Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound
Archived Sport Fishing Report
June 17, 2015
Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta Area
Week of June 15 to June 22
Issued June 16, 2015
Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders
- Shrimp permits are mandatory for all noncommercial fishermen. Permits are available at local Fish and Game offices and at select vendors.
- Lingcod season is closed until July 1 to protect nest-guarding males.
- Cutthroat and Rainbow/Steelhead trout fishing is open as of Monday, June 15th.
- Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles above the Copper River Highway.
Fresh waters
Salmon
- Sockeye are running strong in Eyak River. Dropping water levels are making flossing fishing techniques. Eyak Lake is closet to all salmon fishing.
- In general, sockeye salmon fishing is picking up.
- Trolling just outside of river mouths, in salt water is picking up, so they should be entering freshwater in greater numbers soon. Hopefully in the next week or two.
Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling
- Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing opened Monday June 15. Go get ‘em!
- Dolly Varden are present in many of the streams throughout Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta. Use fry/smolt imitation flies or small spinners at lake outlets or stream confluences.
Salt waters
Halibut, Lingcod, and Rockfish
- Halibut fishing in the sound is picking up with the nicer weather allowing folks to get further out. The ocean entrances are always great places to catch halibut. West side of Montague and Southern end of Latouche Island have been fairly productive. Fishing just off the bottom can decrease the bycatch of rockfish and does not hurt your chances of catching halibut. Give it a try if your arms are getting tired of reeling up and deep water releasing rockfish.
- --What’s deepwater release? (these devices can turn the chance of survival for a rockfish from near zero to near 100%!) http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.rockfishconservation
- AND REMEMBER if you are targeting multiple species, target rockfish last
- Rockfish targeted angling is quite productive with small jigs near rocky reefs.
- Lingcod season is closed until July 1 to protect nest-guarding males.
Salmon
- Chums are showing up at Esther Hatchery. They’re small this year, but ok numbers.
- Hatchery kings are showing up at Fleming Spit in good numbers. Spoons and spinners are your best bet on the ocean side and something with some scent might work better in the lagoon for those fish off the bite. Trolling outside and trying to find them might be a good bet if you have the equipment.
- Hatchery King Salmon smolt have arrived in Codova to be imprinted on Flemming Spit waters for a couple of weeks in the hopes that returns from that release continue to increase and provide excellent King Salmon sport fishing opportunities in the future. Come check them out! They are in great shape.
- Sockeye fishing out in Main Bay and the rest of the sound is just getting started and should get better and better.
- If you are headed out to Main Bay, please see the new regulations in place on page 83 of the Southcentral Regulations book. Sport fishing from a vessel that is within 60 feet of the Prince William Sound Aquaculture hatchery barrier seine, or from a vessel inside of the barrier seine is prohibited. Signs will be posted accordingly this week, as the barrier seine has just been set. Fishing is usually a little better and easier in Main Bay when there aren’t commercial openers happening… check here to get updates on when those are happening http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=cfnews.main
Shellfish
- Shrimping continues to be productive near Whittier and Valdez, but it’s generally better and better the farther you get away from ports. Start moving those pots out a little deeper as the summer moves on. Once you figure out the depth they are at, start setting parallel sets at that depth and your pots will look a lot better coming up.
- Don’t forget your shrimp permit – everyone needs one.