Area Sport Fishing Reports
North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 16, 2018

General Area Description: includes salt waters within 200 miles of shore from the longitude of Gore Point to the longitude of Cape Fairfield. All fresh waters between Gore Point and Cape Fairfield.

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

Emergency Order

  • There are currently no Emergency Orders in effect for the North Gulf Coast Area

Regulation Reminders

  • Dipnetting for hooligan is closed. Hooligan will repen next spring, April 1, 2019. 
  • The personal use season for shrimp fishing with pot gear in North Gulf Coast area waters is open. A North Gulf Coast shrimp permit is required to participate in this fishery. This permit is different than the Prince William Sound Shrimp Permit and is NOT available online.
  • Lingcod fishing is open, except within Resurrection Bay, which is closed. The bag and possession limit is ONE per day, ONE in possession, must be 35 inches long with head attached or 28 inches from tip of tail to front of dorsal fin with head removed.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

  • Halibut are federally managed by NOAA. Make sure you know the regulations! Unguided and guided anglers have different rules to follow. A more extensive description of the Federal Regulations can be found on the NOAA Fisheries Sport Halibut Fishing in Alaska webpage.
  • Halibut fishing in the North Gulf Coast continues to be good! Boats that are headed out further are reporting better success. Nice sized fish are being caught by those fishing outside Resurrection Bay. When fishing closer to town try drop offs near creek mouths where salmon will congregate before making their final spawning runs. Use larger bait to avoid catches of non-target species.

Salmon

  • The king salmon limit in Resurrection Bay is currently two per day, any size through August 31. There is no annual or seasonal king salmon limit in effect, and there is no king salmon harvest recording requirement. Anglers are still required to have a king salmon stamp.
  • King salmon fishing has slowed down but fish are still being picked up in Resurrection Bay. With king and coho salmon both present it is a good time to review the difference in identifying the two different species. Coho salmon won’t have spots on the lower lobe of the tail. King salmon typically will have spots on both lobes of their tail.
  • Coho salmon fishing has picked up. Schools of coho salmon have been reported in Resurrection Bay as close as Lowell Point. Some real nice sized fish are being hauled in. The Seward Silver Salmon Derby leader is just over 16 lbs. Don’t forget to purchase your derby ticket before heading out fishing.
  • Reminder: the coho salmon bag limit outside of Resurrection Bay is three per day and three in possession and inside Resurrection Bay is six per day and six in possession. Anglers that have caught six coho salmon inside Resurrection Bay may not leave the bay and fish for any species in waters with more than three coho salmon in their possession.

Other Saltwater Fishing

  • Lingcod fishing is open, except within Resurrection Bay, which is closed. Fishermen are reporting catches of nice=sized lingcod around the North Gulf Coast. Try fishing large lead-head jigs with a rubber twister-tail grub near rocky capes and pinnacles. Don’t forget to measure your lingcod! The use of a gaff is not allowed unless you plan to retain lingcod you have caught.
  • Rockfish are easy to catch and have a fairly conservative bag limit, so target your rockfish last. The rockfish daily bag limit is four per day, of which only ONE may be a nonpelagic rockfish.
    • 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? Stop by your local ADF&G office for a free release mechanism and instruction on how to use it, while supplies last. Visit the ADF&G Rockfish Conservation webpage for more information.

Shellfish

  • Reports from the personal-use shrimp pot fishery is that small amounts of shrimp are being caught. This fishery is now open in the entire North Gulf Coast area from Cape Fairfield to Gore Point. To participate in this fishery, you must be an Alaska resident with a current sport fishing license or ADF&G Permanent ID card, and a North Gulf Coast shrimp pot fishery permit. Permits can be obtained at the Anchorage, Homer, or Soldotna ADF&G offices.
  • Check out the 2018 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for regulations on this fishery and the shrimp pot requirements.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

  • There are no freshwater drainages in Resurrection Bay open to king salmon fishing.
  • Resurrection River, downstream of the highway and Nash Road to the ADF&G markers, is currently open for salmon fishing, except king salmon. Sockeye fishing is very slow. No reports of coho salmon at the head of the bay yet.
  • Anglers are reminded in the Resurrection River, downstream of the Seward Highway and Nash Road to ADFG markers, the bag and possession limit for salmon (except king salmon) is three per day and three in possession, of which only two may be coho salmon.

Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling

  • Fish for Dolly Varden around creek mouths, especially creeks where pink and chum salmon usually spawn.
  • Try casting small spinners and spoons off the beach for some sea run Dolly Varden action.
  • Fry and smolt patterns have been known to produce catches of Dolly Varden in Seward area streams.

Northern Pike

  • Northern pike are not native to Southcentral Alaska. Please report the capture of any pike in unconfirmed waters to ADF&G. Do not release any pike you have caught.

Lake Fishing

  • Area lakes are stocked so visit the ADF&G Hatcheries and Stocking webpage for more information regarding when and where fish are stocked.
  • Troop Lake is a nice hike and good place to go catch some rainbows away from the crowds. 

Archives

Resurrection Bay Area Archives for:
Sep 07, 2018 Aug 30, 2018 Aug 24, 2018 Aug 16, 2018 Aug 10, 2018 Aug 02, 2018 Jul 27, 2018 Jul 20, 2018
Jul 13, 2018 Jul 06, 2018 Jun 29, 2018 Jun 21, 2018 Jun 15, 2018 Jun 07, 2018 May 31, 2018 May 25, 2018
May 18, 2018 May 10, 2018