Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 21, 2014

Kodiak Area

Week of July 20 to July 26
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 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.
• Effective July 18, The Pasagshak River is closed to sport fishing for sockeye salmon.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Department of Fish and Game counting weirs on the Buskin, Afognak, and Chignik, Dog Salmon, Upper Station, Saltery, 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 in the Karluk River (including Karluk Lagoon) and Ayakulik River drainages is closed for the year
• The Chignik River sport fishing daily bag limit restored to 2 fish over 20” and the annual limit to five fish. As of July 19 the Chignik River weir counted a total of 2,312 king salmon.
• The Buskin River and Afognak River sockeye salmon runs are now effectively over for the year.
• Ayakulik and Dog Salmon River drainage bag limits for sockeye salmon remain increased to 10 fish per day and in possession.
• Due to poor escapement, the Pasagshak River is closed to fishing for sockeye salmon until further notice.
• The Saltery River sockeye salmon run has been slightly above average so far, with 17,394 fish counted through the weir as of July 19.
• A few hatchery king salmon remain in the American and Olds rivers, although the run is now nearly over.
• 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.
• More and more pink salmon are returning to some Kodiak streams. The Olds and Roslyn river mouths, as well as the Pillar Creek beach are traditional local sites for catching early run pink salmon on the Kodiak road system. Russian River and Buskin River already have fair numbers of pink salmon inriver.
• 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 fair, with anglers currently catching fish at Buoy #4 and around Ugak Island.
Salmon
• Trolling for Chinook (king) salmon remains good. Trollers reportedly are currently working Cape Chiniak and Cape Gravelle.
• A small number of hatchery kings may still be incoming with tides at the mouth of Olds River, although the hatchery runs are now nearly over 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 Buoy #4 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.