Kodiak Fishing Report: Saltery Sockeye Bite Good

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

Kodiak Fishing Report

July 24, 2023

Freshwater Fishing 

• Sockeye fishing at Saltery continues to be good with good numbers of fish moving into the river. The limit was increased to 10 per day last week in light of the strong weir counts.
• Pasagshak weir counts continue to improve and the sport fishery is likely to reopen soon.
• ADFG staff are out collecting king salmon for the road system king salmon enhancement project. A few fish have come into the Olds and Salonie, but similar to previous years, not in large numbers.
• Pinks are in most rivers on the road system and seemed to start off with an early push but not building in large numbers yet. The Buskin is the hot spot so far for pinks.
• Dollies are back in most of the road system rivers now, with the Buskin and Olds being good spots for dollies.

Saltwater Fishing 

• King salmon fishing continues to be good with most effort at the Fingers and Buoy 4 but some between Woody and Long islands.
• Silvers are being found as well, but fishing hasn’t been hot yet. Most effort has been in the same locations as king salmon, with better catches of silvers between Woody and Long.
• Halibut fishing has been steady with many anglers catching fish mostly between 10 and 30 lbs right now. A lot of fish have been caught trolling at the Fingers or between Woody and Long.
• Rockfish and lingcod are being found throughout Chiniak Bay too, with Kodiak Rocks being a perennial hot spot.

Local Lakes 

With the drier weather, the lakes in Bells Flats are a good choice for rainbow fishing. Cicely, Aurel and Caroline are all within a short walk of each other and just about a 20 min walk from the road. Maps of the trails to our stocked lakes are available at our office as well.

Emergency Orders 

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

• NEW! Emergency Order 2-RS-4-50-23 opens the Pasagshak River drainage to fishing for sockeye salmon through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023, 2 fish per day.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-4-26-23 closed the Buskin River drainage to fishing for sockeye salmon through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023.
• Emergency Order 2-RF-4-17-23 reduced the nonresident rockfish bag and possession limits on the eastside of Afognak and Kodiak islands from Big Fort Island near Shuyak Island to Dangerous Cape on Kodiak Island. This emergency order is in effect through 11:59 pm. Sunday, December 31, 2023.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-4-19-23 closed the Karluk River drainage (including the lagoon and its outlet stream) and the Ayakulik River drainage to king salmon fishing and restricted fishing gear to only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2023.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2023 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and 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 Southwest Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Kodiak Area Office at (907) 486-1880.