Area Sport Fishing Reports
North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay
Archived Sport Fishing Report
June 11, 2014
North Gulf Coast Area
Week of June 10 to June 16
Issued June 10, 2014
Emergency Orders and regulation reminders
• Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1.
• The Resurrection River Drainage downstream of Nash Road and downstream of the Seward Highway will be open to salmon fishing June 16. See page 58 of the Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations for details.
Halibut
• Halibut fishing continues to be good in North Gulf Coast waters.
• Anglers having the best success are heading east out of Resurrection Bay.
• Mix it up a bit and explore to the west.
Salmon
• Kings continue to be caught every day by anglers trolling in Resurrection Bay, try targeting these fish off the Seward beaches.
• Beach fishing for king salmon fishing off the mouth of the Seward Lagoon outfall has been decent and fish are already reported in the Seward Lagoon.
• The sockeye fishery off the mouth of Resurrection River/Salmon Creek has been very good. Remember, you must be in salt water to snag fish. If you are in fresh water snagging is illegal.
Other salt water fishing
• Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1 to protect nest guarding males.
• Last year at this time, the ADF&G technician in Seward sent a picture of a halibut with a stomach full of lingcod eggs.
• 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. Avoid venting rockfish intended for release. Vented rockfish do not survive as well as those released at capture depth. For details on deepwater release, see the ADF&G Rockfish Conservation webpage at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.rockfishconservation
• Pacific cod fishing has been picking up and there is no limit on these fish. The five to six pounders make great fish and chips.
• Try casting small shiny spinners and spoons, or fly fishing with a smolt pattern for Dollies off the South Beach on Lowell Point.
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 2013 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for regulations on this fishery, and page 62 shrimp pot requirements.
Fresh waters
Salmon
• That portion Salmon Creek below Nash Road open next Monday. Get away from the crowd and try your luck here. Only single-hook artificial lures are allowed – so try a Russian River sockeye fly.
Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling
• Dolly Varden might be tough to find in fresh water right now.
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
• Rainbow trout in First Lake can be caught on a brown bead head nymph.
• Also try Troop Lake located about 12 miles north of Seward.