Area Sport Fishing Reports
Bristol Bay

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 30, 2019

Week of July 31 - August 6

Emergency Orders

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

• Sport fishing for king salmon in the Nushagak River drainage closed by regulation upstream of the Iowithla River on July 25.
• Beginning August 1 sport fishing for king salmon is closed by regulation throughout Bristol Bay.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-5-40-19 increased the sockeye salmon bag and possession limit to ten fish in the Togiak River drainage. The bag and possession limit for other salmon, except king and sockeye salmon, remains at five fish.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-5-35-19 increased the sockeye salmon bag and possession limit to ten fish in the Alagnak River drainage. The bag and possession limit for other salmon, except king, coho, and sockeye salmon, remains at five fish.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-5-34-19 restricted king salmon fishing in the Nushagak-Mulchatna River drainage to catch-and-release only and bait is prohibited.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-5-33-19 increased the sockeye salmon bag and possession limit to ten fish in the Naknek River drainage. The bag and possession limit for other salmon, except king and sockeye salmon, remains at five fish.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-5-32-19 increased the sockeye salmon bag and possession limit to ten fish in the Wood River drainage. The bag and possession limit for other salmon, except king and sockeye salmon, remains at five fish.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-5-31-19 increased the sockeye salmon bag and possession limit to ten fish in the Nushagak-Mulchatna River drainage, excluding the Wood River drainage. The bag and possession limit for other salmon, except king and sockeye salmon, remains at five fish.

Freshwater Fishing

• Due to higher than average water temperatures, anglers are reminded to land fish quickly and keep their catch in the water if it is going to be released to minimize stress on the fish.
• A total of 4,572 coho salmon have been counted by the Nushagak sonar near Portage Creek through July 29. This is well behind expected levels; however, it is still early and numbers should improve later this week. Sport fishing has been reported as poor.
• In the Naknek drainage cohos have begun to arrive and fishing is reported as poor to fair and should improve later this week.
• In the Alagnak drainage it is still early for cohos and fishing is reported as poor. Fishing should improve next week.
• In the Togiak River and nearby drainages only a few cohos have been reported but it is still very early and fishing should improve next week.
• In the Naknek, Alagnak, and Kvichak river drainages, fishing for rainbow trout should be fair to good. Try casting spinners or streamers.
• Fishing for Arctic char is reported as fair in the Wood River Lakes system. Try casting or jigging spoons or stripping large streamers at the outlets of rivers in the system.
• Fishing for northern pike in lakes throughout Bristol Bay has been fair. Try casting spoons, surface lures, or streamers close to shore in shallow weedy bays.

For additional information, please contact the Bristol Bay Area Office at (907) 842-2427.