Area Sport Fishing Reports
Juneau

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 25, 2024

Over the last few weeks king salmon fishing has been extremely slow but other salmonid catch numbers have been tracking similarly to last year’s creel census. There seem to be a lot of chum salmon around indicating an early or very strong return on chums to the Juneau area. Unfortunately, the Chinook salmon return to the hatchery has been poor and broodstock goals are not likely to be achieved. The terminal harvest areas of Auke Bay, Fritz Cove, and the Gastineau Channel will be closed to king salmon fishing from June 24 – August 31. Lena Cove will remain open unless otherwise specified in a future advisory announcement. Be sure to check this advisory announcement.

Still too early for coho, but some Chinook chum, and pink salmon are making their way through the terminal harvest zones where the rest of the marine waters opened Saturday June 15 for king salmon. Marine boat anglers looking to go king salmon fishing in the Juneau area should troll using flashers, spoons, or herring rigs on the backside of Douglas, Point Retreat and Shelter Island. Here are some recommendations on king salmon tackle and gear set-ups for both shoreside and marine boat anglers. Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout can still be caught in estuaries and mouth of creeks.

Halibut are steadily returning to shallower marine waters as summer comes upon us. There has been some good luck for halibut fishing in the typical hotspots such as the North Shelter-Lincoln Island areas. Remember to check in on your regulations for charter (guided) vs unguided halibut fishing regulations.

With nicer weather comes more effort and fishing opportunities. And that certainly shines true with rockfish. Our most common pelagic rockfish to be seen is our beautiful dusky rockfish, especially in waters near South Shelter Island.

Juneau Hatchery Area Will be CLOSED Starting June 24

Take a moment to view the Hatchery King Salmon Regulations map below CLOSING June 24. This closure is necessary to protect broodstock needed for future production. The hatchery area closures and Fish Creek Pond closure will assist in collecting broodstock to help achieve egg-take goals.

Auke Bay, Fritz Cove, Gastineau Channel

Within the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area consisting of the contiguous waters of Stephens Passage, Auke Bay, Fritz Cove and Gastineau Channel, enclosed on the west by a line running from the tip of Point Louisa to the navigational aid at the northern tip of Portland Island (58 ^o 21.13’N., 134 ^o 45.52’W) then along the eastern shore of Portland Island to its most southern point and ending on Douglas Island at the northern tip of Outer Point, and enclosed on the east by a line located approximately ¼ mile south of the Dupont dock and extending across Gastineau Channel between department markers (see attached map #1).

• Closed to king salmon fishing, king salmon may not be targeted or retained.

Macaulay Hatchery

The salt waters of Gastineau Channel within a 300-yard radius of the Wayside Park Fishing Dock (Channel Wayside fishing dock – see attached map #1 insert).

• Closed to king salmon fishing and snagging for all species.

King salmon returning to the Douglas Island Pink and Chum, Inc. Macaulay Salmon Hatchery are not expected to meet broodstock goals this year. The return of hatchery produced king salmon to Juneau waters appears to be low based on the number of tag recoveries to date. Therefore, these closures are necessary to protect broodstock needed for future production.

King salmon fishing in Lena Cove remains open:

• The daily bag and possession limit is four king salmon of any size;
• King salmon harvested by nonresidents in this area do not count toward their annual limit.

Fish Creek Pond – (CLOSED June 24)

King salmon returning to Fish Creek Pond will be used to supplement what is returning to the hatchery. Both sources will be needed to achieve broodstock goals to maintain future production. This sport fishing closure will allow fish to gather and remain in the pond undisturbed. At the end of July, king salmon in the pond will be captured and used to help achieve broodstock needs.

• Closed to sport fishing for all species

Link to emergency orders

Southeast Regionwide King Salmon Sport Fishing Regulations - (OPEN JUNE 15 in Juneau Area)

Alaskan resident:

• The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;

Nonresident:

• The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• January 1^st – June 30^th, the nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• July 1^st – July 15^th, 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;
• July 16^th – December 31^st, 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 the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record;

The Southeast regionwide bag and possession limits above will apply in all areas except as modified below for the inside waters in the vicinity of Juneau:

Marine waters near Juneau except Seymour Canal and upper Taku Inlet: (The waters of District 9 north of a line from Patterson Pt. to Pt. Ellis, District 10, Sections 11-A, 11-B, 11-C, District 12, Portion of Section 13-C southeast of a line between Nismeni Pt. and a point on the Chichagof Island shoreline at 57° 35.59' N. lat., 135° 22.33' W. long., Sections 14-B and 14-C, and District 15 south of the latitude of Sherman Rock; see map below)

• April 1 through June 14, 2023: No retention of king salmon. All king salmon caught must be released immediately.

In the waters adjacent to the Taku River:(Taku Inlet north of a line from Point Bishop to Point Greely, see map below)

• April 1 through June 30, 2023: No retention of king salmon. All king salmon caught must be released immediately.

In the waters adjacent to the King Salmon River: (Section 11-D, Seymour Canal north of 57° 37' N. latitude, see map below)

• April 1 through June 30, 2023: closed to king salmon fishing, all anglers may not target or retain king salmon.

Other Summer Fishing Opportunities

Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout Fishing

In late spring, there are still some Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout congregating at the mouths of local creeks. Using small smolt imitation fly patterns or small spinners and spoons is the best way to catch these fish. Be sure to check out Go Fish AK and view the interactive map to see what species of interest you are wanting to fish for.

In all drainages crossed by the Juneau road system, as well as the saltwater adjacent to the Juneau road system to a line ¼ mile offshore, cutthroat and rainbow trout bag limits (in combination) are 2 daily, 2 in possession with a 14-inch minimum and 22-inch maximum size limit. Dolly Varden limits are 2 daily, 2 in possession, no size limit. Anglers should check the 2024 Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary or special regulations specific to the stream or lake they intend to fish.

Lingcod

Residents:

• Season: May 16 – November 30
• 1 per day, 2 in possession, no size limit

Nonresidents:

• Season: May16 – June 14 and august 1 – November 30
• 1 per day, 1 in possession
• 30-35 inches or 55 inches and longer
• Annual limit of 2 fish
• One of which is 30-35 inches in length and one that is 55 inches or greater in length
• Harvest record is required

Rockfish

All vessels must have at least one functional deepwater release mechanism on board and readily available for use when sport fishing activities are taking place regardless of species targeted.

All rockfish not retained must be released at the depth they were caught or 100 feet, whichever is shallower.

Deepwater release devices are mandatory for all saltwater vessels. Please visit our link to view deep water release device examples and tips and how these mechanisms are a helpful tool for conservation

Pelagic Rockfish

All anglers: 5 per day, 10 in possession, no size limit.

• Black
• Dark
• Deacon
• Dusky
• Widow
• Yellowtail

Nonpelagic rockfish (demersal shelf & and slope rockfish)

Demersal shelf rockfish

All anglers: Yelloweye may NOT be retained!

Alaska residents: 1 per day, 2 in possession, no size limit.

Nonresidents: Demersal shelf rockfish may NOT be retained.

• Canary
• China
• Copper
• Quillback
• Rosethorn
• Tiger

Slope rockfish

All anglers: 1 per day, 2 in possession, no size limit.

• Harlequin
• Redstripe
• Rebanded
• Rougheye
• Sharpchin
• Vermilion

All rockfish species listed and not listed may be found here.

Shellfish Harvesting

Except for red and blue king crab, other shellfish are currently available to harvest. Personal use red and blue king crab fishing is currently closed, to protect molting and mating crab, but will reopen July 1.

King Crab

Personal use king crab fishing is only open to Alaskan residents. A sport fishing license and a Southeast Alaska Regional Personal Use King Crab Permit are required. These are available at the ADF&G online store. Please check for Personal Use Emergency Orders, legal-size and pot configurations, and restrictions online. Section 11-A is currently CLOSED to Alaskan resident PU king crab fishing. Stay tuned for the Juneau area PU announcement later this year using the link above. Harvest must be reported online. Please check the 2024 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet pages 33-36 for regulations specific to shellfish.

Dungeness and Tanner Crab

For Alaskan residents in the Juneau area, licensed anglers can keep 20 Dungeness males, a 6.5" minimum width. While taking Dungeness crab, 5 pots or 10 rings per person may be used, with a max of 10 pots or 20 rings per vessel. While taking Tanner crab, no more than 4 pots or 10 rings per vessel may be used. In total, no more than 5 pots per person and 10 pots per vessel may be used for taking shellfish regardless of pot type.

For nonresidents in the Juneau area, licensed anglers can keep 3 male Tanner and Dungeness crab (in combination). Tanner males need to be 5.5" minimum width and Dungeness males need to be 6.5" minimum width.

Shrimp

Sport and personal use shrimp fisheries in the Juneau and Tenakee area will remain CLOSED until further notice. The closed area consists of all marine waters of Section 11-A north and west of a line extending from a regulatory marker near point Bishop to the Coast Guard marker and light on Point Arden, extending to a line at the latitude of Little Island light, and east of a line from Little Island light to Point Retreat light. And the Tenakee closed area consists of all marine waters in Tenakee Inlet west of the longitude of Corner Point at 135° 06.50' W long. Check the Sport and Personal Use Advisory Announcement,

Outside the Juneau 11-A and Tenakee Inlet areas, sport and personal use shrimp fishing remains open. Sport and personal use shrimpers who have a valid sport fishing license must also have a free shrimp permit available on the ADF&G online store. Participating anglers must sign their permit in ink to make it valid and have the permit in possession while taking shrimp in Southeast Alaska. Shrimp limits and gear requirements for sport and personal use shrimp fishing cab be found on pages 33-36 of the 2024 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary. Reporting of effort and harvest is required and must be submitted to the department even if you did not fish.

Clams

ADF&G does not recommend harvesting clams from any waters in the Juneau area due to the possibility that the clams may contain Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins. Currently, no beaches in the Juneau area are monitored on a regular basis (i.e- "certified") for PSP toxins. If you harvest, you do so at your own risk of PSP poisoning. Sporadic sampling has been conducted by the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research (SEATOR) project, but clams of any species and at any time during the year may still contain toxic levels of PSP. Please navigate to the following Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) web page for more information about PSP.

Interactive Fishing Location Maps

NEW! Check out the wefishak page on the ADF&G website for the new Juneau-Glacier Bay Interactive Map to discover popular fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat and angler access tips thru the Sport Fish gofishak application.