Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 09, 2014

Kodiak Area

Week of July 7 to July 14
Issued July 7, 2014

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• Effective June 1, in the Ayakulik River drainage, king salmon sport fishing is restricted to a daily bag limit of one fish and an annual limit of two.
• Effective June 1, in the Karluk River drainage, including Karluk Lagoon, sport fishing for king salmon is restricted to catch and release only. All king salmon caught must be released without being removed from the water. In addition, the use of bait is prohibited for all sport fishing downstream of Karluk Lake.
• The 2014 Chignik River king salmon fishery will start with a bag and possession limit of one king salmon 20 inches or greater in length, and an annual limit of two fish.
• Marine boat anglers returning to any port on the Kodiak road system from May 31 - August 31 may not fillet, mutilate, or de-head king salmon until they have been brought to shore and offloaded, unless the fish have been consumed or preserved on board.
• Effective June 5, the Afognak River sockeye salmon bag limit is increased to 10 fish per day and 10 in possession.
• Effective June 12, the Ayakulik River sockeye salmon bag limit is increased to 10 fish per day and 10 in possession.
• Effective June 13, the Karluk River sockeye salmon bag limit is increased to 10 fish per day and 10 in possession.
• Effective June 21, the Karluk and Ayakulik rivers are closed to fishing for king salmon.
• Effective June 27, the Frazer Lake/ Dog Salmon River sockeye salmon bag limit is increased to 10 fish per day and 10 in possession
• Effective June 28, Monashka Bay and Monashka Creek are closed to sport fishing for king salmon.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Department of Fish and Game counting weirs on the Buskin, Afognak, Karluk and Ayakulik rivers are now in operation to count returns of sockeye salmon. King salmon returns will also be counted at Karluk and Ayakulik weirs. Current escapement goals for these two runs are 3,000 – 6,000 and 4,000-7,000 fish, respectively. The current Buskin River sockeye salmon escapement goal is 5,000-8,000 fish.
• As a result of poor returns in 2014, sport fishing for king salmon Karluk River drainage (including Karluk Lagoon) is closed for the year. In addition, the use of bait for all sport fishing is prohibited downstream of Karluk Lake through July 25. As of July 6 only 1,021 king salmon had passed through the Karluk River weir.
• The Ayakulik River king salmon fishery has also been closed. Just 692 king salmon have been counted at the Ayakulik weir as of July 6.
• At Chignik River king salmon sport fishing is restricted at both rivers to a daily bag limit of one fish over 20”, and an annual limit of two.
• Relatively healthy returns are anticipated for the Kodiak Road Zone’s Buskin River sockeye salmon run, which usually peaks during mid-June, and in the last 10 years has averaged about 15,000 fish. The daily bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon within the Kodiak Road Zone has been increased to 5 fish. Through July 6 more than 11,000 sockeye have been counted at the Buskin River weir. The Buskin run is now about 85% complete.
• The current Afognak River sockeye salmon escapement goal is 20,000 – 55,000 fish. Afognak River weir has counted over 31,000 sockeye salmon as of July 6. Consequently the bag limit for Afognak River sockeye is increased to 10 fish per day and 10 in possession. The Afognak run is now also about 85% complete.
• Strong early runs to sockeye salmon to the Karluk and Ayakulik River drainages have resulted in bag limit increases for anglers to 10 fish per day and in possession.
• Good numbers hatchery king salmon continue returning to the American and Olds rivers.
• Due to a current lack of king salmon broodstock available for king salmon enhancement, Monashka Creek is closed to sport fishing for king salmon until further notice.
• Pinks salmon are just starting to return to some Kodiak streams. The Olds and Roslyn river mouths are traditional local sites for catching early run pink salmon on the Kodiak road system.
• Anglers can find daily updated Kodiak salmon weir counts at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/FishCounts/ .

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Dollies are currently in the American, Olds, Salonie and Russian rivers, and also along beaches in salt waters near most rivers along the Kodiak road system. Beaches at Olds and Roslyn rivers are excellent bets for Dollies this week.

Lake Fishing

• July is a good time to fish rainbow trout in the stocked lakes along the Kodiak road zone. Although ADF&G currently stocks only sterile juvenile trout, some lakes with a stocking history dating to the 1950s may also contain spawning populations of adult fish.

Salt waters

Halibut

• Halibut fishing has reportedly improved during the past week with anglers starting to pick up good number of halibut at Buoy #4 and outside of Long Island.

Salmon

• Trolling for Chinook (king) salmon has slowed somewhat in the past week. However, some trollers reportedly are still catching fish in Kalsin Bay close up to the beach.
• Hatchery kings are still being caught by casting from Kalsin beach and fishing incoming tides at the mouth of Olds River.
• Due to a current lack of king salmon broodstock available from Monashka Creek, Monashka Bay is closed to sport fishing for king salmon until further notice.
• Other well-known trolling spots along the road system are Cape Chiniak and the deeper waters on both sides of Long Island. Kodiak king salmon average 20 pounds, but fish up to 70 pounds are occasionally caught.

Other salt water fishing

• Black rockfish can currently be caught at depths of 10 fathoms or less near kelp beds along rock pinnacles and other natural or manmade structures. Rockfish are also frequently caught from shore at locations such as the breakwater barrier shielding St. Paul Harbor.
• The Kodiak Area lingcod season opened on July 1.