dolly Varden in Seward area streams. They work especially well right now with the outmigration of salmon!

Northern Pike

• Northern pike are not native to Southcentral Alaska. Please report the capture of any pike in unconfirmed waters to ADF&G. Do not release any pike you have caught.

Lake Fishing

• Anglers can visit ADF&G's Hatcheries and Stocking webpage for more information regarding when and where fish are stocked.