Area Sport Fishing Reports
Haines/Skagway
Archived Sport Fishing Report
July 06, 2017
Summer fishing opportunities
Sockeye (aka "red") salmon runs are off to a slow start in the Chilkoot and Chilkat Rivers. The Chilkat lake weir sockeye salmon escapement count is on track to meet the goal range.
The water in the Chilkat River, Taiya River, and other glacial-sourced streams is turbid with glacial silt in the summer. The Chilkoot River water is clearer than other area rivers. For sockeye salmon fishing gear and technique tips, watch "How to Fish for Klutina River Reds" on Vimeo or YouTube starting at the 3:00 minute mark.
Pink salmon runs are strong so far in Haines and Skagway waters. There have been early reports of some very large pink salmon landed. Pinks can be caught in fresh water and from salt water beaches.
Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout are feeding in clear water tributaries, and in salt water in upper Lynn Canal. Bait is allowed when fishing in most waters in the Haines/Skagway area, except bait is not allowed when fishing in Chilkat Lake, Mosquito Lake, or their inlet and 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, so they must comply with the non-resident regulations such as number of shellfish pots, shellfish bag limits, and king salmon bag and 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.
For Alaska residents only, the southeast Alaska red and blue king crab personal use fishery is open July 1 through March 31. In the Haines/Skagway area, the bag and possession limit is 1 legal size male crab.
Poor king salmon runs in 2017
The 2017 king salmon runs are weak in the Chilkat River and other southeast Alaska rivers, such as the Unuk, Stikine, Taku, Alsek, and Situk Rivers. Sport, commercial, and subsistence fisheries have been restricted in 2017 to attain spawning escapement goals in these rivers.
Retention of king salmon is not allowed in 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.
For more information about sport fishing in Haines and Skagway, call Area Biologist Richard Chapell at 907-766-3638.