Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 10, 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.

Freshwater Fishing

• Pasagshak and Saltery sockeye runs are still coming in and fishing seems to be great at both locations. Both runs are typically winding down by now but the rivers can get sockeye in as late as early September.
• A very few coho salmon have been seen around the road system rivers, but no reports of any catches have come in yet. Coho runs seem to be off to a bit of a slow start, but they typically don’t peak until mid-September.
• There are bright pinks to be caught still in many places on the road system. Buskin, Olds, and Chiniak are good places to look for pinks. Many are starting to turn towards spawning, but if you fish near the mouths of the rivers and in the nearby saltwaters you’ll have a better chance of catching bright fish.
• August is also a great time to find Dolly Varden as they re-enter freshwater drainages following salmon. Rivers that offer consistently good Dolly fishing are Salonie, American, and Buskin.

Saltwater Fishing

• A few hot spots for king salmon have popped up recently, with the Woody Island channel and the green can just off Spruce Cape being the most popular. Fishing just before a tide change seems to be most productive.
• Coho salmon are a little tougher to come by this season but are being caught between Woody and Long coho in Monashka Bay and some are being caught in the Woody Island channel too.
• Halibut fishing continues to be good as well and fish seem relatively easy to find. The most consistent spots are Williams Reef, Kodiak Rocks, and the Buoy 4 area. Many anglers are reporting catching them trolling as well.
• Lingcod are still abundant at most rockpiles in Chiniak Bay and anglers are reporting lots of small lingcod in the 3-7lb. range but are able to pick through them to find larger fish.

Local Lakes

• Buskin Lake (and river) often offers surprisingly good rainbow fishing, particularly late in the season as salmon start to spawn. They often concentrate near the mouths of tributary streams in the lake and bite readily on egg patterns or small Vibrax spinners. Just remember that harvest of rainbow trout is not allow in lakes where they are not stocked. Look at the 2021 Southwest Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the current list of stocked lakes.

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-4-50-21 increases the bag limit for sockeye salmon in the Saltery River to 10 through Friday, December 31, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-4-27-21 increases the bag limit in the South Olga Lakes drainage (Upper Station) for sockeye salmon to 10 through Friday, December 31, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-4-26-21 increases the bag limit for sockeye salmon in the Ayakulik River to 10 through Friday, December 31, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-4-19-21 closed the Buskin River drainage to sockeye salmon fishing through Friday, December 31, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-RF-4-11-21 reduced the nonresident rockfish bag and possession limits on the eastside of Afognak and Kodiak islands from Big Fort Island near Shuyak Island to Dangerous Cape on Kodiak Island through 11:59 pm. Friday, December 31, 2021.

Don’t forget to purchase 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 Southwest Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Kodiak Area Office at (907) 486-1880.