Lots Of Sockeye Passing Through Situk River

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

Yakutat Fishing Report

July 07, 2022

Check out the new gofishak interactive map to discover popular fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat and angler access tips!

Freshwaters

Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye salmon continue to enter the Situk River in large numbers and have distributed themselves throughout the whole river. So far over 38k fish have passed through the weir with only about 44% of the run having passed the weir historically. Anglers are reporting getting their limits with fresh fish arriving daily. The run will be active for the next few weeks. Try using coho flies or single octopus hooks with brightly colored yarn attached, with split-shot weights positioned about 2-4 feet up from the hook. Try drifting your gear through holding waters or runs that have decent current to decrease the likelihood of snagging the fish.

King Salmon

King salmon fishing is closed on the Situk River.

Saltwaters

King Salmon

Sportfishing for king salmon is open in Yakutat area marine waters. Reports of fishing by trollers and sport anglers in Yakutat Bay were decent over the last week. Kings have been reported to be caught in the islands, out front, and out near the pinnacles in the middle of Yakutat Bay. Most anglers are trolling spoons, hoochies, or herring behind a flasher 20-30 feet down along the beaches in about 40-60 feet of water.

Halibut

Halibut fishing has been spotty. Some nice fish have been caught, but some boats have come back with only a few smaller fish. Try soaking all sorts of baited circle hooks with bait such as herring, salmon heads, carcasses, octopus, squid, etc. The current nice weather should make it possible to get out front along the coast.

Lingcod

Fishing has been excellent for lingcod in the Yakutat area, with good catches being reported. Try using all sorts of jigs, darts, or cut-plug herring while mooching

Rockfish

Fishing for pelagic rockfish should be excellent in the Yakutat area. Try using all sorts of jigs, dart, or cut-plug herring while mooching.

For further information, please contact the Yakutat Area Sport Fish management biologist Jason Pawluk at (907) 784-3222.