Area Sport Fishing Reports
Yakutat

April 15, 2019

Steelhead Trout

The Yakutat area has seen unusually warm and dry weather this Spring. The Situk river is regularly reaching daytime temperatures above 43º Fahrenheit (6º C) and intermittent rain showers are keeping stream flow ranging between 150 and 300 ft³/s.

These conditions are ideal for steelhead fishing on the Situk, and good numbers of Spring fish have been moving into the river for several weeks now. Fall fish are also dropping out of the lake and are spread throughout the upper river. All signs are pointing to an early run.

With the fish come the anglers, and campsites and parking lots on the Situk are filling up fast. But good fishing conditions and strong numbers of fish in the river should provide good opportunity for foot or boat-based anglers on the Situk.

As a reminder, the upper Situk closure area, 2 miles upstream of 9-mile bridge and 2 miles downstream from Situk Lake, will be closed from April 15 to May 15.

King Salmon

Sport fishing for king salmon is open in Yakutat Area marine waters. The following regulations are now in effect through May 1st, 2020:

Residents:

• Bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

Nonresidents:

• Bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• From January 1 through June 30, 2019 the nonresident annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• From July 1 through December 31, 2019 the nonresident annual limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested January 1 through June 30 will apply to the one fish annual limit
• Nonresidents shall immediately record, in ink, all king salmon harvested either on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

Other Marine Fishing

Halibut

The halibut fishing is just getting started.

Lingcod

Lingcod season will start May 16th.

Pelagic Rockfish

• Season: year round
• Five per day; ten in possession

Non-pelagic Rockfish

• Resident - One non-pelagic rockfish daily; possession limit of one fish.
• Nonresident - One non-pelagic rockfish daily; possession limit of one fish; with an annual limit of one yelloweye rockfish.
• Nonresident anglers must immediately record yelloweye rockfish harvested, in ink, either on the back of their sport fishing license, or on a nontransferable harvest record.
• Persons sport fishing from a charter vessel when releasing non-pelagic rockfish, (e.g. after an angler reaches their bag limit), must be in possession of, and utilize a deep water release mechanism to return the fish to the depth it was hooked or to a depth of at least 100 feet.
• Charter operators and crew members may not retain non-pelagic rockfish while clients are on board the vessel.

Retention of nonpelagic rockfish is prohibited in all Southeast Outside waters from July 25 through August 31. All vessels in Southeast Outside waters during this time must have a functional deep water release mechanism on board while fishing (regardless of target species) and all nonpelagic rockfish must be released at depth of capture or at least 100 feet.

Anglers are encouraged to use a rockfish release device whenever releasing nonpelagic rockfish. Please see the “Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary” or visit your local ADF&G office to see examples of rockfish release devices and learn about their use.

Regulation summaries and the most recent regulatory changes are available online and at the Yakutat ADF&G office, most local tackle and outdoor stores in Alaska.

For further information, please contact the Yakutat Area Sport Fish management biologist: Matt Catterson at (907) 784-3222