Area Sport Fishing Reports
Haines/Skagway

Archived Sport Fishing Report

April 11, 2017

Spring fishing opportunities

Spring has arrived in Haines and Skagway, and Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout are actively feeding in the Chilkat, Chilkoot, and Taiya Rivers. Chum and coho salmon fry are emerging from the spawning beds. Bait is allowed when fishing in most waters in the area, but not in Chilkat Lake or Mosquito Lake or their inlet/outlet streams.

Pot fishing for Dungeness crab and shrimp is open year round in the Haines and Skagway area salt water.

Residents of Yukon Territory in Canada may purchase an annual Alaska sport fishing license for the same price that Alaska residents pay. However, Yukoners are not Alaska residents, and they must comply with the non-resident regulations such as number of shellfish pots, shellfish bag limits, and king salmon annual limits. The Yukoner license is available from license vendors in Whitehorse, Haines, and Skagway

Alaska residents under 18 years old do not need a sport fishing license. Non-Alaska residents under 16 years old do not need a sport fishing license.

Poor king salmon runs in 2017

King salmon sport fishing is closed in Chilkat Inlet now through July 15. Retention of king salmon will not be allowed in the remainder of Subdistrict 15-A (Haines and Skagway area) now through December 31, 2017. Please read the news release for details and a map of the Haines/Skagway area.

The 2017 king salmon run forecast is poor for the Chilkat River, and also for most other Southeast Alaska rivers, such as the Unuk, Taku, Alsek, and Situk Rivers. Sport, commercial, and subsistence fisheries will be restricted in 2017 to attain spawning escapement goals in these southeast Alaska rivers.

For more information about sport fishing in Haines and Skagway, call Area Biologist Richard Chapell at 907-766-3638.