Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound
Archived Sport Fishing Report
May 18, 2017
Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta Area
Week of May 18 – May 24
General Area Description: includes all waters between Cape Fairfield and Cape Suckling.
Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders
- Prince William Sound noncommercial shrimp fishery opened on April 15. Permits are mandatory for all noncommercial shrimp fisherman. Permits are available online, at local ADF&G offices, and at select vendors.
- Please note that there are no Price William Sound shrimp permit vendors in Whittier.
- Per Emergency Order No. 2-SHR-6-11-17: The number of shrimp pots allowed to harvest shrimp in Prince William Sound was reduced from five pots per person with a maximum of five pots per vessel, to four pots per person with a maximum of four pots per vessel.
- Lingcod season is closed until July 1 to protect nest-guarding males.
- Cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and steelhead fishing opens on June 15.
- 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 should start to show up any day now. No reports yet.
- A few sockeye salmon are trickling into Eyak River.
Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling
- Cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and steelhead fishing is closed April 15 through June 14 in the Cordova area.
- Dolly Varden are present in many of the streams throughout Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta. Try using fry or smolt imitation flies or small spinners at lake outlets and stream confluences.
Salt Waters
Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish
- Lingcod is closed until July 1.
- Halibut angling has been spotty. Smaller sized fish have been caught around the Sound. The Valdez Halibut Derby starts this weekend.
- Strawberry Channel continues to have small catches of halibut.
- Rockfish can be caught year round throughout Prince William Sound. Bag limits starting May 1 through September 15 are four per day, eight in possession of which only two may be non-pelagic.
Salmon
- Chinook salmon returning to the lagoon at Fleming Spit should start to show up any day now. Trolling outside the lagoon in the saltwater can produces catches of fish this time of year.
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%!)
Never heard of deepwater release for rockfish??? Please visit the ADF&G's Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release web page for more information.
Fishing Tip: Brush up on your rockfish identification before you head out fishing by looking on page 90 of the 2017 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet.
Shellfish
- Shrimp season opened on April 15. Around 400 feet has been the magic depth for many but try different depths and locations if you’re new to shrimping. Don’t forget to keep good fresh bait to entice these tasty critters!
- You are encouraged to 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 and harvest needs to be reported before your catch is concealed.
- Don’t forget to record when you drop your pots in the water and remember only four pots are allowed per vessel in 2017.
- Don’t forget to turn in your harvest report after the season closes on September 15.