Area Sport Fishing Reports
Prince of Wales Island

October 2, 2024

Fishing is winding down on Prince of Wales as coho salmon are darkening up for spawning, fall weather makes it difficult to fish marine waters and people concentrate on hunting activities. When the weather allows, marine fishing is still productive for king salmon, halibut, rockfish and lingcod.

Check out the wefishak page on the ADF&G website for the gofishak interactive map to discover fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat and angler access tips!

Chinook (King) Salmon

King fishing is open and resident anglers can keep 2 kings over 28" per day and use 2 rods through March 31, 2025.

Through December 31, 2024 nonresident bag limit is 1 king salmon over 28" with an annual limit of 1. Any king salmon caught earlier in 2024 apply to the annual limit.

Coho (Silver) Salmon

Coho salmon are present in most fresh water drainages. Small numbers of fresh fish will trickle in from salt water in early October but the majority of fish are beginning to take on their spawning coloration. Drainages from medium sized creeks to the larger river drainages support fall coho salmon. Fishing remains good in the Klawock River.

Trout and Dolly Varden

Rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and Dolly Varden are available in many of the freshwater drainages of POW. Trout and Dolly Varden are feeding on salmon eggs. Productive drainages for trout include Luck, Klawock, and Sarkar lakes and Ratz Creek. Regulations regarding size limits, bag limits, and the use of bait can vary by waterbody, so please check the Southeast Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary.

Halibut

Halibut fishing is good and should remain so through the fall.

Lingcod

Lingcod fishing can be excellent near rocky structure during the fall.

• The resident limit for lingcod is one per day, no size restrictions.
• The noresident annual limit for 2024 is one lingcod between 30 and 35 inches and one lingcod over 55 inches.
• The lingcod season will close for the winter on December 1.

Rockfish

Rockfish can be caught year-round. There is a section on the Fish and Game website for identifying common rockfish of POW.

All sport fishing vessels are required to have at least one functional deepwater release device (regardless of species targeted), and anglers will be REQUIRED to use a deepwater release device to release rockfish to the depth it was hooked or to a depth of at least 100 feet. 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.

Demersal Shelf Rockfish

The retention of demersal shelf rockfish is open for residents of Alaska with a daily bag limit of one. Yelloweye remained closed.

Demersal shelf rockfish are closed to harvest for nonresidents.

Demersal shelf rockfish are the following species: quillback, copper, canary, china, tiger, and rosethorn rockfish.

Slope Rockfish

Some slope rockfish are common in marine waters surrounding POW. The most common species are silvergrey and vermilion rockfish.

• One per day; one in possession

Pelagic Rockfish

Pelagic rockfish provide good fishing in the marine waters surrounding POW.

• Season: year-round
• Five per day; ten in possession

For additional information regarding rockfish identification and management, please refer to the rockfish conservation page.

Regulation summaries and copies of the news releases are available at the Craig ADF&G office.

For further information, please contact the Prince of Wales Area Management Biologist: Craig Schwanke (907) 826-2498.