Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince William Sound

July 10, 2024

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

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• Sockeye salmon are scattered throughout the Eyak River (Cordova area) near the lake, although fishing has been slow.
  • Remember: Effective June 1, Eyak River Special Regulations are in effect (see 2024 regulation summary).
• Sockeye salmon are moving through Alaganik Slough (Cordova area) in fishable numbers. Anglers have reported catches throughout the Slough at both the upper and lower boat launches.
• Sockeye salmon continue to move through the Coghill River in Port Wells in good numbers.
  • By emergency order, the sockeye salmon bag limit was increased to 12 per day, 24 in possession in the Coghill River drainage. Additionally, the closed area near the ADF&G weir on the Coghill River has been reduced to 50 feet upstream and downstream.

Cutthroat Trout/Dolly Varden

• Cutthroat trout fishing has been good to excellent in lakes throughout Prince William Sound. Cutthroat can be found at the mouth of streams or the outlets of lakes feeding on salmon smolt.
• Dolly Varden have been reported from multiple streams in Prince William Sound. Fishing will improve as the salmon arrive and sea-run Dolly Varden follow them into the creeks.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

• Halibut are well-distributed throughout Prince William Sound and fishing has been good. Try fishing at the entrances of a bay or on large mounds at depths of 150-300’ with a jig tipped with herring.
• Halibut fishing has been good to excellent in the outside waters of Prince William Sound. Anglers are reporting limits of small to medium-sized halbut. Anglers have been successful by setting a chum bag and fishing a large herring on a circle hook.

Lingcod

Lingcod season opened on July 1. Anglers have been catching many good-sized lingcod by jigging over rocky pinnacles in the outside water of Prince William Sound. Keep your jig or bait a few feet off the bottom to reduce rockfish catches.

Rockfish

• Yelloweye Rockfish retention opened on July 1.
• 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. Anglers have no trouble catching cod while targeting other saltwater species.

Salmon

• Sockeye salmon fishing in Main Bay has been good; however, catch rates may vary with cost recovery and commercial fishing activity.
  • 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 efforts continue to be underway and anglers should yield to this vessel when active.
  • A few pink salmon are starting to get picked up from shore in Valdez but it takes extra effort.
• King salmon fishing in Prince William Sound has been fair. Anglers are having better success, particularly in Port Nellie Juan and near Glacier Island in the Valdez area. King salmon have been on the smaller size but catch rates have been good. Try trolling a herring behind a medium-sized flasher.
• Kings are present at Fleming Spit (in Cordova). King salmon have been milling in the lagoon. 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 have been recently stocked. Fishing for rainbow trout in both lakes will be good. Anglers may also find lake trout in Blueberry and Arctic grayling in Thompson.
• Ruth Pond (Valdez area) has also been stocked. Fishing will be excellent over the Fourth of July Weekend. The freshly stocked fish will be more active early or late in the day.

Special Species Information

Shrimp

Shrimpers are reporting good catches in Northern Prince William Sound while setting pots at depths greater than 400'. Remember not to be too focused on the depth but rather the rocky structure when setting your pots.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

• NEW: Emergency Order 2-RS-6-35-24 increases the sockeye salmon bag and possession limit to 12 fish per day, 24 in possession in the Coghill River drainage. Additionally, this emergency order reduces the area closed to fishing adjacent to the Coghill River weir to 50 feet.
• 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.