Kodiak Salmon Fishing Winding Down

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

Kodiak Fishing Report

August 22, 2022

ADF&G News

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Freshwater Fishing 

• The Saltery weir was pulled 2 weeks ago but sockeye will continue to come in for a little bit, and in the last couple years have continued into September. There are a lot of pinks in the river and recent rains should pull in more silvers.
• The Pasagshak sockeye run is likely about done, but there was a coho salmon reported to be caught in the river this week, so hopefully big numbers are coming.
• There have been a few coho seen in the Buskin so far and other road system rivers, but they seem to be following suit with all of the other runs this summer at about 2 weeks later than the previous couple years. The Buskin weir sunk last night after torrential rains and a few fish passed the weir (58) before the water levels came up too far.
• Coho runs on Afognak are a little late too, with a few coho around but off to a slow start.
• There are still a lot of bright pinks in the rivers, which is fairly late. They will be turning to their spawning phase quickly but fishing has been great for pinks in the last week in most rivers.

Saltwater Fishing 

• King salmon fishing has slowed down significantly along with the disappearance of large numbers of bait fish and whales in the area around the Fingers and Buoy 4. Poor weather has limited most saltwater fishing this past week. A few fish are being caught here and there, however.
• Coho fishing has also slowed near the fingers and Buoy 4, with some fish being caught but a noticeable decrease in the number of fish around. The size of coho seem rather small for this time of year.
• Halibut fishing has been good in the last week, with a few bigger fish reported. Lingcod fishing has slowed a bit in the last week.
• Rockfish are still abundant in most areas but seem to be less abundant in the areas where most of the trolling effort takes place around Buoy 4 and the Fingers. See the emergency order below for more info for nonresident limits.
• Check your 2022 Southwest Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for species identification information.
  • The use of a deepwater release mechanism is required on all sportfishing vessels in Alaska and they must be used to release rockfish back down to a depth of capture or 100 feet, whichever is shallower. Ever heard of the deepwater release? Check out our webpage for more info.

Local Lakes 

Bull Lake near Pasagshak reportedly has seen good fishing lately. It’s a great place to take the family for a campfire and fishing!

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-RS-4-58-22 increases the bag limit for sockeye salmon in the Saltery River to 10 per day.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-4-42-22 reopens the Buskin River drainage for sockeye salmon fishing.
• Emergency Order 2-RF-4-16-22 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. Saturday, December 31, 2022.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase your 2022 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 2022 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.