Ketchikan Fishing Report: King Salmon Opportunities Opening In June

By chrisco2 May9, 2023 Featured Content, Fishing 0 Comments

The following is courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

Ketchikan Fishing Report

May 08, 2023

An excellent resource for planning a trip is the gofishak interactive map for Ketchikan which provides information on popular fishing locations, species run timing, fishing gear selections and boat and angler access.

King Salmon

Opportunity to harvest king salmon will be available in terminal harvest areas beginning in June. On June 15th, the majority of the Ketchikan area (District 1) and east Prince of Wales area (District 2) will open with regional king salmon limits, with a few exceptions. Please see the advisory announcement issued March 8, 2023.

Terminal Harvest Areas

Herring Bay

June 1- July 31 the bag and possession limit for all anglers is three king salmon, no size limit, king salmon harvested in the Herring Bay terminal area will not count toward the nonresident annual limit.

Carroll Inlet and Thomas Basin Areas

June 1 – June 14 the bag and possession limit for all anglers is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length. For nonresidents, the annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

Mountain Point

June 8 – June 14 the bag and possession limit for all anglers is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length. For nonresidents, the annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

Neets Bay

June 15 – August 14 the bag and possession limit for all anglers is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length. For nonresidents, the annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

When special regulations for these hatchery areas expire, anglers may continue to fish under the regional king salmon bag, possession and annual limits. Anglers are reminded that until June 8 (Carroll Inlet), June 15 (Thomas Basin and Mountain Point) and August 15 (Neets Bay) the salt waters outside of the designated hatchery sport harvest area are closed to king salmon retention. Therefore, anglers fishing in multiple areas must be diligent to ensure they do not possess king salmon when fishing in areas that prohibit the retention of king salmon.

Regional king salmon regulations

Alaskan Resident

The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
From October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024 a sport angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this regulation may only retain salmon.

Nonresident

The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
From January 1 through June 30, the nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
From July 1 through July 15, the nonresident annual harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply towards the two fish annual harvest limit.
From July 16 through December 31, the nonresident annual harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 15 will apply towards the one fish annual harvest limit.
Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location on their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

North and Northeast Behm Canal

Salmon fishing is closed year-round in Behm Canal and the contiguous bays enclosed to the north by a line from the western entrance of Bailey Bay to the northern tip of Hassler Island and a line from Fin Point to Dress Point to a line from Cactus Point to Point Eva.

West Behm Canal, Southeast Behm Canal, and Southern Revillagigedo Channel

Area Description: In West Behm Canal and the contiguous bays enclosed to the north by a line from the western entrance of Bailey Bay to the northern tip of Hassler Island and a line from Fin Point to Dress Point and to the south by a line from Indian Point to Mike Point. In the waters of southern Revillagigedo Channel enclosed from a line from Lucky Point to Middy Point and enclosed by a line from Kah Shakes Point to Point Rosen including the waters of Boca de Quadra and continuing to the Annette Island 3,000-foot boundary at the latitude of Beaver Point and in southeast Behm Canal from Cactus Point to Eva Point.

April 1 to August 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.

Remaining waters of District 1

Area Description: In the marine waters of Ketchikan north and east from the International Boundary Line at Dixon Entrance from 54°42.48’ N. lat., 130°36.92’ W. long. to 54°40’ N. lat., 131°45’ W. long., continuing north to Caamano Point and enclosed to the north by a line from Indian Point to Mike Point and enclosed to the southeast by a line from Lucky Point to Middy Point, and enclosed by a line from Kah Shakes Point to Point Rosen and continuing to the Annette Island 3,000 foot boundary at the latitude of Beaver Point.

April 1 to June 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.
June 15 to August 14:
- The Alaska resident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
- The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. The nonresident annual limit is three king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
- Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

District 2

April 1 to June 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.

Halibut

Halibut fishing should continue to improve as summer approaches.

Lingcod

Lingcod season is currently closed and opens on May 16^th.

Rockfish

Slope Rockfish

Resident and nonresident anglers:
- bag limit of one fish; possession limit of two fish; no annual limit

Demersal Shelf Rockfish (except yelloweye)

Resident anglers: Bag limit of one fish; possession limit of two fish; no annual limit.
Nonresident anglers: Closed; retention is prohibited by all anglers.

Yelloweye Rockfish

Closed; retention is prohibited by all anglers.

Pelagic Rockfish

Five per day; ten in possession.

Steelhead, Cutthroat, Rainbow Trout

Early May is prime time to fish for steelhead. There is currently a mix of fresh fish moving into rivers and active spawners. Water levels are variable with snowmelt contributing to higher water. Fishing reports at Ward Creek have been good. Roadside anglers should try Ward Creek or Ketchikan Creek. Remote systems with steelhead include, but are not limited to: Naha River, McDonald Lake, and Fish Creek.

Cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing will continue to improve as water temperatures rise. Anglers targeting trout may want to try Ward Lake, Talbot Lake, Harriet Hunt Lake, Ketchikan Creek or the various small lakes on Gravina Island.

Be sure to check the 2023 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations. The Ketchikan Area Freshwater Special Regulations can be found on pages 30-32. Regulations vary depending on the waters you plan to fish.