Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 31, 2017

General Area Description: includes all waters between Cape Fairfield and Cape Suckling.

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

• CORDOVA STREAMS crossing the Copper River Highway from Eyak River to the Million Dollar Bridge: Once you reach your daily limit of coho salmon (3 fish) between August 15 – September 15, you may not fish with bait in any of these streams for the remainder of the day. A coho salmon that is removed from the water must be retained and becomes part of the daily bag limit of the person who originally hooked the fish. A person may not remove a coho (silvers) salmon from the water before releasing it.
• From June 1 – September 30: Cordova Terminal Harvest Area is closed to snagging. On the Eyak River only single-hook, artificial flies with a hook gap of 3/8 inch or less between point and shank are allowed from a point 200 yards upstream of Eyak Lake dam and to a point 200 yards downstream from the bridge at the outlet of Eyak Lake. No additional weight may be attached to the line when fishing in this area.
• Ibeck Creek is closed to all sport fishing upstream from a point 3 miles above the Copper River Highway.
• Power Creek and Eyak Lake in Cordova are CLOSED to salmon fishing year-round.
• Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing is OPEN. Anglers are reminded to check the Prince William Sound regulations on the legal size limit for retained trout in the area they are fishing.
• Per Emergency Order No. 2-SHR-6-11-17: the number of shrimp pots allowed to harvest shrimp in Prince William Sound was reduced from five pots per person with a maximum of five pots per vessel, to four pots per person with a maximum of four pots per vessel.
• The non-commercial Prince William Sound shrimp fishery closes on September 15, 2017. Please send in your harvest record or report it online if you are done shrimping for the year.
• Lingcod season opened July 1. Daily limit is two per day, two in possession, and minimum 35 inches long with head attached or 28 inches with head removed. A gaff may not be used to puncture the fish if the intent is to release it.

Freshwaters

Salmon

• Water is high at all Cordova area streams with the large amounts of recent rainfall.
• Coho salmon fishing has been good on the lower portions of the Eyak River, but water levels have been fluctuating with the rain. LOTS of rain just hit so more fish will be pushing, but catching them will be difficult with the high water. Bait will continue to be the better option when water is murky and high (a boat is helpful too!).
• Ibeck Creek is starting to see more fish showing up. They come in pulses and early morning anglers are still having the best luck. After the rain subsides go upstream where the water becomes clearer and fishable sooner than later after the rain. Right now there are fewer fishing spots near the highway bridge due to the high water levels.
• Alaganik Slough has been producing a few fish and this should start to improve after the influx of rain. Anglers fishing downstream with bait have been the most successful.
• There are still lots of pinks in the Fleming Spit Lagoon. A silver can be found mixed in with them every once in a while. Fishing should continue to pick up on the saltwater side of the road for silvers this week. This will be your best bet to catch a silver in Cordova when water levels are high. Remember – no snagging on either side of the terminal harvest area!

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Cutthroat and rainbow/steelhead trout fishing in the Cordova area opened June 15. Pipeline Lake makes for a great family outing to catch cutthroat.
• Dolly Varden are present in many of the streams throughout Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta. Try egg patterns near spawning salmon or fry/smolt imitation flies or small spinners at lake outlets or stream confluences.
• Don’t forget to try Ruth Pond or Blueberry Lake in Valdez for some fun catchable sized rainbow trout action.

Saltwaters

Salmon

• Top fish in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby are all over 14 lbs. The weekend anglers brought in two fish to take over the 2nd and 3rd place positions. The derby ends on September 3rd.
• Pinks and a few silvers salmon are being caught at Fleming Spit from the shore.
• Anglers who made it out had some success outside of Main Bay and the Crafton Island area. Passage Canal fishing is improving as well. If the weather holds silver fishing in Passage Canal and just outside the harbor could be good this coming weekend.
• Fishing around the Sound is easier when there are not commercial openers happening…. check here to get updates on when those are happening.
• Pink and silver fishing is good around Valdez. Fish are being caught around Allison Point and the harbors.
• Reminder: Whittier harbor is closed to snagging.

Halibut, Lingcod, and Rockfish

• Few lingcod are being reported. Weather has been a limiting factor.
• Halibut are federally managed by NOAA. Make sure you know the regulations! Unguided and guided anglers have different rules to follow.
• Some smaller fish were caught in the derby over the last few days. Weather has been making it difficult to get out to a lot of places in the Sound.
• Rockfish can be caught year round throughout Prince William Sound. Bag limits starting May 1 – September 15, are four per day, eight in possession of which only two may be non-pelagic.

Fishing Tip: Brush up on your rockfish identification before you head out by reviewing page 90 of the 2017 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.

REMEMBER if you are targeting multiple species, target rockfish last and use a deepwater release mechanism on all released rockfish. These devices can turn the chance of survival for a rockfish from near zero to near 100%! Never heard of deepwater release for rockfish??? For details, see the ADF&G Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage.

Shellfish

• Two weeks of shrimping left!! Make sure you plan around the weather to get your pots out for the season. You will be cited if your pots are still in the water after the season closes.
• You are encouraged to get your permit online but you must have a printed and signed copy with you while fishing. Permit needs to be in possession as you are shrimping and harvest needs to be reported before your catch is concealed.
• Don’t forget you can report your harvest online during the season at any time! If you are done shrimping for the season, go ahead and submit your harvest report now. Remember your harvest report is due by October 15.
•  If you believe your pots were stolen, MAKE SURE YOU NOTIFY THE TROOPERS! They keep a log of who has reported missing gear and if they find it, there is a good chance you could get it returned.