Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 08, 2017

Kodiak Area

Week of May 8 to May 14
Issued May 8, 2017

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• For full details of all Emergency Orders that have been issued this year, click on the links in the “Kodiak EO’s” box, above.
• Effective June 1, in the Ayakulik River drainage, king salmon sport fishing is restricted to catch and release. All king salmon caught must be released without being removed from the water. In addition, bait is not allowed for any sport fishing and only single hooks on artificial lures may be used.
• Effective June 1, in the Karluk River drainage, including Karluk Lagoon, sport fishing for king salmon is closed. In addition, the use of bait is prohibited for all sport fishing downstream of Karluk Lake.
• Effective June 1, Monashka Creek and Bay are closed to sport fishing for king salmon. In addition, the use of bait is prohibited in Monashka Creek.

 

• In January 2017, the Board of Fisheries adopted new regulations for sportfishing for the Kodiak Area:
• The bag limit for Rockfish in Chiniak and Marmot Bays has been reduced to 3 per day, 6 in possession, only 2 of which may be non-pelagics (4 in possession) and only 1 may be a yelloweye (2 in possession). See the 2017 Southwest Alaska Regulations booklet for a detailed map of the affected area.
• Coho bag limits for the Kodiak Road Zone have changed. Coho bag limits in all freshwaters of the Kodiak Road Zone and saltwaters within 1 mile of the Kodiak Road Zone and Spruce Island have a limit of 2 coho per day, 2 in possession January 1 through September 15. From September 16 through December 31 the bag limit is 1 per day, 1 in possession. Bag limits for the remainder of Kodiak Island remain the same.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Department of Fish and Game counting weirs on the Buskin, Afognak, Karluk, Ayakulik and Dog Salmon rivers will be installed between May 16 and June 1 to count returns of sockeye salmon. King salmon returns will also be counted at Karluk and Ayakulik weirs. Respective escapement goals for these two runs are 3,000 – 6,000 and 4,800-8,400 fish. The current Buskin River sockeye salmon escapement goal is 5,000-8,000 fish.
• In anticipation of relatively poor returns in 2017, sport fishing for king salmon Karluk River drainage (including Karluk Lagoon) is closed. In addition, the use of bait for all sport fishing is prohibited downstream of Karluk Lake and single hooks must be used.
• Poor returns are also expected this year for the Ayakulik River king salmon run. Consequently, king salmon sport fishing is restricted to catch and release only. Bait is not allowed for any sport fishing and only single hooks on artificial lures may be used.
• In recent years, returns of stocked king salmon have been poor to Monashka Creek, though they have been excellent at the American and Olds rivers. Poor returns are expected again this year and Monashka Creek and Bay are subsequently closed to king salmon fishing to aid in collection of brood stock for enhancement of road system king salmon runs. In addition, in Monashka Creek, bait may not be used and only single hooks are allowed.
• 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 12,000 fish. The daily bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon within the Kodiak Road Zone is two fish.
• After Kodiak salmon counting weirs begin operating anglers can find daily updated counts via this link. 

Trout, Dolly Varden

• Dolly Varden are leaving their over-winter fresh waters. Recent fishing success has been reported in the near-shore waters of local beaches. Popular places for fishing Dollies are Mission Beach, the mouths of Pillar and Monashka creeks, Kalsin Beach and at the mouth of Buskin River. Dollies are also often caught during early May in the freshwaters of Buskin River above Bridge #6 at the “Beaver Pond”. From now through early June, Dolly Varden should be available in salt waters near most rivers along the Kodiak road system.

Lake Fishing

• May is an excellent time to fish rainbow trout in the stocked lakes along the Kodiak road zone, as during and shortly after ice-out the fish travel shoal areas in search of food. Visit lower elevation lakes for rainbow fishing, as fish will be more active in warmer waters. 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. Be sure to check the local sport fishing regulations for a current list of stocked lakes as harvest of rainbow trout is only allowed in lakes that are currently stocked. Rainbows typically spawn during the month of May, and anglers wishing to avoid catching these fish should target their efforts away from flowing waters into or out of the lakes.

Salt waters

Halibut

• Halibut fishing reportedly has been spotty so far this year, but appears to be picking up. Fishing should get progressively better for the remainder of May and during June. Popular places to fish halibut in the spring are Whale Pass, Cape Chiniak and Williams Reef.

Salmon

• Trolling for Chinook (king) salmon in Kodiak’s marine waters has become very popular in recent years. Kings can be fished successfully year-round, though fishing can be spotty and difficult to predict. Recent reports indicate that trolling has been unpredictable and slow at times. Popular places include Buoy #4, Whale Pass, Sharatin Bay, and Kalsin Bay.
• Other well-known trolling spots along the road system are Cape Chiniak, Cape Gravelle and waters between long and Woody islands. Kodiak king salmon average 20 pounds, but fish up to 70 pounds are occasionally caught.
• The annual Kodiak King Salmon Derby sponsored by the Kodiak Association of Charter Operators is ongoing.

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 man-made structures. Rockfish are also frequently caught from shore at locations such as the outer reaches of White Sand beach and the breakwater barrier shielding St. Paul Harbor. Remember to check the current regulations for the area you intend to fish. Bag limits for rockfish have been reduced to 3 per day for pelagic rockfish in Chiniak and Marmot bays.
• Anglers are reminded that the lingcod season does not open until July 1.