Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 16, 2017

Week of June 14 to June 20

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

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

• Cordova Terminal Harvest Area is closed to snagging from June 1 to 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.
• 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 Prince 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 trout fishing opened 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 are returning to the lagoon at Fleming Spit! Fish are being caught daily with some effort.
• Sockeye salmon are in the Eyak River! Water is turbid but fish are present and being caught.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Cutthroat trout, Rainbow trout, and Steelhead trout fishing opened on June 15.
• 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

Salmon

• Chinook salmon returning to the lagoon at Fleming Spit have been caught from the shore. Trolling outside the lagoon in the saltwater can produces catches of fish this time of year as well. Remember: the Cordova Terminal Harvest Area is closed to snagging salmon from June 1 to September 30.

Halibut, Lingcod, and Rockfish

• Lingcod is closed until July 1.
• Halibut are federally managed by NOAA. Make sure you know the regulations! Unguided and guided anglers have different rules to follow.
• The fish keep getting bigger in the Valdez Halibut Derby! The new derby leader was caught this week and weighed in at 176.6 lbs.
• 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.

Fishing Tip: Brush up on your rockfish identification before you head out fishing by reviewing page 90 of the 2017 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.

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??? For details, see the Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage.

Shellfish

• Shrimp season opened on April 15. Good catches are still being reported. Many people are starting to move deeper but depths of around 400’ have still been productive.
• 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!