Area Sport Fishing Reports
Ketchikan

September 7, 2023

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.

King Salmon

Marine anglers are still finding a few kings around Duke Island, Clover Pass and Gravina.

As of August 15, regional bag and possession limits for king salmon apply in the Ketchikan area marine waters. King salmon may be retained in West Behm Canal, Southeast Behm Canal, and Southern Revillagigedo Island. North and Northeast Behm Canal remain closed year-round.

Regional king salmon regulations:

Alaskan Resident

• The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• From October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024 a sport angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this regulation may only retain salmon.

Nonresident

• The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• From January 1 through June 30, the nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• From July 1 through July 15, the nonresident annual harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply towards the two fish annual 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.

North and Northeast Behm Canal

Salmon fishing is closed year-round in Behm Canal and the contiguous bays enclosed to the north by a line from the western entrance of Bailey Bay to the northern tip of Hassler Island and a line from Fin Point to Dress Point to a line from Cactus Point to Point Eva.

Coho Salmon and Pink Salmon

Coho fishing is picking up as fall coho move into the area. Coho were primarily harvested from Duke Island, Cape Chacon, Alava, Clover Pass, Mountain Point and Gravina.

Roadside anglers can find good marine shoreline angling for coho at Herring Bay. There are plenty of pink salmon in local streams. If you are on the road system, try Ward Creek and Ketchikan Creek.

Herring Cove Creek is OPEN to sport fishing downstream of the bridge to the ADF&G markers. Upstream of the bridge is closed to sport fishing.

• The fishing season is August 10 - December 31.
• Coho, pink and chum salmon limits (in combination):
  • 2 per day, 2 in possession, 16 inches or longer.

Ketchikan Creek is OPEN to sport fishing for all species including king salmon.

• Coho, pink, and chum salmon (in combination):
  • 2 per day, 2 in possession, 16 inches or longer.
• King salmon: 2 per day, 2 in possession, any size.
• King salmon harvested in Ketchikan Creek do not count towards the nonresident annual limit.
• Bait prohibited, only unbaited, single hook artificial lures or flies may be used year-round.

Ward Creek

• Coho, pink and chum salmon limits (in combination):
  • 2 per day, 2 in possession, 16 inches or longer.
• Bait prohibited, only unbaited, single hook artificial lures or flies may be used year-round.

Rockfish

Rockfish can be caught year-round. A helpful webpage is available on the Fish and Game website to assist anglers with identification.

All sport fishing vessels are required to have at least one functional deepwater release device (regardless of species targeted) and anglers are REQUIRED to use a deepwater release device to release rockfish to the depth it was hooked or to a depth of at least 100 feet. Please see the Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary or visit your local ADF&G office to see examples of rockfish release devices and learn about their use.

Demersal Shelf Rockfish

Demersal shelf rockfish are the following species: Yelloweye, Quillback, Copper, Canary, China, Tiger, and Rosethorn rockfish.

The retention of demersal shelf rockfish is now open for residents of Alaska with a daily bag limit of one per day, one in possession. Retention of Yelloweye rockfish is prohibited.

Demersal shelf rockfish are closed to harvest for nonresidents.

Slope Rockfish

Some slope rockfish are common in marine waters surrounding Ketchikan. The most common species are silvergray, rougheye, shortraker, and vermilion rockfish.

One per day; one in possession.

Pelagic Rockfish

Five per day; ten in possession.

Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout

There are a few good opportunities to target rainbow and cutthroat trout along the road system. Anglers targeting trout may want to try Ward Lake, Talbot Lake, Harriet Hunt Lake, Ketchikan Creek, or the various lakes on Gravina Island.

Be sure to check the 2023 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations. The Ketchikan Area Freshwater Special Regulations can be found on pages 30-32. Regulations vary depending on the waters you plan to fish.