Area Sport Fishing Reports
North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 28, 2015

North Gulf Coast Area

Week of May 25 to June 1
Issued May 27, 2015

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1.

For additional information about regulations in the North Gulf Coast Area look in the 2015 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary. These are available at all the Fish and Game offices as well as most places that sell fishing gear.

Halibut

General:

Sport fishing regulations for Pacific halibut in Alaska are developed on the international, federal and state levels by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), NOAA Fisheries (NMFS), and the State of Alaska's Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
Halibut are federally managed. View National Marine Fisheries Service webpage to learn more. http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/halibut/sport.htm
To get a summary of the NEW 2015 regulations concerning Halibut;
http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/halibut/charter/factsheet2015.pdf

• Halibut fishing is fair in the North Gulf Coast. On average fishermen are reporting average sizes are larger than 20 lb. halibut. Fishermen are reporting a few larger halibut being caught closer but if you want the larger fish you have to travel a little further from port.

Salmon

King:

• The king salmon limit in Resurrection Bay is now two per day, any size.
• Anglers are reporting a few kings being caught from the shore in Seward. The
• Anglers able to avoid the Killer Whales in the bay are catching feeder kings. Try trolling with a small- to medium-sized herring and an oversized flasher.

Sockeye:

• The sockeye salmon limit in Resurrection Bay is now 6 per day, and 6 in possession.
• The sockeye have started to show up in the bay, and some are being caught in the snag fishery off the mouth of Resurrection River/Salmon Creek. This fishery should start to pick up over the course of the coming weeks.
• For those who want to troll for sockeye they are successful in doing so in British Columbia with flasher trailing a bare red hook. Sockeye jumpers have been seen from Eldorado Narrows to Fourth of July Creek.

• Fishing Tip: It has been a long winter. Brush up on your fish identification before you head out fishing. Test your fish identification knowledge with the new Pacific Salmon ID Quiz here: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.quiz .

Other salt water fishing

Lingcod:

• In Resurrection Bay, lingcod is closed year around.
• Lingcod fishing, except Resurrection Bay remains closed until July 1 to protect nest guarding males.

Rockfish:

• 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  

Fishing Tip: When fishing for rockfish have a separate rod setup with a deepwater release mechanism. This will make it easier to release unwanted rockfish.

Other:

• Pacific cod fishing was good this past week. Many people have caught these incidentally while trolling for salmon.
• We have also had reports of dead eulachon(smelt) washing up on the shores. This is normal since most adult eulachon (smelt) die after spawning in freshwater.

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.

Check out page 10 of the 2015 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for regulations on this fishery.

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.
• 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
• Check the ADF&G Sport Fish website for stocking updates.
• First Lake was stocked with some nice catchable-sized rainbow trout. Fishing should be good. Try using a small brown floating fly with a slow retrieve to entice a bite.

Fishing Tip: To improve your success in local stocked lakes review the lake bathymetric (Bottom depth profile) map as well as recent stocking data online. This will help you determine what type of fish you are fishing for and where they might be. Often a little walk or getting away from the pack will provide rewards.
• http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSport.region&StockingAreaID=2