Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 03, 2017

Week of August 3 to August 9

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 - September 30.
• Effective June 1, on the Eyak River 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.
• 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 opened July 1. Daily limit is two per day, two in possession, and minimum 35 inches long with head attached or 28 inches with head removed. A gaff may not be used to puncture the fish if the intent is to release it.
• Cutthroat and Rainbow/Steelhead trout fishing opened June 15.
• Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles above the Copper River Highway.

Freshwaters

Salmon

• Good sized pink salmon are being caught at Fleming Spit. No reports of cohos yet. It is still a little early for cohos to show up here.
• Lots of chum and pink salmon are in Hartney Bay.
• Sockeye salmon fishing has slowed in Eyak River and Alaganik Slough. Remember that Eyak Lake is CLOSED to salmon fishing.
• Since coho salmon might start sneaking into the freshwaters around Cordova, anglers need to remember this regulation: coho salmon that are removed from the water must be retained and becomes part of the daily bag limit of the person who originally hooked the fish. A person may not remove a coho salmon from the water before releasing it.
• Reminder: Power Creek in Cordova is closed to salmon fishing year-round.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing in the Cordova area opened June 15. Pipeline Lake makes for a great family outing to catch cutthroat.
• Dolly Varden are present in many of the streams throughout Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta. Try using fry/smolt imitation flies or small spinners at lake outlets or stream confluences.

Saltwaters

Salmon

• The biggest fish caught in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby last week was just over 15 lbs. The derby is just getting rolling and ends on September 3.
• Pink salmon are being caught at Fleming Spit from the shore. Coho salmon should start showing up soon but it’s still a little early. Most anglers are using hardware to catch fish. Remember: the Cordova Terminal Harvest Area is closed to snagging salmon from June 1 - September 30.
• No reports of cohos in Cordova road system yet but fish should be showing up any day now as they are being caught in the salt waters of Copper River Delta.
• Sockeye fishing in Main Bay is wrapping up. Start trolling for cohos outside of Main Bay if you are looking to pick up some salmon. Fish are jumping all around Port Nellie Juan and Perry Island. Mostly pinks but cohos are mixed in there as well.
• Fishing around the Sound is easier when there are not commercial openers happening…check here to get updates on when those are happening.
• Pink salmon are being caught around Allison Point. A few cohos have been reported but most are being caught further out of the Port.
• A few chinooks and cohos have been picked up near the outskirts of Passage Canal and a few near the harbor. Pinks are jumping near the Whittier harbor.
• Reminder: Whittier harbor is closed to snagging.

Halibut, Lingcod, and Rockfish

• Retention of lingcod began July 1. Mixed reports came in last week with some anglers finding legal lingcod and others having difficulty finding any fish.
• Halibut are federally managed by NOAA. Make sure you know the regulations! Unguided and guided anglers have different rules to follow.
• Fish were just over the 150lb mark in the Valdez Halibut Derby last week. Another good weekend weather forecast for the Sound is coming up. Halibut fishing can be good closer to creek mouths this time of year with the influx of salmon in the Sound.
• Rockfish can be caught year round throughout Prince William Sound. Bag limits starting May 1 - 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 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 ADF&G Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage.

Shellfish

• Shrimp season opened April 15. Good catches are still being reported with both deep and shallow sets. Make sure you have enough line when setting your pots!
• 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 the first trip out and remember only four pots are allowed per vessel in 2017.
• Don’t forget you can report your harvest online during the season at any time! If you are done shrimping for the season, go ahead and submit your harvest report now. Remember your harvest report is due after the season closes on September 15.