Area Sport Fishing Reports
Sitka
Archived Sport Fishing Report
May 14, 2020
An excellent resource for planning a trip to Sitka is the gofishak interactive map which provides information on fishing locations, species run timing, fishing gear and angler access.
For further information, please feel free to contact the Sitka Area sportfish management staff at (907) 747-5355.
King Salmon
Fishing has been good for the last few weeks and should continue to get better. Vitskari Rocks has been a hot spot, but kings have been caught in several areas of Sitka Sound.
Halibut
Halibut fishing has started to pick up as well.
Lingcod
Fishing for Lingcod is closed but will open on May 16th.
Rockfish
A helpful flier is available on the Fish and Game website for identifying common rockfish of the Sitka Area.
As of January 1, 2020 all sport fishing vessels are required to have at least one functional deep water release device (regardless of species targeted) and anglers will be REQUIRED to use a deep water 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
The retention of demersal shelf rockfish is prohibited during 2020.
- No retention of demersal shelf rockfish which are the following species: yelloweye, quillback, copper, canary, china, tiger and rosethorn rockfish.
Slope Rockfish
Some slope rockfish are common in marine waters surrounding Sitka. The most common species are: silvergrey, rougheye, shortraker, vermillion and redbanded rockfish.
- One per day; one in possession
Pelagic Rockfish
Pelagic rockfish provide good fishing in the marine waters surrounding Sitka.
- Season: year round
- Residents - five per day; ten in possession
- Nonresidents fishing in CSEO (See p. 23 in 2020 regulatory summary for map) - three per day; six in possession
Freshwater Fisheries:
Dolly Varden and Rainbow/Cutthroat Trout
Dolly Varden and trout can be targeted year-round. Sitka proper has a few streams and lakes that have resident species available such as Indian River, Thimbleberry lake and Heart Lake. Fishing for Dollies is especially good right now especially at the outlets of streams where they congregate to feed on outmigrating fry. Try using spinners, spoons, or flies mimicking juvenile salmon, leeches, or eggs/flesh.
Steelhead
Late April and early May are the prime times to find steelhead in many drainages in the Sitka Area. Fishing can still be good, but is likely dropping off at this point. Local rainages with steelhead include but are not limited to the: Salmon Lake, Sawmill Creek, Lake Eva, Sitkoh Creek, Ford Arm, Polotnikof and Politofksi.