Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound
Archived Sport Fishing Report
April 13, 2017
General Area Description: includes all waters between Cape Fairfield and Cape Suckling.
Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders
- PWS non-commercial shrimp fishery opens on April 15th. Permits are mandatory for all non-commercial shrimp fisherman. Permits are available online or 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 opens on June 15th.
- Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles above the Copper River Highway.
Fresh waters
Salmon
Chinook salmon returning to the lagoon at Fleming Spit don’t usually show up until late May.
Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling
Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing is closed April 15th - June 14th in the Cordova area.
Salt waters
Halibut, Lingcod, and Rockfish
- Lingcod is closed until July 1st.
- Halibut angling should start to pick up later his month. The Valdez Halibut Derby will begin May 20th and run through September 3rd.
- Rockfish can be caught easily year round throughout PWS. Check the regulations as bag limits change next month.
- 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
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 should be good in Prince William Sound and opens on April 15th. Try out your favorite spot or give a new location a try! Depending on your gear, set pots from 400’ – 650’
- You may get your permit online but you must have a printed and signed copy with you while fishing. Permit needs to be in possession as you are shrimping.
- Please note that there are no PWS shrimp permit vendors in Whittier
- Don’t forget to record when you drop your pots in the water the first trip out.
- Only 4 pots are allowed per vessel in 2017.
- Don’t forget to turn in your harvest report after the season closes on September 15th!