Area Sport Fishing Reports
Kodiak

May 22, 2026

Freshwater Fishing

• A few reds have shown up in the Buskin, but with the high water, fishing has been slow. The weir will not be operational until early June.
• Litnik is getting a few sockeye as well with 18 counted through the weir. No reports of any catches yet.
• Dollies are still in the Buskin and fishing has been good from the sounds of it. Rainbows have been caught in the river as well.

Saltwater Fishing

• Dollies are being caught at Mission Beach and should be around most local beaches. Fishing should get better as May progresses- with more and more leaving freshwater in search of food.
• King salmon fishing effort has been low due to the weather, but on the few calm days, there have been fish caught in between Woody and Long Island and in the Fingers area.
• Remember that there are two emergency orders changing regulations for saltwater king salmon fishing in the Kodiak Area in effect this season. See below.
• Halibut fishing has been slow so far this spring, and most folks are finding them fairly deep if they are finding them. A few have been found in Whale Pass and at the Fingers while trolling.
• Cod are being caught nearly everywhere, favorite spots have been between Woody and Long Islands as well as near Kalsin Reef.
• Rockfish are being caught in all the regular spots. With new restrictions for black rockfish coming up June 1, look to deeper water on the edges of rockpiles and reefs to find dark and dusky rockfish. Widow and yellowtail rockfish are also around but often in discreet schools separate from other species. See Special Species Information and Emergency Orders below for more about rockfish.
• Don’t forget that lingcod season doesn’t open until July 1!

Local Lakes

Spring fishing in stocked lakes has been excellent so far with good catches reported in the Bells Flats lakes and Horseshoe Lake. With things warming up a little earlier this year, fish are already active and feeding in these lakes with the lower elevation lakes being the warmest. Lots of insect hatches are happening daily and the rainbows are feeding aggressively.

Special Species Information

• New rockfish regulations will take effect June 1 for Kodiak and Afognak waters north of Dangerous and Cape Ikolik. This includes all the waters of Afognak, Raspberry and Shuyak Islands as well as Chiniak, Ugak and Marmot Bays and all of Whale Pass, Kupreanof Straight and the Westside of Kodiak Island. It is also in effect for all anglers, both resident and non-resident.
• Anglers fishing in these waters can keep 5 rockfish per day, but for only 2 can be of a single species and only 1 may be a black rockfish and 1 may be a yelloweye. This is similar to salmon bag limits in the Kodiak Road Zone; an example would be that an angler could harvest 1 black rockfish, 2 dusky rockfish and 2 dark rockfish. Species ID guides are available in the Southwest Alaska Regulation Booklet, on the ADF&G website and in the Kodiak ADF&G office.
• After similar regulations were implemented last season, many anglers found that shifting their fishing behavior slightly resulted in increased rockfish catches of species other than Black Rockfish, which are typically most commonly caught. Dark Rockfish, Dusky Rockfish and other species can often be found just off the side of a rock pile or reef and in deeper water than black rockfish that typically prefer the top of and middle of these structures.
• Keep an eye out for some of the species you may not have realized we have in Kodiak: Widow, Yellowtail, Canary, Tiger, Northern and Silvergray rockfish are some of these.
• Additional restrictions are in place for Northern Afognak and Shuyak Islands for rockfish and lingcod north of Black Cape and Tonki Cape, see Emergency Orders online for more details.
• Similar to last year are Emergency Orders restricting saltwater king salmon harvest. The Island-wide king salmon bag limit has been reduced to 1 fish per day, with no annual limit to align with the rest of the Gulf of Alaska for the 2026 season.
• In addition to this, the Westside of Kodiak has been closed to saltwater king salmon fishing through June 30 to protect king salmon returning to Karluk and Ayakulik Rivers. Only 93 king salmon were counted in the Karluk River last season which was similar to 2024 with only 76 fish counted.

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-RF-4-23-26 reduced the bag and possession limit for a single species of rockfish to 2 per day, 4 in possession north of Outlet Cape and Cape Ikolik. Only 1 rockfish of the 5 fish total limit may be a yelloweye and only 1 may be a black rockfish. This emergency order is in effect from Monday June 1, 2026 through 11:59 pm. Thursday, December 31, 2026.
  • Additionally, in waters north of Tonki Cape and Black Cape, to include the waters of Northern Afognak and Shuyak Islands, the bag limit for rockfish is 3 rockfish, of which no more than one of a single species.
• Emergency Order 2-LC-4-22-26 reduced the bag and possession limit lingcod north of Tonki Cape and Black Cape. The bag limit is 1 lingcod per day, 2 in possession, 35” or greater in length. This emergency order is in effect from Wednesday July 1, 2026 through 11:59 pm. Thursday, December 31, 2026.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-4-13-26 closed the Karluk River drainage (including the lagoon and its outlet stream) and the Ayakulik River drainage to king salmon fishing and restricted fishing gear to only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 25, 2026.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-4-17-28 reduce the bag and possession limit for king salmon in the Kodiak Area to 1 per day from 12:01am Wednesday, April 1, 2026 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-4-14-26 closed the saltwaters of the Westside of Kodiak Island from Outlet Cape to Cape Ikolik to king salmon fishing from 12:01am Friday, May 1, 2026 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

Don't forget to purchase your 2025 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 2025 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Kodiak Area Office at (907) 486-1880.