ADFG’s North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay Fishing Report

North Gulf Coast/Resurrection Bay Fishing Report

May 26, 2023

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

Hooligan

• The hooligan have shown up to the Seward area in Resurrection River and Salmon Creek. Dipnetters have reported good catches of hooligan near the mouth of Resurrection River and Salmon Creek at Nash Road. Catches are best a few hours after high tide. We anticipate the Seward hooligan run to remain decent through at least the holiday weekend.
• Dipnetting for hooligan (smelt) opened on April 1 and will remain open until June 15. There is no bag or possession limit.
• This is a personal use fishery and only Alaska residents can participate. No permit is required, but you do need a valid 2023 Alaska resident sport fishing license or ADF&G Permanent fishing license ID card with you.
• For additional information on dipnetting for hooligan see page 16 of the 2023 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations summary booklet.

Rainbow Trout/Dolly Varden

• With the cold and late spring, Dolly Varden and rainbow trout fishing is expected to be slow. As the weather warms up and salmon fry begin to move, fishing at the creek mouths near Seward should begin to pick up.
• Casting small spinners and spoons off the beach can provide some good action when Dolly Varden and rainbow trout are present. If you are fly fishing, fry and smolt patterns are good to use in Seward area streams.

Salmon

• There are no freshwater drainages in Resurrection Bay open to salmon fishing at this time of the year.

Saltwater Fishing 

Halibut

• Halibut fishing has been reported as fair for anglers traveling outside of Resurrection Bay. Fishing should improve as more halibut begin migrating near shore.
• Halibut are occasionally being caught inside Resurrection Bay. Halibut are following bait fish into the bay. Try near the mouth of Tonsina Creek, Caines and Callisto Heads, and Hat Island.

Lingcod

• Lingcod season is closed until July 1.

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.

Other Finfish

• Fishing for Pacific (gray) cod, pollock, and a variety of other species have been good inside Resurrection Bay. Try fishing a small chunk of herring right off the bottom near the Sea Life Center, the mouth of Lowell (waterfall) Creek, or off Lowell Point.

Salmon

• King salmon fishing has been slow inside Resurrection Bay. Hatchery king salmon bound for the Seward Lagoon should enter the bay very soon and trolling should pick up in the next few weeks.
• A few sockeye salmon have been reported at the mouth of Resurrection River. Fishing has been described as very slow at both the saltwater off Resurrection River and from shore at Spring Creek. At this time, no sockeye have been counted at the Bear Creek weir. Fishing could improve at any time.
• No salmon catches have been reported from the mouth of the Seward lagoon outflow.

Local Lakes 

• First Lake was recently stocked with catchable-sized rainbow trout. This is a fun and easy location to take the kids!
• Troop Lake is still iced-up. But as the lake begins to open, hungry rainbow trout can easily be caught along the ice edge and near shore.

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-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.

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.