Southeast Fishing Reports

Haines Area Fishing Report
June 07, 2010

King salmon

It took Haines salt water anglers an average of 64 rod*hours to harvest a large king salmon last week. Catch rates will improve as the season progresses. Most of the king salmon sampled by creel surveyors las week were mature fish returning to spawn in the Chilkat River. 46 kings were entered during the 5 days of the Haines Sportsmen's Association King Salmon Derby, a 50% increase over last year.

2010 king salmon regulations for Chilkat Inlet salt water are:

Resident anglers may keep three king salmon 28 inches or more in length per day and in possession with no annual limit;
Non-Alaska resident anglers may keep two king salmon 28 inches or more in length per day and in possession, with an annual limit of three king salmon.
The Chilkat Inlet limits apply to anglers fishing in Chilkat Inlet north of Seduction Point. The northern portion of Chilkat Inlet, north of a line between the east shore marker near the Letnikof boat ramp and the west shore marker 1 mile south of Anchorage Point, will remain closed to fishing through July 15. See the news release link above for details.

It took Skagway salt water anglers an average of 89 rod*hours to harvest a large king salmon last week, the first week of the Skagway creel survey. Catch rates will improve as the season progresses.The Pat Moore Memorial Game Fish Derby is scheduled for July 15-19.

2010 king salmon regulations for Taiya Inlet salt water are:

Resident anglers may keep three king salmon 28 inches or more in length per day and in possession.
Non-Alaska resident anglers may keep three king salmon 28 inches or more in length per day and in possession, and kings caught in Taiya Inlet do not count toward the non-resident annual limit.
The Taiya Inlet limits are in effect June 5 - July 31 and apply to anglers fishing north of the latitude of Taiya Point. See the news release for details.

2010 king salmon regulations for other Southeast Alaska salt water are:

Resident anglers may keep two king salmon 28 inches or more in length per day and in possession with no annual limit;
Non-Alaska resident anglers may keep one king salmon 28 inches or more in length per day and in possession, with an annual limit of three king salmon.
Anglers should be aware that they must abide by the limits for the waters in which they are fishing. For example, if an angler has retained 2 kings in Taiya Inlet, they may not retain any more kings while fishing in Chilkoot Inlet later the same day.

DIPAC has released 250,000 king salmon smolt in Pullen Pond in Skagway. These juvenile fish were held in net pens for 2 weeks to imprint them with the scent of Pullen Creek water before they emigrated to the ocean. In June, NSRAA will deliver and hold 250,000 king salmon smolt in a net pen anchored in Lutak Inlet, near Haines, for imprinting in that water. The original broodstock for these two releases came from the Tahini River, a Chilkat River tributary, but now broodstock is collected each year from adults returing to Pullen Creek.

The first release of king salmon smolt in Lutak Inlet was in 2008, so a few legal size (28 inches or longer) kings should be returning to Lutak Inlet this year.

Char and Trout

Dolly Varden char and cutthroat trout can be found in deep area lakes (Chilkat Lake, Mosquito Lake, and Chilkoot Lake), in clear water tributaries to the Chilkat River, and in Chilkoot River. Anglers should be aware of that the use of bait is prohibited when fishing in Chilkat Lake and Mosquito Lake or in their tributary and outlet streams. Use the fish regulation link below for details.

Some sea-run Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout leave the rivers in the summer to feed in near-shore salt waters.

Dewey Lakes, accessible by hiking above Skagway, hold isolated populations of eastern brook trout.



Juneau Area Fishing Report
June 07, 2010

Southeast Regional Update for Marine Waters

Please check online or call the sport fish office for the full king salmon regulation, in addition to the most current lingcod and rockfish News Releases.

The Department of Fish and Game reminds anglers that beginning April 26, 2010 marine boat anglers possessing sport caught king and coho salmon, lingcod or non-pelagic rockfish may not fillet, mutilate, or de-head these fish until the fish have been offloaded, unless they have been consumed or preserved onboard. Gutting and gilling is allowed. Once you offload at port, you may head and/or fillet your catch. This restriction allows our creel survey crew at the docks to check for coded-wire-tags and collect biological information. Please check the news release for communities and designated time frames in which the restriction applies.


Last week’s continued sunny weather in Southeast Alaska brought out large amounts of fishing effort at the various ports, especially at the ports which had derby activity last weekend (Sitka, Wrangell, and Ketchikan). Sampled efforts ranged from 470 rod hours in Elfin Cove to over 3,600 rod hours in Sitka.

Harvest rates for Chinook salmon last week ranged from 5 rod hours per fish in Sitka to 89 rod hours in Skagway, and were better than or equal to the five-year average at the port of Craig/Klawock, Sitka, and Juneau. The Chinook salmon fishery throughout the region will continue to be productive into mid-July, as the inner Southeast Alaska ports have hatchery fish returning to enhance local fisheries, while the outer coast ports will continue to have the benefit of access to a mixed-stock Chinook salmon fishery.

All sampled ports had harvested halibut encountered by our creel survey personnel, with harvest rates ranging from 2 rod hour per harvested fish in Craig/Klawock to 40 rod hours per fish in Juneau. Sport anglers are investing their time in targeting bottomfish in Craig/Klawock, Sitka, Gustavus, Elfin Cove, and Yakutat and reaping the rewards with harvest rates of 2 to 5 rod hours per harvested halibut, while at the other ports most anglers are primarily focusing on Chinook salmon at this time of year.

Coho salmon were encountered by our creel surveys at five ports last week, with harvest rates ranging from140 rod hours per harvested coho salmon in Gustavus to 1,493 rod hours in Petersburg.

Harvested chum salmon were encountered at four ports last week, with harvest rates ranging from 140 rod hours in Gustavus to 2,549 rod hours in Juneau.

Harvested pink salmon were encountered by our creel survey personnel last week at the ports of Sitka (153 rod hours per harvested pink salmon) and Gustavus (28 rod hours).

Synopsis of the 2010 Southeast Alaska Salmon Derbies
(Unofficial listing of ports, dates, and leading fish)

The unofficial winner of the Juneau Spring King Salmon Derby held each May was a 32.65 lb fish. Wrangell’s salmon derby started up May 8 and runs through June 6, and the unofficial winning fish weighed in at 43.0 lb. Petersburg 4-day salmon derby started last Friday, May 28, and wrapped up on Monday, May 31, with the unofficial winning fish being a 45.2 lb fish. The 232 Chinook salmon entered into the 2010 Petersburg derby is 55% below the recent 5-year average of 500 entered fish, and substantially lower than record 702 fish entered in the 2006 Petersburg derby. Sitka’s salmon derby was won with a 50.6 lb fish, and had a total of 503 fish entered which is 27% less than the recent 5-year average of 690 entered fish for the two weekends of the Sitka derby. Haines salmon derby wrapped up on June 8, and was won by a 34.5lb fish, with 46fish entered. Ketchikan’s salmon derby (with 1 weekend left to go) is being lead by a 42.4lb Chinook salmon, has had 442 entered fish (46% less than the recent 5-year average of 628 fish for the first two weekends of the derby), and is on track for approximately 698 fish being entered for the entire derby. The five-year average for the total number of derby entered fish for the entire derby is 1,001 fish. Pelican’s salmon derby occurs during June 4-6 and June 11-13, and the unofficial leading fish weighed in at 27.9 lb.The Juneau’s Golden North Salmon derby will be during August 13-15. Good luck to all the anglers participating in the 2010 Southeast Alaska sport fish salmon derbies.

Juneau



The weather has continued to be great, and those kings are starting to move in. Last week it took 28-rod hours to harvest a king. Last year at this time, it took 41-rod hours and the five-year average was 30-rod hours per fish. The hot spots were split between south of Douglas Island around Marmion, and Auke Bay. Anglers also had good luck at Outer Point and the backside of Douglas. King salmon fishing should continue to improve so good luck and remember to have a 2010 fishing license and a king salmon stamp.

While king salmon fishing was good, anglers weren’t as lucky with halibut, taking 40-rod hours to harvest a halibut last week. The prior year was at 23-rod hours per halibut and the 5-year average was at 11-rod hours.The weather has continued to be great, and those kings are starting to move in. Last week it took 28-rod hours to harvest a king. Last year at this time, it took 41-rod hours and the five-year average was 30-rod hours per fish. The hot spots were split between south of Douglas Island around Marmion, and Auke Bay. Anglers also had good luck at Outer Point and the backside of Douglas. King salmon fishing should continue to improve so good luck and remember to have a 2010 fishing license and a king salmon stamp.

While king salmon fishing was good, anglers weren’t as lucky with halibut, taking 40-rod hours to harvest a halibut last week. The prior year was at 23-rod hours per halibut and the 5-year average was at 11-rod hours.


The hatchery terminal harvest area (THA) near Juneau has been liberalized, to provide additional opportunity to harvest hatchery king salmon. The new regulation will be in effect in the Juneau THA from Tuesday, June 1 through Tuesday, August 31, 2010 (please check the web page or news release for a map). Within the boundaries of the THA:
· The daily bag and possession limit is four king salmon of any size;
· King salmon harvested by nonresidents in the designated saltwater area and time period do not count towards their annual limit.

Anglers who catch king salmon within the THA may not continue to fish outside of the THA if they possess king salmon that do not comply with the regulations for that outside area.

The 2010 sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and Yakutat will be effective April 1, 2010 and are as follows:

· Alaska residents: bag and possession limit of 2 king salmon 28” or greater in length; no annual limit.
· Nonresident: bag and possession limit of 1 king salmon 28” or greater in length with an annual limit of 3 king salmon 28” or greater in length.

For the marine waters of District 11 around Juneau, king salmon fishing has been liberalized. From April 25 - June 30, 2010 in District 11 salt waters, the following regulations are in effect:
· Sport fishing for king salmon may be conducted with the use of 2 rods per angler. This applies to charter and private vessels. However, no more than 6 lines may be fished from any sport vessel in Southeast Alaska.
· Resident anglers will have a bag and possession limit of three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
· Nonresident anglers will have a bag and possession limit of two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
· The nonresident annual limit will be five king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
· The salt waters of Taku Inlet, north of a line extending from Cooper Point to the mouth of Dorothy Creek, that are closed to the taking of king salmon from April 16-June 14, will be open to king salmon fishing.
· Charter vessel operators and crew may not harvest king salmon while clients are on board;
· Nonresident anglers must record harvested king salmon immediately, in ink, on the back of their license or on a harvest record card.



Petersburg Area Fishing Report
June 07, 2010

June 7th : local creel survey programs are reported here for king salmon and halibut this past week. Anglers can still find information on updated regulation changes at the local Fish and Game offices in Petersburg and Wrangell, and on the Fish and Game website.

Exceptionally nice spring weather helped finish out the local area fishing derbies along with reports of catching spawner king salmon entering area waters. At this time of year sea-run Dolly Varden are still providing action in and around estuaries and harbors. Anglers should expect the trout fishing to remain fairly good, but the time for Steelhead fishing has passed. As for halibut fishing, many may be still deep but some are being taken while trolling for king salmon. Typically halibut fishing in the area will pick up later in June and remain strong until September.

King or Chinook Salmon catch rates:
Last week's angling for king salmon was considerably slower than the recent five-year averages for Petersburg and in Wrangell. Petersburg's annual 4-day King Salmon Derby finished wrapped up Monday with 232 fish entered, with a 43.2 lb fish taking first place. The number of entered fish this year was 55% of the 5 yr average for the Petersburg Derby (500 fish) and considerably lower than the record number of 702 entered in 2006. The Wrangell derby has just reached its finish and was being led by a fish weighing 43 lbs. The most recent creel data through June 6th, indicates anglers fished 71 hours per king salmon in Petersburg (was 46 hrs the week before), which was slower than the five-year average estimated at 13 hours per KS during this week of the season. In Wrangell anglers were estimated to fish 22 hours per king salmon (24 hrs the week before), which is well above the five-year average of 13 hours per fish.

Currently: Marine anglers can continue to fish for kings (either feeder kings or early arriving spawner king salmon) in local waters. Try to locate schools of bait on a sonar unit or scan the surface for feeding birds such as murelets. Anglers can target kings in all the other spring/summer locations commonly fished when adult prespawning kings pass into our area waters around Petersburg and Wrangell. Specific locations fished at this time include the Wrangell Narrows, and Sumner Strait near the Banana Point boat launch, Woodpecker Cove, Grey's Pass as well as local waters near Wrangell and Babbler Pt. Try slow trolling a rigged whole- or fresh cut plug herring or use a flasher-hoochie combination.

Beginning June 1st, 2010, anglers now have two (2) king salmon regulations to consider. This includes the 2010 Regional regulation released earlier this spring (see News Release), and the May 27th news relase announcing the Wrangell Narrows/Blind Slough regulations and closure. That news release has been issued locally and recently posted at boat launches or harbors in and around Petersburg and Wrangell.


Local King salmon fishing: There are two significant changes to local King salmon fisheries from recent years in the area.
1) The preseason forecast for Stikine River king salmon is not high enough to allow directed fisheries and liberalized sport regulations during 2010. If inseason monitoring shows sufficient return strength, these regulations may be considered.
2) The current projection is poor for the popular Wrangell Narrows and Blind Slough sport fishery this year. Forecasts have projected low numbers of returning fish to the area which will allow a very limited harvest and it is likely that significant conservation measures will be put in place to assure collection of adequate hatchery broodstock to sustain the program. A downturn in returns and fishing began in 2008, and is expected to continue again this year. A News release came out prior to the June 1st start of the local fishery, and announced the king salmon regulations that are in place between June 1 and July 31 for the Wrangell Narrows and Blind Slough.


Some additional King salmon reminders:
Please don’t forget to purchase your 2010 king salmon stamp and 2010 license.
if you do catch a small (sublegal) feeder king salmon, please be careful to release the fish unharmed. It is best if the fish remains in the water, and is not netted, and the hook is eased out or line cut.
The Grey’s Passage area near the mouth of the Stikine River will remain open year round.
Nonresidents remember to record harvests of all species with annual or harvest limits on the back of your fishing license or harvest card, including species, date and the area.
New for this year in the Wrangell Narrows (June 1st through July 31st) , the 2010 regional non-resident annual limit of 3 king salmon (28 inches or greater) will apply to nonresident anglers harvesting king salmon within the Wrangell Narrows Terminal Harvest Area. This will not apply to the smaller jack kings (less than 28 inches which can be harvested. Please see the recent news release-
Other marine fishing:


Halibut: Petersburg creel sampling indicated anglers fished 5hours per halibut as compared to the five-year average estimated at 7 hours per halibut during this week of the season. In Wrangell creel sampling indicated anglers fished 6 hours per halibut as compared to the five-year average estimated at 9 hours per halibut during this week of the season. Anglers wishing to target Halibut may need to fish in deeper waters (300' plus) but some halibut are often taken by anglers trolling for king salmon in shallower waters. To do better in deeper waters, try and fish on days with smaller tide exchanges which will allow baits to reach the bottom easier. Fresh herring is the best bet at this time of year.

Anglers interested in bottom fishing might also have some luck with rockfish, which are found along steep rock ledges located along our shorelines. Although anglers in the Petersburg and Wrangell areas rarely target rockfish and lingcod, there are new regulations to be aware of in SE Alaska. Anglers are currently encouraged to review the 2010 Southeast Alaska regulation summary as well as check for news releases for inseason changes to rockfish and other sport fishing regulations. Please see the emergency orders news release link above, and or refer to posted news releases located at harbors on covered walkways to docks in Petersburg and Wrangell.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Petersburg/Wrangell Area Sport Fish biologist Doug Fleming at 907-772-5231 or via email.



http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/FishingReports/