Yakutat Fishing Report: Steelhead On The Prowl In Situk River

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

Steelhead Trout

Last week brought a lot of rain to Southeast Alaska and Yakutat. The Situk saw a considerable jump in discharge which is only now begining to recede as the weather has cleared up for a few days. The rain and increased flow have helped move good numbers of Spring fish up into the river and have started bringing over-wintering fish down out of the lake.

It’s peak steelhead season on the Situk, there are a lot of anglers in town and increased drift boat activity on the river. Lots of opportunity to be had, especially as water levels continue to drop, but fish are seeing a lot of angling pressure so extra effort may be needed to find aggressive fish.

As a reminder, the upper Situk closure area, 2 miles upstream of 9-mile bridge and 2 miles downstream from Situk Lake, will be closed from April 15 to May 15.

King Salmon

Sport fishing for king salmon will be closed in the freshwaters of the Situk River begining May 1st. King salmon may not be targeted, retained, or possessed; king salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. See the News Released issued on April 23rd for more information about this closure.

Sport fishing for king salmon is open in Yakutat Area marine waters. The following regulations are now in effect through May 3rd, 2019:

Residents:

• Bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• Residents may use two rods when fishing for king salmon from October 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019. Residents using two rods may only retain king salmon.

Nonresidents:

• Bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• From January 1 through June 30, 2018 the nonresident annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
• From July 1 through December 31, 2018 the nonresident annual limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested January 1 through June 30 will apply to the one fish annual limit
• Nonresidents shall immediately record, in ink, all king salmon harvested either on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

Other Marine Fishing

Halibut fishing is just getting started and the lingcod season will start May 16th.

Nonpelagic rockfish regulations for Southeast Alaska outside waters, including the Yakutat area:

• Alaska Residents: 1 non-pelagic rockfish per day, 1 in possession, no size limit
• Nonresidents: 1 non-pelagic rockfish per day, 1 in possession, no size limit; annual limit of 1 yelloweye which must be recorded in ink on the back of the angler’s sport fishing license or harvest record card immediately at the time of harvest

Anglers are encouraged to use a rockfish release device whenever releasing nonpelagic rockfish. Please see the “Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary” or visit your local ADF&G office to see examples of rockfish release devices and learn about their use.

Regulation summaries and the most recent regulatory changes are available online and at the Yakutat ADF&G office, most local tackle and outdoor stores in Alaska.

For further information, please contact the Yakutat Area Sport Fish management biologist: Matt Catterson at (907) 784-3222