Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 15, 2014

Kodiak Area

Week of July 13 to July 19
Issued July 14, 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.
• Effective July 12, the Chignik River king salmon bag limit is restored to 2 fish per day over 20 inches in length and the annual limit restored to 5 fish.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Department of Fish and Game counting weirs on the Buskin, Afognak, Chignik, Dog Salmon, upper Station, Pasagshak, Karluk and Ayakulik rivers are now in operation to count returns of sockeye salmon. King salmon returns are also counted at Karluk, Ayakulik and Chignik weirs.
• As a result of poor returns in 2014, sport fishing for king salmon Karluk River drainage (including Karluk Lagoon) is closed for the year. As of July 12 only 1,098 king salmon had passed through the Karluk River weir.
• The Ayakulik River king salmon fishery has also been closed. Just 767 king salmon have been counted at the Ayakulik weir as of July 12.
• At Chignik River, better than expected king salmon escapement has resulted in the sport fishing daily bag limit restored to 2 fish over 20” and the annual limit to five fish. As of July 12 the Chignik River weir counted a total of 1,789 king salmon.
• The Buskin River sockeye salmon run is now about 90% complete. The daily bag and possession limit for Buskin River sockeye salmon has been increased to 5 fish. Through July 12 more than 12,000 sockeye have been counted at the Buskin River weir.
• Afognak River weir has counted over 33,000 sockeye salmon as of July 12, and the run is now about 90% complete. The bag limit for Afognak River sockeye is increased to 10 fish per day and 10 in possession.
• Strong early runs to sockeye salmon to the Karluk, Ayakulik and Dog Salmon River drainages have resulted in bag limit increases for anglers to 10 fish per day and in possession.
• Some hatchery king salmon continue returning to the American and Olds rivers, although the run has now peaked.
• Due to a lack of king salmon broodstock available for king salmon enhancement, Monashka Creek is closed to sport fishing for king salmon for the season.
• Pinks salmon are returning 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 were also observed fishing for pinks at Russian River over the weekend.
• 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, Buskin, 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 remain excellent bets right now for Dollies.

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 remained steady during the past week, with anglers currently catching fish at Buoy #4.
Salmon
• Trolling for Chinook (king) salmon improved in the last week. Trollers are still working Kalsin Bay, Ugak Bay and Cape Chiniak.
• A few hatchery kings were caught in the past week by casting from Kalsin beach and fishing incoming tides at the mouth of Olds River, although the hatchery runs have now reached their peak for the year.
• Due to a current lack of king salmon broodstock available from Monashka Creek, Monashka Bay is closed to sport fishing for king salmon until August 1.
• Other well-known trolling spots along the road system are Cape Gravelle, 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.