Area Sport Fishing Reports
Juneau

July 24, 2024

Salmon

Most of the Chinook salmon should have already migrated upstream, and we are really starting to see this reflected in the catch data; catches have significantly declined. However, there have been a few caught off the Breadline and on the backside of Douglas Island. The good news is that Coho salmon have started to show up! We are beginning to see a lot of success near the Breadline, with smaller numbers being caught off North Shelter, Lincoln Island, Pt. Retreat, and on the backside of Douglas Island.

The Chum salmon catch is slowly declining as they return to their natal streams to spawn. However, there are still small amounts being harvested near North Shelter, Lincoln Island, Pt. Retreat, and the Breadline. Additionally, we're noticing scattered small numbers of Pink salmon throughout the Juneau area, which is typical for an even year.

Marine boat anglers looking to go king salmon fishing in the Juneau area could troll using flashers, spoons, or herring rigs. Here are some recommendations on king salmon tackle and gear set-ups for both shoreside and marine boat anglers.

Juneau Hatchery Area Remains CLOSED

Please take a moment to view the Hatchery King Salmon Regulations map below. The area has been closed since June 24th. This closure is necessary to protect broodstock required for future production. The closures in the hatchery area and at Fish Creek Pond will aid in collecting broodstock to meet egg-take goals. Be sure to check this advisory announcement.

Auke Bay, Fritz Cove, Gastineau Channel

Within the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area consisting of the contiguous waters of Stephens Passage, Auke Bay, Fritz Cove and Gastineau Channel, enclosed on the west by a line running from the tip of Point Louisa to the navigational aid at the northern tip of Portland Island (58 ^o 21.13’N., 134 ^o 45.52’W) then along the eastern shore of Portland Island to its most southern point and ending on Douglas Island at the northern tip of Outer Point, and enclosed on the east by a line located approximately ¼ mile south of the Dupont dock and extending across Gastineau Channel between department markers (see attached map #1).

• Closed to king salmon fishing, king salmon may not be targeted or retained.

Macaulay Hatchery

The salt waters of Gastineau Channel within a 300-yard radius of the Wayside Park Fishing Dock (Channel Wayside fishing dock – see attached map #1 insert).

• Closed to king salmon fishing and snagging for all species.

King salmon returning to the Douglas Island Pink and Chum, Inc. Macaulay Salmon Hatchery are not expected to meet broodstock goals this year. The return of hatchery produced king salmon to Juneau waters appears to be low based on the number of tag recoveries to date. Therefore, these closures are necessary to protect broodstock needed for future production.

King salmon fishing in Lena Cove remains open:

• The daily bag and possession limit is four king salmon of any size;
• King salmon harvested by nonresidents in this area do not count toward their annual limit.

Fish Creek Pond Remains CLOSED To All Sport Fishing

King salmon returning to Fish Creek Pond will be used to supplement what is returning to the hatchery. Both sources will be needed to achieve broodstock goals to maintain future production. This sport fishing closure will allow fish to gather and remain in the pond undisturbed. At the end of July, king salmon in the pond will be captured and used to help achieve broodstock needs.

• Closed to sport fishing for all species

Link to emergency orders

Southeast Regionwide King Salmon Sport Fishing Regulations - (Outside of the Hatchery Areas)

Alaskan resident:

• The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;

Nonresident:

• The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• July 16^th – December 31^st, the nonresident annual harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 15 will apply towards the one fish annual harvest limit;
• Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon, a nonresident must enter the species, date, and location on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record;

Other Summer Fishing Opportunities

Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout Fishing

In mid-summer, Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout start migrating into local creeks, trailing adult salmon to their spawning grounds in search of salmon eggs to feed on. The most effective methods for catching these fish are using egg patterns, small spinners, or spoons. Don't forget to visit Go Fish AK and explore the interactive map to identify the species you're interested in fishing for.

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 2024 Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary or special regulations specific to the stream or lake they intend to fish.

Halibut

Since we're now fully in halibut season, we've noticed a significant uptick in catches over the past two weeks. Recent reports show the most successful catches off North Shelter and Lincoln Island. Fishing grounds around Benjamin Island are producing well too, as well as the backside of Douglas near Horse and Colt Islands, Pt. Retreat, Pt. Howard and Couverden Rocks, Hoonah-Icy Strait Point and around Homeshore.

It's important to note that halibut fishing is federally managed. For detailed information on sport fishing regulations and guidelines for charter (guided) vs unguided halibut regulations in Southeast Alaska, please visit NOAA’s website.

Lingcod

Recent reports show lingcod activity picking up at Cape Cross and Deer Harbor. These spots are worth a try if you're looking to land a few.

Residents:

• Season: May 16 – November 30
• 1 per day, 2 in possession, no size limit

Nonresidents:

• Season: May16 – June 14 and August 1 – November 30
• 1 per day, 1 in possession
• 30-35 inches or 55 inches and longer
• Annual limit of 2 fish
• One of which is 30-35 inches in length and one that is 55 inches or greater in length
• Harvest record is required

Rockfish

Since halibut season is now in full swing, we typically see a rise in rockfish harvests. Around the Juneau area, anglers are harvesting rockfish primarily in the waters near North Shelter, Lincoln Island, Benjamin Island, and St. James Bay. The catch is beginning to include a variety of rockfish species such as Dusky, Silvergray, and Quillback, with occasional finds of Rougheye, and Dark rockfish.

Deepwater release devices are mandatory for all saltwater vessels. All vessels must have at least one functional deepwater release mechanism on board and readily available for use when sport fishing activities are taking place regardless of species targeted.

All rockfish not retained must be released at the depth they were caught or 100 feet, whichever is shallower.

Please visit our link to view deep water release device examples and tips and how these mechanisms are a helpful tool for conservation.

Pelagic Rockfish

All anglers: 5 per day, 10 in possession, no size limit.

Pelagic rockfish include, Black, Dark, Deacon, Dusky, Widow and Yellowtail rockfish.

Nonpelagic rockfish (demersal shelf & and slope rockfish)

Demersal shelf rockfish

• All anglers: Yelloweye may NOT be retained!
• Alaska residents: 1 per day, 2 in possession, no size limit.
• Nonresidents: Demersal shelf rockfish may NOT be retained.
• Demersal shelf rockfish include, Canary, China, Copper, Quillback, Rosethorn, Tiger and Yelloweye rockfish.

Slope rockfish

• All anglers: 1 per day, 2 in possession, no size limit.
• Slope nonpelagic rockfish include, Blackgill, Blackspotted, Blue, Bocaccio, Brown, Chilipepper, Darkblotched, Greenstriped, Harlequin, Northern, Pacific Ocean Perch, PugetSound, Pygmy, Redstripe, Redbanded, Rougheye, Sharpchin, Shortbelly, Shortraker, Silvergray, Splitnose, Stripetail, Vermilion, and Yellowmouth.

All rockfish species listed and not listed may be found here.

Shellfish Harvesting

King Crab

Personal use red and blue king crab fishing opened on July 1st, exclusively for Alaskan residents. To participate, anglers must hold a valid sport fishing license along with a Southeast Alaska Regional Personal Use King Crab Permit. These are available at the ADF&G online store. Please check for Personal Use Emergency Orders, legal-size and pot configurations, and restrictions online. Section 11-A is currently CLOSED to Alaskan resident PU king crab fishing. Stay tuned for the Juneau area PU announcement in late July or early August using the link above. Harvest must be reported online. Please check the 2024 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet pages 33-36 for regulations specific to shellfish.

Dungeness and Tanner Crab

For Alaskan residents in the Juneau area, licensed anglers can keep 20 Dungeness males, a 6.5" minimum carapace width. While taking Dungeness crab, 5 pots or 10 rings per person may be used, with a max of 10 pots or 20 rings per vessel. Tanner crab are also open with a limit of 30 males with a minimum size of carapace width of 5.5-inches.While taking Tanner crab, no more than 4 pots or 10 rings per vessel may be used. In total, no more than 5 pots per person and 10 pots per vessel may be used for taking shellfish regardless of pot type.

For nonresidents in the Juneau area, licensed anglers can keep 3 male Tanner and Dungeness crab (in combination). Tanner males need to be 5.5" minimum width and Dungeness males need to be 6.5" minimum width.

Shrimp

Sport and personal use shrimp fisheries in the Juneau and Tenakee area will remain CLOSED until further notice. The closed area consists of all marine waters of Section 11-A north and west of a line extending from a regulatory marker near point Bishop to the Coast Guard marker and light on Point Arden, extending to a line at the latitude of Little Island light, and east of a line from Little Island light to Point Retreat light. And the Tenakee closed area consists of all marine waters in Tenakee Inlet west of the longitude of Corner Point at 135° 06.50' W long. Check the Sport and Personal Use Advisory Announcement,

Outside the Juneau 11-A and Tenakee Inlet areas, sport and personal use shrimp fishing remains open. Sport and personal use shrimpers who have a valid sport fishing license must also have a free shrimp permit available on the ADF&G online store. Participating anglers must sign their permit in ink to make it valid and have the permit in possession while taking shrimp in Southeast Alaska. Shrimp limits and gear requirements for sport and personal use shrimp fishing cab be found on pages 33-36 of the 2024 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary. Reporting of effort and harvest is required and must be submitted to the department even if you did not fish.

Clams

ADF&G does not recommend harvesting clams from any waters in the Juneau area due to the possibility that the clams may contain Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins. Currently, no beaches in the Juneau area are monitored on a regular basis (i.e- "certified") for PSP toxins. If you harvest, you do so at your own risk of PSP poisoning. Sporadic sampling has been conducted by the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research (SEATOR) project, but clams of any species and at any time during the year may still contain toxic levels of PSP. Please navigate to the following Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) web page for more information about PSP.

Interactive Fishing Location Maps

NEW! Check out the wefishak page on the ADF&G website for the new Juneau-Glacier Bay Interactive Map to discover popular fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat and angler access tips through the Sport Fish gofishak application.