Area Sport Fishing Reports
Petersburg

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 17, 2018

King Salmon

King salmon is now open to harvest in all marine waters in the Petersburg and Wrangell area. The following regulations apply unless you are fishing in hatchery terminal areas where more liberal regulations apply.

• The bag and possession limit (residents and nonresidents) is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
• For nonresidents the annual harvest limit is now one king salmon, nonresident anglers are reminded to record their king salmon harvest on the back of their fishing license or harvest record card.

Hatchery king salmon areas at City Creek and Blind Slough/Wrangell Narrows

Special king salmon regulations apply in the Blind Slough-Wrangell Narrows terminal area and the City Creek release site, where Alaska hatchery king salmon are returning. Anglers are reporting good catch rates in Blind Slough as more fish have moved into the freshwater in the vicinity of the Blind River Rapids. Anglers can expect another two weeks of good catch rates as king salmon are beginning to move upstream towards the hatchery.

In the City Creek release site, anglers are reporting success although the returns to this area are expected to be much smaller than the 2017 season. For more information on the bag and possession limits and a map of the area boundaries, please see the news release issued May 22, 2018.

Coho Salmon

Summer run coho salmon are now being intercepted in the sport fishery especially around northern Prince of Wales island (Snow Pass and Sumner Strait). Anglers can expect to see catch rates increase as the summer progresses with peak marine catch rates occurring in August.

Shrimp

NEW - Anglers are now required to obtain a free permit for sport, personal use, and subsistence shrimp harvest beginning Monday June 25, 2018. Print your own permit online at the ADF&G store or stop in at your local ADF&G office. This new permit requires anglers to report their harvest of shrimp and will allow ADF&G to collect more accurate shrimp harvest information from all noncommercial harvesters.

Halibut

Halibut catch rates are increasing in local marine waters with many anglers reporting successful fishing trips. Halibut catch rates typically increase as the summer progresses.

Dolly Varden and Cutthroat Trout

This is an excellent time to target Dolly Varden and Cutthroat trout in nearshore marine waters. These species often feed along nearshore marine environments as juvenile salmon exit their freshwater habitat and utilize nearshore habitat in their first months at sea. Freshwater fishing for cutthroat and Dolly Varden can also be excellent this time of year as water temperatures are warming and fish are active. Try fishing along cutbanks, confluences, pools and around large woody debri for fast paced action.