Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 02, 2016

Prince William Sound and the
Copper River Delta Area

Week of June 1 to June 7
Issued June 1, 2016

General Area Description: includes all waters between Cape Fairfield and Cape Suckling.

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

• Permits are mandatory for all noncommercial shrimp fisherman. Permits are available online or available at local Fish and Game offices and at select vendors.
• Cordova Terminal Harvest Area is closed to snagging salmon from June 1 – September 30.
• On the Eyak River starting June 1, only single-hook, artificial flies with a hook gap of 3/8 inch or less between point and shank are allowed from a point 200 yards upstream of Eyak Lake dam and to a point 200 yards downstream from the bridge at the outlet of Eyak Lake. No additional weight may be attached to the line when fishing in this area.
• Cutthroat and Rainbow/Steelhead trout fishing is closed until June 15.
• Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles above the Copper River Highway.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Sockeye continue to make their way up the Eyak River and fishing will continue to improve over the next couple of weeks.
• Fishing further downstream will likely productive.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing is closed until June 15 to protect spawning adults.
• 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 angling was good over the holiday weekend. Reports from anglers indicated that extra effort was needed but fish were being caught. The ocean entrances continued to be very productive places to catch nice halibut.
• Lingcod is closed until July 1st.
• Rockfish angling is quite productive with small jigs near rocky reefs.
• AND REMEMBER if you are targeting multiple species, target rockfish last, and use a deepwater release mechanism on all released rockfish (these devices can turn the chance of survival for a rockfish from near zero to near 100%!)
• What’s deepwater release?
• http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.rockfishconservation 

Salmon

• Trolling for winter kings should be productive near Cordova and near salmon producing streams. Trolling (e.g. herring behind a flasher) near shallow rocky reefs and headlands is a good bet this time of year.
• Hatchery king salmon should be arriving to Flemming Spit soon. Fishermen usually have success trolling (e.g. -herring behind a flasher) or casting hardware (e.g. –vibrex) from shore. Remember: the Cordova Terminal Harvest Area is closed to snagging salmon from June 1 – September 30.
• 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 here: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.quiz 

Shellfish

• Shrimping continues to be productive near Whittier and Valdez, but it’s generally improves the farther you get away from ports. Depths in the 300 – 450 foot range were most productive. Start moving those pots out a little deeper as the summer moves on.
• Don’t forget your shrimp permit. Permit needs to be in possession as you are shrimping. Also, remember that each vessel can only fish 4 pots.