Area Sport Fishing Reports
North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 28, 2020

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by following and reviewing the current State of Alaska Health Mandates in effect. This includes practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing and wearing a face covering when fishing and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store as indicated in Health Alert 010.

* The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted several proposals establishing new sport fish regulations for the North Gulf Coast Area at its Seward December 2019 meeting and the Anchorage February 2020 meeting. Please see the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet for a complete summary of the North Gulf Coast sport fisheries regulations.

General Area Description: 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.

Effective January 2020, the use of a deepwater release mechanism is required on all sport fishing vessels in Alaska and they must be used to release rockfish back down to depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower. Never heard of deepwater release? Check out our rockfish conservation webpage for more info!

Emergency Orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

• There are currently no Emergency Orders for the North Gulf Coast Management Area.

Freshwater Fishing

Hooligan

• Hooligan are arriving into the Resurrection Bay area. Anglers are reporting fair to good catches of hooligan near the head of the bay.
• Dipnetting for hooligan (smelt) opened April 1 and will remain open until June 15 in freshwater. There is no bag or possession limit.
• This is a personal use fishery and only Alaska residents can participate. No permit is required, but you do need a valid 2020 Alaska resident sport fishing license or ADF&G Permanent fishing license ID card with you.
• Hooligan run timing and run strength is highly variable.
• For additional information on dipnetting for hooligan see the 2020 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations summary booklet.

Rainbow Trout/Dolly Varden

• Try creek mouths for Dolly Varden this time of the year. Casting small spinners and spoons off the beach can provide some good action.
• If you are fly fishing, fry and smolt patterns are good to use in Seward area streams this time of the year.

Salmon

• There are no freshwater drainages in Resurrection Bay open to salmon fishing at this time of the year.
• Resurrection River, downstream of the Seward Highway and Nash Road to ADF&G markers is currently closed. This freshwater section opens June 16. If you are looking for sockeye fishing move downstream into the saltwater portion.

Saltwater Fishing

Port Sampling efforts in Seward are currently underway.

Please assist our port sampling program by returning to the harbor with whole groundfish or groundfish carcasses and allowing ADF&G technicians to sample your harvest. Data collected from the sport fish harvest is needed to manage and maintain healthy fisheries. We appreciate you supporting the port sampling program and your assistance in getting managers information that aids in managing fisheries in Southcentral Alaska.

Halibut/Lingcod/Rockfish

• Lingcod fishing will open on July 1.
• Halibut fishing has been reported as fair. A few nice halibut are being caught within the Resurrection Bay. Although many of the larger halibut are being caught by anglers in the outer portion of the North Gulf Coast or outer Prince William Sound.
• Rockfish limits year-round are four fish per day, eight in possession of which only one can be a nonpelagic rockfish. Check the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for species identification information.

Salmon

• The king salmon limit in Resurrection Bay is currently two per day, any size. There is no annual or seasonal king salmon limit in effect, and there is no king salmon harvest reporting requirement, but a king stamp is required.
• King fishing has been slow, but more fish should be showing up soon. Successful anglers have been further out in the bay.
• A few sockeye salmon have been caught at the head of Resurrection Bay, but it is still slow. The Bear Creek weir operated by Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association started counting the first sockeye on May 5. As of May 26 the total past the weir was 170 fish. Some harvest has occurred in the saltwater fishery by the cost recovery efforts. Fishing should be picking up the next few weeks.

Hooligan

• Dipnetting for hooligan opened April 1 and will remain open until May 31 in saltwater. Starting June 1 make sure you know if you are in fresh or saltwaters. Freshwater remains open to dipping for hooligan until June 15. It is best to get there well before the tide comes in.

Local Lakes

• First Lake has been stocked with rainbow trout and fishing has been reported as good. This is a great place to take the kids for an evening.

Don’t forget to bring your 2020 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2020 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Area Office at (907) 267-2218.