Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 14, 2023

Freshwater Fishing

• There have been just a few reports of coho caught around the road system. Most rivers have a lot of pinks in right now making coho harder to find but there have been a few found at the Buskin, Russian and Olds. Incoming tides near the mouth are the best bet.
• Saltery sockeye numbers continue to be strong with several thousand fish counted at the weir the last several days. The weir will be pulled this week but sockeye fishing should be good through the end of the month.
• Pasagshak sockeye continue to come in, with good numbers counted at the weir there as well in the last couple days. Pasagshak has had a late push the last several years and sockeye should be around until the end of August.
• Pink and Dolly fishing has been good throughout the road system with a lot of effort at Buskin, Salonie, the Olds and Russian. Pinks are starting to turn towards spawning but there are still a lot of bright ones around.

Saltwater Fishing

• King salmon fishing continues to be good with most effort at the Fingers and Buoy 4. The weather has been the limiting factor this last week.
• Silvers fishing was slower in the last week with some caught at the Fingers but most being found at the outer capes like Chiniak and Greville.
• Halibut fishing has been steady with many anglers catching fish mostly between 10 and 30 lbs right now. A lot of fish have been caught trolling at the Fingers or between Woody and Long.
• Rockfish and lingcod are being found throughout Chiniak Bay too, with most anglers catching both species while trolling.

Local Lakes

Most stocked lakes are very warm right now, which can make fish active but also cause them to move to deeper water during the warmest parts of the day. Early morning fishing at the lakes that are border by trees is a good bet this time of year and Abercrombie, Island and Dark lakes offer both shade and deeper water for a refuge for rainbows in the summer heat.

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-4-50-23 opens the Pasagshak River drainage to fishing for sockeye salmon through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023, 2 fish per day.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-4-46-23 increases the bag limit for sockeye salmon in the Saltery Cove drainage to 10 per day.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-4-26-23 closed the Buskin River drainage to fishing for sockeye salmon through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023.
• Emergency Order 2-RF-4-17-23 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. This emergency order is in effect through 11:59 pm. Sunday, December 31, 2023.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-4-19-23 closed the Karluk River drainage (including the lagoon and its outlet stream) and the Ayakulik River drainage to king salmon fishing and restricted fishing gear to only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2023 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2023 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, advisory announcements, and the 2023 Southwest Alaska 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.