Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 22, 2020

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by following and reviewing the current State of Alaska Health Mandates in effect. This includes practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing and wearing a face covering when fishing and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store as indicated in Health Alert 010.

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

Effective January 2020, the use of a deepwater release mechanism is required on all sport fishing vessels in Alaska and they must be used to release rockfish back down to depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower. Never heard of deepwater release? Check out our rockfish conservation webpage for more info!

Emergency Orders

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

• Emergency Order 2-SHR-6-13-20 decreases the number of shrimp pots allowed to harvest shrimp in the Prince William Sound shrimp fishery to three pots per person with a maximum of three pots per vessel used to take shrimp through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, 2020.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• Sockeye salmon fishing has been fair on the Eyak River with many fish at the lake outlet. Fishing in Alaganik Slough has been more productive. No solid reports of coho salmon in Eyak River but the first fish should be caught in the lower river any day now.
  • Remember: Effective June 1 - September 30, Eyak River Special Regulations are in effect around the Eyak Lake dam/weir and highway bridge. Only single-hook, artificial flies with a gap of 3/8 inch or less between a point and shank are allowed AND no additional weight may be attached to the line.
• Over 50,000 sockeye salmon have passed the Coghill River weir. You can monitor the fish counts online here. Remember that the waters within 300 feet of the fish weir are closed to sport fishing.
• King salmon fishing at Fleming Spit (in Cordova) has slowed. Few fish are getting caught in the salt water though, but some fish are still milling around inside the lagoon. Fish the incoming tide with spinners or bait.
  • Remember: Effective June 1 - September 30, no snagging is allowed in the Cordova Terminal Harvest area.

Trout/Dolly Varden/Arctic Char

• Cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing opened on June 15. Both of these fish can be found following salmon returning to streams to spawn.
• Try fry/smolt imitation and olive streamer flies, beads, or small spinners.

Local Lakes

• Blueberry and Thompson lakes and Ruth Pond were recently stocked with rainbow trout.
• Ruth Pond is a fun easily accessible location for kids right in Valdez to catch rainbow trout!
• Arctic grayling fishing can be good on Thompson Lake for anglers using smaller sized fly-fishing gear.

Saltwater Fishing

Port Sampling efforts in Whittier and Valdez are in full effect. Please assist our port sampling program by returning to the harbor with whole groundfish or groundfish carcasses and allowing ADF&G technicians to sample your harvest. Data collected from the sport fish harvest is needed to manage and maintain healthy fisheries. We appreciate you supporting the port sampling program and your assistance in getting managers information that aids in managing fisheries in the Southcentral.

Halibut/Lingcod/Rockfish

• Lingcod season opened on July 1. Anglers continue to get into some legal sized fish. Those who could get further out continued to have good success.
  • Remember to have a measuring tape with you! Try using large jigs just off of rocky pinnacles. Remember, the minimum size to retain a lingcod is 35 inches with the head attached (or 28 inches with the head removed). Do not use a gaff to puncture any fish you think you might release.
• When targeting lingcod your chances of catching rockfish are high. Make sure you have a deepwater release mechanism on board your vessel as this is now mandatory.
  • Never used deepwater release? Check out our videos or website online.
• Halibut fishing has been good when weather permits getting out further, but you don’t have to travel too far. Try around Perry, Naked, and Lone islands if you want to stay close. If you can get out further, Montague Strait and Elrington Island continue to produce steady catches of halibut.
• The Valdez Halibut Derby started on May 23. The leading fish is over 200 lbs. More big fish were caught over the last week and quite a few 100 lb. fish were caught.
• Rockfish limits year-round are four fish per day, eight in possession of which only one per day, one is possession may be a nonpelagic rockfish. Check your 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for species identification information..

Salmon

• Pinks are jumping all around the Sound and fishing has picked up around Valdez especially at Allison Point. Try throwing different types of spinners or Pixies.
• The Valdez Kids Pink salmon derby is on the 25th and the Valdez Silver Salmon derby starts on the 25^th and runs through August 6^th.
• Sockeye salmon are still in Main Bay. Commercial openings this week could be on Thursday and next Monday. Best to stay clear when the commercial boats are in there.
• Eshamy Bay is seeing more sockeye rolling in and building up.
• Kings continue to get picked up around the Sound. Trolling or mooching in Passage Canal and Pigot Point or if further out try near Main Bay and Crafton Island. If you are out fishing by boat, try trolling 20 - 50 feet down (or even deeper!) with a small to medium sized herring and an oversized flasher.
• Kings are also getting picked up near the Whittier Harbor. Remember, snagging is not allowed in the Whittier Boat Harbor.
• Coho salmon are starting to get picked up around Crafton Island and Main Bay and a some are also starting to get picked up out by Goose Island.

Shrimp

• Don’t forget to get your shrimp permit! The sport and subsistence shrimp season is currently open and will close on September 15, 2020. You are required to have your permit with you and document anytime you have pots in the water.
• After retrieval, you must record your catch on your permit immediately after you harvest shrimp.
• You can report your shrimp harvest online any time. Once the season closes you must report all of your harvest no later than October 15, 2020. **Harvest must be reported for each individual time you pull your pots.
• Shrimping has been good! There is no magic depth for shrimping. A good starting point would be in the 300-400’ range. Keep an eye out for good habitat such as rocky slopes.
• If your pots get lost or stolen please contact Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT).
  • Valdez AWT 835-4307
  • Cordova AWT 424-3184
  • Whittier AWT 352-5401

Don’t forget to bring your 2020 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2020 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Area Office at (907) 267-2218.