Area Sport Fishing Reports
Petersburg

July 17, 2024

King Salmon

The majority of king salmon should have now exited saltwater and be heading further up into the freshwater systems to spawn. Still, a potential remains for catching a late spawner at the tail end of the run or a feeder king which are in our area throughout the year.

The Wrangell Narrows Terminal Harvest Area (THA) near Petersburg remains open with a 1 king (any size) bag and possession limit for all anglers through July 31^st. For a nonresident, this applies to your annual king salmon harvest limit. Anglers are reminded that when in possession of king salmon less than 28 inches in length they should not then fish in another location where possessing a king salmon under 28 inches is illegal.

All remaining areas are now open to king salmon fishing under the regional king salmon bag, possession, and annual limits with resident anglers allowed a bag and possession of two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length and nonresidents allowed a bag and possession of one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. For a nonresident, this applies to your annual king salmon harvest limit.

From July 16 through December 31, the nonresident annual harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 15 will apply towards the one fish annual harvest limit;

Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location on their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record;

Advisory Announcements with additional details and specific maps are available on our website. Remember that a king salmon stamp is required whenever fishing for king salmon (including catch and release).

Coho Salmon

Coho should begin to show in the saltwater any time now. The coho in this management area are traditionally fall runs, but some systems have coho in the streams as early as the beginning of August. The saltwater sport trolling for these fish begins now and increases over the next several weeks. By mid-August they should be becoming abundant in the streams where they will grow in numbers and provide angling opportunity well into September.

Halibut

Halibut continue to be caught throughout the management area. Reminder: Filleting halibut: No person shall possess on board a vessel, including charter vessels and pleasure craft used for fishing, halibut that have been filleted, mutilated, or otherwise disfigured in any manner, except that each halibut may be cut into no more than 2 ventral pieces, 2 dorsal pieces, and 2 cheek pieces, with enough skin on each piece to identify whether the piece is from the light side or the dark side of the fish.

Dolly Varden and Trout

Dolly Varden and trout have been particularly abundant this summer for those interested in targeting these hard fighting, smaller fish. Remember to check the bag and size limits of trout in our Sport Fishing Regulations Summary as they do change depending on which stream you are fishing.

Lingcod

Limits: 1 per day, 1 in possession; 30-35 inches or 55 inches and longer. There is an annual limit of 2 fish, 1 of which is 30-35 inches in length, and 1 that is 55 inches or greater in length, harvest record is required. Alaskan Resident bag and possession remain – 1 daily, 2 in possession, no size limit.

Rockfish

Rockfish regulations have remained in place since the last fishing season. Pelagic rockfish regulations remain the same with a daily bag limit of 5 and possession limit of 10 in the Petersburg, Wrangell, and Kake area. Slope and demersal shelf rockfish species both have a daily bag limit of one fish and possession limit of 2 for Alaska residents. Demersal shelf rockfish are closed to retention for nonresidents anglers and yelloweye are closed to retention for all anglers. A helpful species identification guide has been published on the ADFG website. Anglers are reminded that a rockfish release device is now required to be used whenever releasing rockfish and a rockfish release device must be onboard your vessel whenever sport fishing in marine waters.