Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 24, 2019

Week of May 22 - May 28

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

  • Sockeye salmon are in the Eyak River with some fish already up near the lake.
  • No reports of king salmon in Fleming Spit (in Cordova) but they should start showing up any day now. Fish the incoming tide with spinners or bait.

Trout/Dolly Varden/Arctic Char

  • Fishing closures are in place for cutthroat trout and rainbow trout/steelhead from April 15 - June 14 to protect spawning fish.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut/Lingcod/Rockfish

  • Lingcod season will open on July 1.
  • Rockfish and halibut are the favorites to catch in Prince William Sound right now! You don’t have to fish deep to get into some rockfish. Rocky areas are a favorite.
  • The Valdez Halibut Derby will begin on May 18 and run through September 1. Since the derby started last week the top fish have come in right around 100 lbs.
  • Rockfish limits year-round are 4 fish per day, 8 in possession of which only 1 per day and in possession can be a nonpelagic rockfish. Stop by the ADF&G office in Anchorage for a handy rockfish ID sheet!
  • 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.
    • Never heard of deepwater release?? Check out our webpage for more info!

Salmon

  • King salmon are being caught out by Cape Cleare. However, you don’t have to travel all the way out to get king salmon. Troll on your way out of Passage Canal and you might have a shot at returning king salmon.

Shrimp

  • Don’t forget to get your shrimp permit! The sport and subsistence shrimp season opened on April 15 and will close on September 15, 2019. You are required to have your permit with you and you must record your catch immediately after you harvest shrimp. You can get your permit and report your harvest online. Harvest must be reported for each individual time you pull your pots and a full report must be received by October 15, 2019.
  • If you are just starting out shrimping, stick to a depth range around 300 - 400’.
  • If you are spending the holiday weekend in Prince William Sound and spending time in one spot, check your pots after a few hours to see if you are catching shrimp. Move around different depth ranges near structures and see what you can find. Shrimp are caught in a wide range of depths.

Local Lakes

  • Blueberry and Thompson lakes and Ruth Pond will be stocked towards the end of June.

Emergency Orders  

Please review the Emergency Orders and News Releases below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

    • Emergency Order 2-SHR-6-15-19 reduced shrimp pots to no more than three pots per person, with no more than three pots per vessel. This means that regardless of the number of permit holders on a boat, you may only ever set and pull 3 pots, off that vessel.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Anchorage Sport Fish Info Desk at (907) 267-2218.

Archives

Prince William Sound Area Archives for:
Sep 17, 2019 Sep 13, 2019 Sep 06, 2019 Aug 29, 2019 Aug 22, 2019 Aug 14, 2019 Aug 07, 2019 Jul 31, 2019
Jul 25, 2019 Jul 19, 2019 Jul 11, 2019 Jul 03, 2019 Jun 27, 2019 Jun 20, 2019 Jun 13, 2019 Jun 06, 2019
May 31, 2019 May 24, 2019 May 16, 2019 May 09, 2019