Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 21, 2015

Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta Area

Week of July 21 to July 28

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.
• In Main Bay, 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 have been posted accordingly. The signs posted on either bank show the 60 foot line. Marker buoys may or may not be set 60 feet from the barrier seine.
• Lingcod season is now OPEN until December 31.
• The Emergency order allowing snagging in Flemming Spit in Cordova has expired.. snagging is no longer permitted in the fresh water lagoon. Snagging is permitted in saltwater.
• No snagging in the Whittier Small Boat Harbor
• Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles above the
• Copper River Highway.
• Eyak and Robe Lakes are closed to all salmon fishing.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Late run Sockeye like Eshamy/Gunboat/Shotgun and other creeks are showing up at the mouths in better numbers… should keep picking up… remember, no snagging in freshwater.
• Coghill is having a weak sockeye year…. You may want to plan on fishing somewhere else if reds are your goal.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing opened Monday June 15. Small spinners, smolt patterns, and flies matching a hatch are your best bet.
• If you’re waiting for salmon to show up at the heads of bays in the sound, try matching a hatch or throwing small spinners/smolt patterns at the mouths of creeks where dollies and cutthroat are also waiting for salmon to follow up.
• Anglers reminded to check the Prince William Sound regulations on the legal size limit for retained trout.
• 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. Latouche and southern and northern ends of Montague are good bets too. 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 fishing has been slow. Targeting rocky pinnacles with jigs and anything else that can get their attention is your best bet.

Salmon

• The Emergency order allowing snagging in Flemming Spit in Cordova has expired.. snagging is no longer permitted in the fresh water lagoon. Snagging is permitted in saltwater.
• Kings are still being caught trolling (although its slowing down a bit)
• Silvers are showing up early and strong this year, being caught in good numbers mooching and trolling throughout the sound.
• King salmon fishing has been somewhat productive in and around the port of Whittier. Remember, NO SNAGGING in the Whittier small boat harbor.
• Sockeye fishing out in Main Bay and the rest of the sound has and should continue to be good, with the exception of Coghill….
• 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 have been posted accordingly, and the barrier seine has just been set. A marker buoy line has been set at 60 feet from the barrier seine. While it is at the correct distance on the sides of the bay, wind and currents can move it closer than 60 feet from the barrier seine, so just because you are on the seaward side of the buoy line, does not mean you are fishing legally…. Stay vigilant of where you are. 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  
• Pink salmon have showed up in Valdez with folks limiting out from the shore in less than half an hour. Pixies, spinners, and vibrax, or an egg rig should do the trick.
• Fishing Tip: It has been a long winter. Brush up on your fish identification before you head out fishing. Test your knowledge with the new Pacific Salmon ID quiz.

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.