Area Sport Fishing Reports
Juneau

August 21, 2026

King Salmon

King salmon fishing has slowed considerably as we move into late August. Most king salmon currently being caught are feeder kings, with the best success reported behind Douglas Island and around Piling Point. Anglers targeting feeder kings may want to focus their efforts in deeper water.

Within the Juneau Terminal Harvest Area (THA), the liberalized king salmon regulations remain in effect through August 31, 2026. The daily bag and possession limit is four king salmon of any size. King salmon harvested by nonresidents within the THA do not count toward their annual king salmon harvest limit. Beginning September 1, anglers fishing within the THA will return to the regional king salmon regulations in effect for Southeast Alaska.

Anglers are reminded that the Macaulay Hatchery Area is closed to snagging and king salmon fishing through August 31, 2026. Any king salmon caught while fishing for other species must be released immediately and unharmed.

Updated Southeast Alaska King Salmon Regulations: Effective through September 30, 2026, the following regulations apply throughout Southeast Alaska marine waters:

Nonresident anglers:

• The daily bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• The annual harvest limit is four king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon, nonresident anglers must record the species, date, and location on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

Alaska residents fishing in state waters:

• The daily bag and possession limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• There is no annual harvest limit for resident anglers in state waters.

Anglers are encouraged to review current advisory announcements and emergency orders for area maps, regulations, and any updates before heading out on the water.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon fishing continues to pick up around the Juneau area as more fish move into inside waters. Anglers have been finding the best success around Point Retreat and False Retreat, the backside of Douglas Island, North Shelter and the Lincoln Islands, and South Shelter Island. Fishing should continue to improve as we move into late August.

This year's hatchery coho return is projected to be lower than average as a result of reduced production following the 2020 landslide that damaged the Macaulay Hatchery water intake pipe. This is expected to be the final year that hatchery returns are affected by that event.

Other Fishing Opportunities

Dolly Varden and Cutthroat Trout Fishing

Summer can provide excellent opportunities for Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout anglers throughout the Juneau area. These fish are now entering local streams by following the spawning salmon to feed on their eggs as they spawn. Using egg imitation flies or small orange spoons, and spinners are all effective options for targeting these fish in local streams. Try concentrating your fishing effort by fishing just below spawning salmon.

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 2026 Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary or special regulations specific to the stream or lake they intend to fish.

Halibut

Halibut fishing continues to be productive throughout the Juneau area. The majority of the harvest continues to come from the North Shelter–Lincoln Islands area, with anglers also finding success around Berners Bay/Echo Cove, Lizard Head Reef and Hawk Inlet, and St. James Bay.

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.

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.

Rockfish fishing remains productive throughout the Juneau area, with the highest catches reported around North Shelter–Lincoln Islands, Couverden, Point Sophia, and Hoonah–Icy Strait Point.

Dusky rockfish made up the largest portion of the observed rockfish harvest, followed by Silvergray and Quillback rockfish. A variety of other rockfish species are also being caught throughout the area.

Anglers are reminded to carefully identify their catch and be familiar with current rockfish regulations before heading out, as regulations vary by species.

Pelagic Rockfish

• All anglers: 3 per day, 6 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 (yelloweye, quillback, tiger, China, canary, copper and rosethorn rockfish)

  • Alaska residents: 1 per day, 2 in possession, no size limit.
  • Nonresidents:
    • Season: July 1 – August 25;
    • 1 daily, 1 in possession, annual limit of ONE fish.
    • Immediately upon landing and retaining a demersal shelf rockfish, a nonresident must enter the species, date and location on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

• 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.

Not all rockfish species found in Alaska are listed above. For a complete list of species you may encounter in Alaska, please visit our website.

Shellfish Harvesting

King Crab

Personal use red and blue king crab fishing is currently open for Alaska residents, including within Section 11-A. The Section 11-A fishery will close at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, August 24, 2026.

To participate, anglers must hold a valid sport fishing license along with the appropriate personal use king crab permit for the area they plan to fish. These are available at the ADF&G online store. Please check for Personal Use Emergency Orders, legal-size and pot configurations, and restrictions online. Harvest must be reported online. Please check the 2026 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet pages 40-45 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 ½" minimum 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. 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 ½" minimum width and Dungeness males need to be 6 ½" minimum width.

Please note: Tanner crab will be closed to sport and personal use fishing from June 16 through June 30, 2026, and will reopen on July 1, 2026.

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 40-45 of the 2026 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

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.