Area Sport Fishing Reports
Ketchikan

September 5, 2025

Salmon

Coho fishing has been hit-or-miss around the Ketchikan area recently. Expect the fishing to improve and peak during the second to third week of September. Productive areas include the backside of Gravina Island, Clover Pass, and Cape Chacon.

Shoreside anglers can find good coho fishing in Herring Bay. Herring Creek, from the bridge downstream to the green markers, opened on August 10. The daily bag and possession limit in Herring Creek is two salmon in combination, which may include coho, pink, and chum. Beyond the green markers in marine waters the bag limit for coho is six.

Halibut

Halibut fishing remained good through the month of August. Productive areas include Duke Island, Percy Islands, and Cape Chacon.

Lingcod

Lingcod fishing has been good.

• Residents: one fish per day; two in possession; no size limit.
• Nonresidents: one fish per day, one in possession, size limit 30 – 35 inches in length or 55 inches or greater in length. Annual limit of two fish, one of which is 30 to 35 inches in length, one of which is 55 inches or greater in length, a harvest record is required.

Rockfish

Rockfish can be caught year-round. Stop by the Fish & Game office or visit the website for resources on identifying rockfish species. All sportfishing vessels are required to have at least one deep water release device on board.

Slope Rockfish

• Resident and nonresident anglers:
  • Daily bag limit of one fish; possession limit of two fish; no annual limit

Demersal Shelf Rockfish

Demersal shelf rockfish are the following species: yelloweye, quillback, canary, China, copper, tiger, and rosethorn.

• Resident anglers: Daily bag limit of one fish including yelloweye; possession limit of two fish; no annual limit.
• Nonresident anglers: Season is closed.

Pelagic Rockfish

Pelagic rockfish species include black, dark, dusky, widow, and yellowtail.

• All anglers: three per day; six in possession.

Trout and Dolly Varden

Trout and Dolly Varden fishing has been slow due to the low water levels and warmer water temperatures. Expect the fishing to get better during the next round of rain. When fishing lakes, concentrate your efforts near the inlet and outlet, where fish tend to congregate. As salmon are spawning in the creeks and rivers trout tend to stack up behind the salmon, feeding on eggs flowing downstream.

ADF&G creel technicians are on the docks interviewing anglers, participation is important and only takes a couple of minutes. During an interview, creel samplers will ask a few short questions about your fishing trip and collect biological data from the fish harvested. The data collected through this program is essential for the sustainable management of sport fisheries, guiding management decisions to ensure fishing and harvest opportunities are maintained for the future.

An excellent resource for planning a trip is the gofishak interactive map for Ketchikan which provides information on popular fishing locations, species run timing, fishing gear selections and boat and angler access.