Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

September 20, 2023

Freshwater Fishing

• Coho are in throughout the road system right now with Pasagshak, Olds, American and Salonie having good silver runs. There are still a lot of pinks around and the water is low, so fishing is hit or miss many times. Look to time fishing with the tides or when the sun isn’t directly on the water for the best fishing.
• Reminder! The coho salmon bag limit is 1 per day in road system waters. This includes Saltery, Miam and Pasagshak. ADFG is doing frequent drone surveys of Pasagshak and will issue an emergency order if enough fish are counted to allow for an increased limit.
• Monashka Bay has lots of coho as well, but few in either Pillar or Monashka creeks still. 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 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.
• Dolly Varden fishing continues to be good throughout the road system with Salonie and American being the latest hot spots.

Saltwater Fishing

• Silvers are abundant in Monashka Bay with most folks catching them trolling. Fishing from the beach has been tough by most reports. Fish at Mission and Mill Bay have been thinning out a bit but are still around. Snagging from these beaches opened September 16.
• Few reports of king salmon fishing have been heard lately.
• Halibut fishing is still slow right now with many of the usual spots in Chiniak Bay being unproductive. Its 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. Fishing has been good in the usual spots like Kalsin Reef, around Long Island and even inside Monashka Bay.

Local Lakes

With the weather cooling down, it’s a great time to get one more trip into the higher elevation lakes for some late season rainbow fishing. Heitman Lake has been consistently productive fishing both from shore or from a float tube or boat. Look to the steeper margins of the lake for some of the best shore fishing. Small spinners are often productive later in the year too.

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.