Area Sport Fishing Reports
North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay

September 15, 2023

Fall Fishing Report-Final

This is the last fishing report for the 2023 fishing season. This fishing report will be updated when additional information is available. For current seasonal information, please contact the Anchorage office at (907) 267-2218.

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

Rainbow Trout/Dolly Varden

• Dolly Varden and rainbow trout fishing has been good, and it will only continue to improve into October. Dolly Varden making their spawning migration are following the variety of salmon species entering the creeks in Seward.
• Egg and flesh patterns will be effective for Dolly Varden and rainbow trout as salmon spawn in Seward area streams.

Salmon

• The Resurrection River, downstream of the Seward Highway and Nash Road to the ADF&G markers opened to salmon fishing (except king salmon) on Friday, June 16^th. Only unbaited, single hook, artificial lures or flies are allowed. Snagging is NOT permitted in freshwater.
  • Coho (silver) salmon fishing in freshwater is starting to pick up in the freshwater of Resurrection River. Anglers are reporting some success catching coho salmon near its mouth off Nash Road.
• The Seward Lagoon and Outfall Stream opened to fishing for coho salmon for anglers 15 years of age or younger on Friday, August 25th and has been extended by emergency order through Sunday, October 1st. Spinners and bait, such as cured eggs under a slip bobber, are both good options. Coho (silver) salmon fishing in the lagoon has started to improve as the coho arrive in larger numbers.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

Halibut fishing has been reported as fair, and fishing is beginning to slow down. Halibut fishing in the outer waters has been difficult with the recent marine weather. Halibut fishing is beginning to slow down inside Resurrection Bay, but anglers are still finding small halibut in the bay. When fishing in Resurrection Bay, try soaking bait on the bottom near the mouth of Tonsina Creek, Caines and Callisto Heads, and Hat Island.

Lingcod

Lingcod season opened on July 1. Fishing for Lingcod continues to be good this fall. Lingcod have been very aggressive and can be caught by actively jigging the water column from top to bottom over rocky pinnacles.

Rockfish

• By emergency order, rockfish limits have been reduced to three fish per day, six in possession of which only one per day, two in possession can be a nonpelagic rockfish.For rockfish species identification information visit our website.
• A variety of rockfish are being caught near the entrance of Resurrection Bay. Fishing for pelagic rockfish has been good over rocky pinnacles and near points that receive large amounts of wave action.

Salmon

• King salmon are being caught in low numbers inside and outside Resurrection Bay. The occasional king salmon is being caught mixed-in with silvers.
  • King salmon tend to be caught deeper than other species, so trolling with a flasher at depths between 60-90 feet is a great place to start.
• Coho (silver) salmon have arrived in Resurrection Bay and coho have been caught near the town of Seward. Catches of coho have been reported inside Resurrection Bay along Lowell Point Road, the Alaska Sea Life Center, and alongside town.
  • Once a school of coho salmon has been located in the water column, mooching with a hoochie squid and a chunk of herring can make for good action.
• Coho (silver) salmon fishing from shore has been fair to good this past week and should continue to hold through the weekend. Anglers are picking up coho salmon at the mouth of the lagoon outflow and near the mouth of Resurrection River and Spring Creek. Fish tend to move up these systems with the tide, so try fishing two hours before and two hours after high tide for the best action. Try large spoons or spinners to get these aggressive salmon to bite!

Local Lakes

Troop Lake rainbow trout should be very active with the cooling temperatures. This is a lake that gets very little effort, so fish will not be shy to strike a lure. For those willing to make the easy 1-mile hike, try casting spinners or spoons from where the trail meets the lake.

Emergency Orders

• Emergency Order 2-RF-7-20-23 reduces the rockfish bag and possession limits in North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay to three per day and six in possession of which only one per day, two in possession can be nonpelagic.
• NEW: Emergency Order 2-SS-8-64-23 extends the youth-only coho salmon sport fishery in the Seward Lagoon ad outfall stream by 24 days (through Sunday, October 1, 2023) for anglers under the age of 16 years old.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2023 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can 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 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Area Office at (907) 267-2218.