Area Sport Fishing Reports
North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 24, 2021

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing, and wearing a face-covering when social distancing is not possible, and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store.

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.

Freshwater Fishing

Hooligan

• Hooligan is currently closed for the season.

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

• The Youth-Only fishery for Chinook salmon at the Seward Lagoon and Outfall stream (also known as Scheffler Creek) opened on June 17 and goes through June 30. Anglers who are 15 years of age and younger will have a chance to fish for king salmon in the Seward Lagoon and Outfall stream. Only one hook (single or treble) per line may used; artificial lures and bait are legal. The bag limit for king salmon is 2 per day, 2 in possession (no size limit). Snagging is NOT permitted in the Seward Lagoon and Outfall Stream. This youth-only fishery will continue to improve as more kings build up in the lagoon. A few kings have been sighted in the lagoon but generally fishing in the lagoon and outfall stream has been reported as slow. As more fish build in the lagoon fishing will improve. Anglers using bait were finding lots of smolt robbing their bait. Spinners might be a better option to explore.
• The Resurrection River, downstream of the Seward Highway and Nash Road to the ADF&G markers opened to salmon fishing (except king salmon) on Tuesday, June 16. Only unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures or flies are allowed. Snagging is NOT permitted in freshwater. Per emergency order, the bag limit per day is 12 sockeye salmon and the possession limit is also only 12 sockeye salmon. See emergency order 2-RS-8-22-21 below for more info. See additional details about Cook Inlet Cost Recovery and a commercial fishery opening in the saltwater section.

Saltwater Fishing

• The deepwater release mechanism is required on all sportfishing vessels in Alaska, and they must be used to release rockfish back down to a depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower. Ever heard of the deepwater release? Check out our webpage for more info!

Hooligan

• Dipping for hooligan is currently closed.

Halibut/Lingcod/Rockfish

• Halibut fishing has been reported as fair to good. To find those larger halibut anglers are reporting going traveling further out. Many anglers are headed all the way to Prince William Sound when the weather allows.
• Rockfish limits year-round are four fish per day, eight in possession of which only one per day and two in possession can be nonpelagic rockfish. Check the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for species identification information.
• Lingcod fishing will open on July 1.

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 salmon fishing has picked up in the bay, but anglers are having to put in their time. Shore anglers continue to catch kings. Anglers trolling and jigging are also reporting success catching kings. Also, a few coho salmon are starting to trickle into the bay.
• Good numbers of sockeye salmon were still arriving at the head of the bay over the weekend. Fishing has been reported as good to fair. Anticipate the sockeye sport salmon fishing to rapidly wane from this point on in the season. Cook Inlet Aquaculture has discontinued cost recovery in the saltwater but commercial fishing commences throughout the week. Commercial openers are scheduled 5 days a week, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. per day. If you do find some sockeye the bag limit is still liberalized to a bag and possession limit of 12 sockeye salmon. See emergency order 2-RS-8-22-21 below for more info.

Local Lakes

• First Lake was recently stocked with rainbow trout.
• Troop Lake will be stocked in the weeks to come. Fishing in Troop Lake has been good. Try casting small spinners.

Emergency Orders

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

• Emergency Order 2-RS-8-22-21 liberalizes the bag and possession limit of sockeye salmon at the head of Resurrection Bay to 12. Snagging is not allowed in freshwater. This emergency order is effective through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021.

Don't forget to bring your 2021 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2021 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 2021 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.