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  Fishing Report  
  Tyler Polum, Area Management Biologist
(907) 486-1879, tyler.polum@alaska.gov
 

Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

October 2, 2023

Fall Fishing Report-Final

This is the last fishing report for the 2023 fishing season. This fishing report will be updated when additional information is available. For current seasonal information, please contact the Kodiak office at (907) 486-1880

Freshwater Fishing

  • Coho continue to enter rivers throughout the road system with fish continuing to build in the American, Olds and places like Kalsin Pond. Given the last few seasons, coho runs should continue through October given the lack of rain in September and need for some new water in the rivers to prompt coho escapement.
  • Pasagshak has seen one of the better coho runs in many years this season. A recent drone survey counted more than 7,500 coho salmon in Lake Rose Teed and prompted ADF&G to increase the coho limit to 3 per day.
  • Reminder! The coho salmon bag limit for most of the road system is 1 per day with the exceptions of Pasagshak that was increased by emergency order and Monashka Bay, Mill Bay and Mission Beach that are stocked runs and have a bag limit of 2. You cannot add bag limits together, so if you’re going to fish in an area that has a lower bag limit, do that first before harvesting fish in an area with a higher bag limit.
  • Buskin River coho weir counts were low before the weir was pulled at the end of September but there are large numbers of fishing holding in saltwaters still. With the coming rains, fishing should improve a lot!
  • Monashka Bay is similar with large schools of coho holding in the bay, additional rain should improve fishing in Pillar and Monashka creeks.
  • Dolly Varden fishing has been great in the American, Salonie and Buskin by most reports. Dollies can be notoriously finicky when they have abundant food and get near spawning, so bring a variety of tackle along if targeting dollies.

Saltwater Fishing

  • Silvers are still in Monashka Bay salt water as of early October, but fishing will be winding down with every rain the fall brings.
  • King salmon fishing has been good at times but seems to be varying with the tides and movements of bait fish schools. Fish are being found at the Fingers and Chiniak fairly regularly but slower than earlier this summer.
  • Halibut fishing is still slow, with many of the usual spots in Chiniak Bay being unproductive. It’s likely that many halibut have moved into shallower waters with the large pink salmon returns we’ve seen this season. As this food source diminishes fishing should improve but fish will move into deeper water as temperatures cool.
  • Rockfish and lingcod are still being found throughout Chiniak Bay, however, with fishing being good in the usual spots like Kalsin Reef, around Long Island and even inside Monashka Bay.

Local Lakes

Fall fishing in our stocked lakes is usually productive as long as the water is open with the popular spots being the lakes in Bells Flats and Twin Lakes at the end of the road but all 17 lakes provide great fishing opportunities for rainbow trout. Remember that the use of bait is only allowed in stocked lakes after November 1, see the 2023 Southwest sportfishing regulations booklet for a map and list of stocked lakes.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

  • New! Emergency Order 2-SS-4-65-23 increase the bag limit for coho salmon in the Pasagshak River to 3 fish per day.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-4-50-23 opens the Pasagshak River drainage to fishing for sockeye salmon through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023, 2 fish per day.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-4-46-23 increases the bag limit for sockeye salmon in the Saltery Cove drainage to 10 per day.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-4-26-23 closed the Buskin River drainage to fishing for sockeye salmon through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023.
  • Emergency Order 2-RF-4-17-23 reduced the nonresident rockfish bag and possession limits on the eastside of Afognak and Kodiak islands from Big Fort Island near Shuyak Island to Dangerous Cape on Kodiak Island. This emergency order is in effect through 11:59 pm. Sunday, December 31, 2023.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-4-19-23 closed the Karluk River drainage (including the lagoon and its outlet stream) and the Ayakulik River drainage to king salmon fishing and restricted fishing gear to only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2023 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2023 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2023 Southwest Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Kodiak Area Office at (907) 486-1880.

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