Area Sport Fishing Reports
Juneau

August 28, 2024

Retention of King Salmon is Prohibited in Southeast Alaska

The retention of king salmon is prohibited for sport anglers in Southeast Alaska salt waters. King salmon may not be retained or possessed, any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed. These regulations will be in effect through September 30, 2024. The king salmon sport fishery will reopen on October 1, 2024 for the winter season, a future announcement will be issued in late September.

Coho Salmon

We've seen a few small bursts of coho salmon activity over the past month, but it looks like they’re finally starting to show up in good numbers! Anglers are having the most success near Pt. Retreat, North Shelter, Lincoln Island, Funter Bay, and the backside of Douglas Island. Catches are fairly consistent throughout the region, so there are still opportunities for a successful outing at various other spots. For those fishing from shore, try Sheep Creek; success should improve there and throughout Gastineau Channel and continue to get better over the next few weeks. The hatchery coho return is projected to be pretty strong so anglers should find success throughout the next few weeks.

Freshwater Coho Fishing CLOSED in Peterson Creek and Montana Creek beginning September 1

• The waters of Montana Creek, including McGinnis Creek, are CLOSED to coho salmon fishing. Coho salmon may not be targeted, retained, or possessed.
• The waters of Peterson Creek, including Peterson Lagoon, from intertidal waters within a 200-yard radius of the creek mouth at salt water to the falls approximately 1.5 miles upstream are CLOSED to coho salmon fishing. Coho salmon may not be targeted, retained, or possessed.

Link to emergency orders

Other Fishing Opportunities

Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout Fishing

In late summer and early fall, Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout migrate into local creeks, following adult salmon to their spawning grounds in search of salmon eggs and decaying fish 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

Halibut fishing has been excellent in recent weeks, with steady catches reported across various locations. Anglers are finding the most success off North Shelter, Lincoln Island, Benjamin Island, Point Howard, Couverden Rocks, and throughout the Breadline. These areas are consistently yielding impressive results, so if you're planning a trip, these spots are your best bet for a successful haul.

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.

Sablefish (Black Cod)

A few sablefish have been harvested around Pt. Retreat and Benjamin Island. Although these fish are often found at great depths, the effort required is definitely worth the reward.

Residents:

• 4 per day, 4 in possession, no size limit.

Nonresidents:

• 4 per day, 4 in possession, no size limit. There is a 8 fish annual limit, harvest record is required.

Lingcod

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

Rockfish harvests have remained consistent over the past few weeks. In the Juneau area, anglers are primarily catching rockfish near North Shelter, Lincoln Island, Pt. Retreat, NW Icy Point, Benjamin Island, and Funter Bay. While the majority of the catch consists of Dusky rockfish, a variety of other species are also being caught, including Silvergray and Quillback rockfish, with occasional finds of Rougheye 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. 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.