Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 10, 2018

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

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

Emergency Order

  • Per Emergency Order No. 2-SHR-6-05-18, effective April 15, 2018, 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.
  • Per Emergency Order No. 2-RS-6-30-18, effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 through 11:59 p.m. Monday December 31, 2018, the Coghill River drainage sockeye salmon bag and possession limit has been increased to 12 fish per day, 24 in possession. In addition, the area closed to fishing adjacent to the Coghill River weir has been reduced to 50 feet.

Regulation Reminders

  • The Prince William Sound non-commercial shrimp fishery is open. Permits are mandatory for all non-commercial shrimp fisherman. Permits are available online, at local ADF&G offices, and at select vendors.
  • Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing is open.
  • Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles above the Copper River Highway.
  • Cordova Terminal harvest area is closed to snagging through September 30.
  • Eyak Lake is closed to salmon fishing.

New Regulations

  • Lingcod season is open. The bag and possession limit is ONE per day and ONE in possession, must be 35 inches long with head attached or 28 inches from tip of tail to front of dorsal fin with head removed.
  • The year-round rockfish regulation in Prince William Sound is a bag limit of four fish per day and possession limit of eight fish, of which only ONE fish can be a nonpelagic rockfish. The bag and possession limit of nonpelagic rockfish has changed to ONE in your bag limit and only ONE in your possession. The requirement to retain the first nonpelagic rockfish is no longer in regulation.
  • Effective January 2020, the use of a deepwater release mechanism will be required to be onboard all vessels sportfishing in the Prince William Sound Management Area and they must be used to release rockfish at depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

  • Sockeye salmon have begun to enter Eshamy Creek, and have made it up to Eshamy Lake. Pods of fish will move into the creek during each high tide. Anglers are reminded that snagging is prohibited in Eshamy Lake, and Eshamy Creek upstream from ADF&G markers near its mouth.
  • The first catches of coho salmon have been reported from the Eyak. Fishing remains slow but should improve over the next several weeks. Anglers looking to try their hand at early silvers should explore downstream from the Copper River Highway. The Ibeck should be seeing its first coho salmon any day now.
  • Please review the 2018 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the bag and possession limits of salmon in freshwater.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

  • Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing is open. Fishing has been great around the Cordova road streams!
  • Dolly Varden are present in many streams. Try a fry/smolt imitation fly or small spinners.

Saltwater Fishing

Salmon

  • King salmon have been incidentally caught throughout Prince William Sound by anglers targeting coho salmon. Reports of king catches have come from outside waters near Cape Cleare, and inside locations such as Crafton Island, Pigot Bay, and around Knight Island.
  • Large schools of sockeye salmon have been report milling around Eshamy Lagoon.
  • Pink salmon are plentiful around the Valdez area including Allison Point. Pinks can be caught on a variety of gear with spoons being popular amongst Valdez anglers. Some of the Pinks have begun to show signs of spawning deterioration, so anglers may have to sort through these to find higher quality fish. Regardless, this is a great location to take the family.
  • The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby has entered its second week. Reports are that anglers are doing best if they are out past Goose Island, but coho salmon have made it as far in as Rocky Point at Galena Bay. It is still early to find coho salmon in catchable numbers at Allison Point. Many large coho salmon have been entered into the derby so far, including two fish over 16 pounds!
  • In western Prince William Sound, coho salmon have been caught by trolling or mooching a hoochie squid with a cut plug herring around Crafton Island and Main Bay.

Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish

  • Lingcod fishing season is open and lots of nice fish have been caught this year. However, lingcod fishing has been slow to fair around Prince William Sound. Remember, bag limits in Prince William Sound have changed since last year! The bag and possession limit is only ONE fish per day and ONE in possession. The use of a gaff is not allowed unless you plan to retain lingcod you have caught.
  • The Valdez Halibut Derby began on May 19 and will run through September 2. The leading fish is still a 285.8-pound fish! Several fish over 100 pounds have returned to port over the last week, and fishing is expected to remain good.
  • Rockfish can be caught easily year-round throughout Prince William Sound. Check the regulations as bag limits have changed! The daily bag and possession limit is now only ONE nonpelagic in Prince William Sound. Effective January 2020, the use of a deepwater release mechanism will be required to be onboard all vessels sportfishing in the Prince William Sound Management area and they must be used to release rockfish at depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower
    • 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? Stop by your local ADF&G office for a free release mechanism and instruction on how to use it), while supplies last. Visit the ADF&G Rockfish Conservation webpage for additional information.

Shellfish

  • Shrimp season is open, and it’s been a good year. Depths ranging around 400 feet are good producers but you don’t have to go deep. Remember, it’s important to have good bait to entice the shrimp into the pots.
  • Make sure you have proper markings on your buoy! See your permit for the required information.
  • 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, 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 2018.
  • Don’t forget to turn in your harvest report after the season closes on September 15 or whenever you wrap up for the season.
  • IF YOU LOSE YOUR POTS, contact the Alaska State Troopers (AST) and report them immediately. You can reach AST dispatch at (907) 352-5401, Extension 1.

Archives

Prince William Sound Area Archives for:
Sep 07, 2018 Aug 30, 2018 Aug 24, 2018 Aug 17, 2018 Aug 10, 2018 Aug 02, 2018 Jul 27, 2018 Jul 19, 2018
Jul 13, 2018 Jul 06, 2018 Jun 29, 2018 Jun 22, 2018 Jun 15, 2018 Jun 07, 2018 May 31, 2018 May 25, 2018
May 18, 2018 May 10, 2018