Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 20, 2024

General Area Description: includes all waters between Cape Fairfield and Cape Suckling.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• Anglers are catching sockeye salmon in Eyak River and Alaganik River near Cordova. Fishing has been fair in both rivers.
  • Remember: Effective June 1, Eyak River Special Regulations are in effect (see 2024 regulation summary).

Cutthroat Trout/Dolly Varden

• Cutthroat trout fishing has been good in Cordova area lakes. Cutthroat can be found at the mouth of streams and in lakes throughout Prince William Sound.
• Dolly Varden has been reported in the Valdez area and the mouth of a few streams throughout Prince William Sound. Fishing will improve as the salmon arrive and Dolly Varden follow them into the creeks.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

• Halibut fishing has been good throughout Prince William Sound. Try fishing at the entrances of a bay with a large jig tipped with herring in depths of 200-300 feet.
• Halibut fishing has been good to excellent in the outside waters of Prince William Sound. Larger halibut have started showing up in the area. Anglers have been successful by setting a chum bag and fishing a large herring on a circle hook.

Lingcod

• Lingcod season is closed until July 1.

Rockfish

• By emergency order, Yelloweye Rockfish may not be retained from April 1–June 30.
• Rockfish fishing has been excellent throughout Prince William Sound and anglers have been finding schools of pelagic rockfish near the entrances to Prince William Sound.

Other Finfish

• Fishing for Pacific (gray) cod continues to be excellent throughout Prince William Sound and outside waters while targeting other saltwater species.

Salmon

• Sockeye salmon are beginning to return to the Main Bay hatchery and fishing in Main Bay has been good with many anglers returning with limits.
  • Reminder: Anglers may not sport fish from a vessel that is within 60 feet of the hatchery barrier seine or from a vessel that is inside of the barrier seine. Cost recovery and commercial fishing activities will be occurring throughout the week.
• King salmon fishing has good in Prince William Sound. Anglers have been catching kings trolling near Pigot Bay and in the Valdez area. Trolling a large flasher with a medium-sized herring has been an effective way to catch king salmon.
• King salmon fishing has slowed down near Cape Cleare (Montague Island).
• Kings are returning at Fleming Spit (in Cordova). Fish are entering and milling in the lagoon with each tide. Try casting a larger spinner or drifting a herring or roe under a bobber during the incoming tide.
  • Remember: Effective June 1, Cordova Terminal Harvest area is closed to snagging (see 2024 regulation summary).

Local Lakes

• Both Blueberry and Thompson lakes are now ice-free. Fishing for rainbow trout in both lakes will be fair, but anglers may also find lake trout in Blueberry and Arctic grayling in Thompson.
• Ruth Pond (Valdez area) will be stocked before the end of the month. Fishing will be very slow until then.

Special Species Information

Shrimp

• Shrimp catches have been highly variable, but shrimpers are reporting good catches in Northern Prince William Sound while setting pots between 300-450’.

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-SHR-6-03-24 reduced the number of shrimp pots allowed to harvest shrimp in the Prince William Sound noncommercial shrimp fishery. The pot limit per person and per vessel has been reduced to three pots; however, of those three pots only two pots can be set in areas of historical high effort including areas near the Port of Valdez, near the Port of Whittier, and in portions of Port Wells and Culross Passage.

• Emergency Order 2-RF-6-04-24 reduces the rockfish bag and possession limits in Prince William Sound to three per day and six in possession of which only one per day, one in possession can be nonpelagic. In addition, from April 1 through June 30, 2023, yelloweye rockfish may not be retained.

Don't forget to purchase your 2024 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today. You can also purchase licenses through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2024 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Area Office at (907) 267-2218.