Area Sport Fishing Reports
Juneau

Archived Sport Fishing Report

September 06, 2019

Marine Boat Fishing Reports

Coho and King

The coho salmon have arrived in Juneau. Anglers are having good luck catching coho both trolling and casting. Right now is the best time of year to go out and catch these aggressive salmon. The best areas to fish right now are the backside of Douglas or Admiralty from Pt. Retreat to Hawk Inlet. Closer to home the fishing in Gastineau Channel has been great. Anglers using bright green hoochies, flies or lures are having the best luck. Look for coho fishing to continue to be productive over the next several weeks as pink and chum fishing is on the decline. A few feeder kings were also reported last week as being harvested near Couverden. For the communities of Elfin Cove and Gustavus samplers are reporting a good number of coho salmon sampled last week.

If you do not have a boat but want to get in on the coho fishing action try fishing at Sheep Creek down Thane Road south of Juneau. Reports from shoreside anglers say that the fishing there right now is excellent. Try using a flying C lure in orange or green or rabbit strip flies in white and green and white and pink. Good luck and get out there and harvest these fish while you can. Everyone likes to have a full freezer going in to winter so get after it.

Bottomfish: Halibut, Sablefish, Lingcod & Rockfish

Halibut catches in the Juneau area were great last week. Folks seemed to be catching fish in the north Pass/Vanderbilt reef area. The backside of Douglas also had a few fish harvested and catch rates were better out in the Icy Strait/Cross Sound area as is typical for this time of year. Look for halibut fishing near Juneau to continue to be productive over the next few weeks as post spawn salmon start to become available as they flush out of their natal streams. Try fishing on humps located in Southern Lynn Canal and Stephens passage and look to target stream mouths after a good rainfall. At this time of year Juneau marine anglers should no longer have to travel as far to find halibut. A few other spots to try would be Marmion Island in South Douglas as well as the middle of Gastineau Channel south of Sheep Creek. Rockfish catches were decent over the last couple weeks and consisted mostly of Duskies, Quillbacks, Silver greys and Rougheyes, but fewer rockfish were reported since more anglers are now targeting coho salmon and halibut. A few Lingcod have also been reported from Cross Sound and Deer Harbor.

Creel samplers from the Department have completed the season in Elfin Cove and Gustavus but will continue to sample marine boat anglers at Juneau harbors through mid-September. ADF&G realizes that sometimes these creel interviews seem redundant, but weekly catch reporting is essential in collecting inseason harvest data. Thanks to all participating anglers: your patience and participation are vital to the Department, please continue to allow our samplers to check your fish and record this valuable catch, harvest, effort and biological information.

Other Shoreside Fishing Opportunities

Dolly Varden/cutthroat trout fishing

Trout and char fishing should be excellent this time of year as salmon eggs and salmon flesh are available in abundance right now in the local creeks. Try fishing egg patterns or salmon flesh patterns or small spinners and spoons in Salmon Creek, Sheep Creek, and Cowee Creek. For the best chance to catch a Dolly Varden clsoe to home on the Juneau roadside try fishing in Sheep Creek and Montana Creek. Since the trout and char are feeding voraciously on salmon eggs try using flies or small spinners and spoons in bright orange. Upper Montana Creek is another great place to catch Dolly Varden and trout. Try fishing the upper "canyon" section near the rifle range. Anglers should continue to use egg imitations and bright orange coloring over the next few weeks. In fact during salmon spawning season trout and char can be caught simply using a chunk of orange yarn on a hook. Anything that is bright orange and resembles a salmon egg should work well.

In all drainages crossed by the Juneau road system, as well as saltwaters 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 be sure to check the 2019 Southeast Alaska Sportfish Regulation Summary for special regulations specific to the stream or lake where they intend to fish. Several areas are closed to fishing and most in most areas only unbaited, artificial lures and flies may be used year-round, except for Fish Creek pond, Twin Lakes, and Salmon Creek Reservoir.

For additional information, or questions, please contact the Division of Sport Fish Region 1 office in Juneau at (907) 465-4270

Regulations

Coho Salmon

Marine Waters

  • The limit for all anglers is 6 per day and 12 in possession

Freshwater drainages crossed by the Juneau Road System

  • The limit for all anglers is 2 per day and 2 in possession

King Salmon in the marine waters near Juneau:

Alaska residents:

  • The bag and possession limit is TWO king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. No annual limit.

Nonresidents:

  • The nonresident bag and possession limit is ONE king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; annual limit of ONE king salmon and any king salmon harvested earlier in 2019 apply toward the one fish annual harvest limit.
  • Immediately upon retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

Archives

Juneau Area Archives for:
Oct 11, 2019 Sep 27, 2019 Sep 06, 2019 Aug 16, 2019 Aug 05, 2019 Jul 18, 2019 Jul 03, 2019 Jun 21, 2019
Jun 14, 2019 May 24, 2019 May 06, 2019 Apr 08, 2019

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