Area Sport Fishing Reports
North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 01, 2014

North Gulf Coast Area

Week of May 1 to May 6
Issued May 1, 2014

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• The personal use season for shrimp fishing with pot gear in North Gulf Coast area waters opened on April 15.
• Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1.

Halibut

• Halibut are just now moving into shallower water from their deepwater overwintering and spawning seasons. Fishing will continue to improve as the season progresses. Try fishing as close to the Gulf as you can.

Salmon

• The king salmon limit in Resurrection Bay is now two per day, any size. King salmon are being caught in the bay, and you will find the king salmon if you find the bait. The inner portion of the bay does have herring in it right now. Try trolling with a small- to medium-sized herring and an oversized flasher.
• It is still too early to see king salmon returning to the Lagoon.

Other salt water fishing

• Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1 to protect nest guarding males.
• Rockfish are easy to catch and have a fairly conservative bag limit, so target your rockfish last.
• The rockfish daily bag limit is 4 per day, of which only 1 may be a non-pelagic (demersal) rockfish.
• Use deepwater release methods to release incidentally caught rockfish. For details, see the ADF&G Rockfish Conservation webpage at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.rockfishconservation
• Pacific cod are being caught in the bay now and the 5 to 6 pounders make excellent table fare.
• Rumors of hooligans have been floating around, they are likely not present in fishable numbers yet.
• Other bait fish species are appearing in Resurrection Bay but are not yet concentrated into large schools.

Shellfish

• There have been no reports from the personal-use shrimp pot fishery. This fishery is now open in the entire North Gulf Coast area from Cape Fairfield to Gore Point. To participate in the fishery you must be an Alaska resident with a current sport fishing license or ADF&G Permanent ID card, and a North Gulf Coast shrimp pot fishery permit. Permits can be obtained at the Anchorage, Homer, or Soldotna ADF&G offices. They can also be obtained at The Fish House in Seward.
• Check out page 63 of the 2014 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for regulations on this fishery, and page 62 shrimp pot requirements.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• There are no freshwater drainages in Resurrection Bay open to salmon fishing at this time of year.
Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling
• Fish for Dolly Varden around creek mouths, especially creeks where pink and chum salmon spawn.
• Dolly Varden will be feeding on salmon fry heading to the ocean. The best time to fish is before high slack tide and through the beginning of the falling tide. Use small silver spoons or spinners or, if you are fly-fishing, try a pattern that imitates salmon fry.

Northern Pike

• Northern pike are not native to Southcentral Alaska. Please report the capture of any pike in unconfirmed waters to ADF&G. Do not release any pike you have caught.
Lake Fishing
• Area lakes will soon be stocked, so check the ADF&G Sport Fish website for stocking updates.