Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

Archived Sport Fishing Report

September 25, 2023

Freshwater Fishing

• Coho are strong throughout the road system but most fish are still being found in the intertidal areas or bays. Fishing in river at places like Olds, American and Buskin has been best on incoming tides and early mornings given the warm, low water conditions.
• Pasagshak has seen an excellent coho run so far and a recent drone survey by ADF&G saw more than 7,500 fish in Lake Rose Teed. Keep an eye out for upcoming EO’s related to Pasagshak.
• Reminder! The coho salmon bag limit is 1 per day in road system waters. This includes Saltery, Miam and Pasagshak.
• Monashka Bay has lots of coho as well, but still only a few in both Pillar or Monashka creeks. We will need some significant rain for them to move upriver but they can be caught in the lower parts of the rivers on incoming tides. The bag limit for coho in Monashka Bay remains at 2 per day!
• Buskin River weir counts are low, and the water levels are very low. We don’t expect to see much fish passage until there is a decent amount of rain.

Saltwater Fishing

• Silvers are still in thick in Monashka Bay with most folks catching them trolling. Fishing from the beach has been tough by most reports, but fishing is excellent just off shore. Fish at Mission and Mill Bay have been thinning out a bit but are still around. Snagging from these beaches opened September 16.
• King salmon fishing is hit and miss right now. Fish are being found at the Fingers and Chiniak fairly regularly but slower than earlier this summer.
• Halibut fishing is still slow, with many of the usual spots in Chiniak Bay being unproductive. It's likely that many halibut have moved into shallower waters with the large pinks returns we’ve seen this season.
• Rockfish and lingcod are still being found throughout Chiniak Bay, however, with fishing being good in the usual spots like Kalsin Reef, around Long Island and even inside Monashka Bay.

Local Lakes

Buskin Lake can provide great fall fishing. Once some rain comes around, coho, dollies and rainbows can all be caught from the beach near the outlet and later in the season from the beach at the far end of the lake near the golf course.

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.