Area Sport Fishing Reports
Juneau

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 05, 2018

Retention of King Salmon prohibited in the Juneau Area through June 14th

In the marine waters in the Juneau Area (the northern portion of District 9, District 10, Sections 11-A, 11-B, 11-C, District 12, southeast portion of Section 13-C, Sections 14-B and 14-C, and District 15 south of the latitude of Sherman Rock:

• Retention of king salmon is prohibited from April 1, 2018 through June 14, 2018, any king salmon caught must be released immediately
• The waters of Seymour Canal near King Salmon River (Section 11-D), are closed to king salmon fishing from April 1 through June 30, 2018.

Taku River king salmon, like other Southeast Alaska king salmon stocks, are experiencing a period of low productivity. The 2018 preseason forecast for Taku River king salmon terminal run is 4,700 large fish. This level of abundance is below spawning escapement goal range (19,000–36,000 large fish) and below the management target of 27,500 Taku River king salmon (the midpoint of the spawning escapement goal range). Given the projected low abundance of Taku River king salmon, this action is being taken to conserve Taku River king salmon by restricting sport fisheries in the Juneau area.

Sport Fishing Emergency Orders and News Releases with relevant maps and bag and possession limits can be found at: www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/EONR/index.cfm

King Salmon Sport Fishing Regulations (saltwater) Outside of the Juneau Closed Area

• The bag and possession limit (resident and nonresident) is ONE king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• For nonresidents, annual harvest limits and recording requirements apply as follows

From January 1 through June 30, the annual limit is THREE king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;

From July 1 through December 31, the annual limit is ONE king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the one fish annual limit;

• Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or harvest record.

Conservative king salmon regulations for the Haines, Skagway, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell and Ketchikan areas, are still in effect in order to protect wild Alaska king salmon stocks.

Sport fishing for king salmon opens in hatchery areas near Juneau - June 15

The hatchery king salmon regulations in the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area will be in effect from 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 15 through 11:59 p.m. Friday, August 31, 2018. These new regulations are as follows:

• The daily bag and possession limit is TWO king salmon of any size;
• King salmon harvested by nonresidents in the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area do not count toward their annual limit.

The department is liberalizing sport fishing regulations in the designated hatchery sport harvest area due to the number of returning hatchery fish exceeding brood stock needs for the hatchery program.

Other Spring Fishing Opportunities

Dolly Varden/cutthroat trout fishing

Anadromous Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout are beginning to move into saltwater and will congregate at the mouths of local creeks such as Salmon Creek, Sheep Creek, and Cowee Creek to feed on these emigrating salmon smolts. Using small smolt imitation fly patterns or small spinners and spoons is the best way to catch these fish.

There will also be some fish that do not leave their “over wintering” sites and head for the ocean. Known as “residents”, these fish stay in their home lake, pond, or stream the entire year. While these fish may move around in the system to take advantage of food or environmental conditions, they will be present for your fishing pleasure all year.

In all drainages crossed by the Juneau road system, as well as the saltwater adjacent to the Juneau road system to a line ¼ mile offshore, cutthroat and rainbow trout bag limits (in combination) are:

• 2 daily, 2 in possession with a 14 inch minimum and 22 inch maximum size limit.
• Dolly Varden limits are 2 daily, 2 in possession, no size limit.

Anglers should check the 2018 Southeast Alaska Sportfish Regulation Summary for special regulations specific to the stream or lake they intend to fish.