Sitka Fishing Report: September 22-28, 2008

October 1, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Sitka 

Report From Alaska Fish and Game  

  • Sitka Fishing Report
    September 22-28, 2008

  • Chinook Salmon

  • Beginning July 16, 2008 non-resident anglers are allowed to harvest one king salmon, 48 inches or greater in length.  Any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by a non-resident prior to July 15 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit. The implementation of this size restriction is the reason for the dramatically lower harvest rates as fishing effort and harvest is predominantly from nonresident anglers. The resident king salmon bag and possession limit is one fish 28 inches or greater.
  •             There were no king salmon encountered by creel personnel in Sitka last week; the typical 5-year average for the last week of September is 21 rod hours per king salmon harvested. Chinook salmon are generally landed offshore in locations such as Vitskari Rocks, Biorka, Sitka Point, Cape Edgecumbe, the Shark Hole, and Salisbury Sound.             
  • The Sitka Fishing Guide (PDF) has more information on fishing for salmon in the Sitka area.

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Sitka Fishing Report - July 28 - August 3, 2008

August 10, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Sitka 

Report from Alaska Fish and Game

Sitka Fishing Report
July 28 - August 3, 2008

Chinook Salmon

As of July 16, non-resident anglers are allowed to harvest one king salmon, 48 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by a non-resident prior to July 15 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit.The resident king salmon bag and possession limit is one fish 28 inches or greater.Anglers last week averaged 57 hours per king salmon harvested; this is 50 hours more than the 5-year average of 7 hours per king salmon harvested during the last week of July/first week of August. Chinook salmon have been found as close as Silver Bay, but were more commonly landed further offshore in locations such as Vitskari Rocks, Biorka, Sitka Point, Cape Edgecumbe, the Shark Hole, and Salisbury Sound.Sitka’s salmon derby was won with a 48.0 lb fish, and had 217 fish entered which is 75% less than the recent 5-year average of 870 entered fish for the two weekend duration of the Sitka derby. Previous to this year’s derby, during 1996 to 2007, the number entered has ranged from 465 fish in 1996 to 1,826 fish in 1997.The Sitka Fishing Guide (PDF) has more information on fishing for salmon in the Sitka area.

2008 Chinook salmon regulations

·         The resident bag and possession limit for king salmon is one fish 28 inches or greater in length.

·         The nonresident bag and possession limit

o        May 1 through July 15, one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;

o        July 16 through September 30, one king salmon 48 inches or greater in length;

o        October 1 through December 31, one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.

·         Nonresident harvest limit

o        From January 1 through June 30, a nonresident’s harvest limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;

o        From July 1 through July 15, a nonresident’s harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish harvest limit;

o        From July 16 through September 30, a nonresident’s harvest limit is one king salmon, 48 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through July 15 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit;

o        From October 1 through December 31, a nonresident’s harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through September 30 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit;

o        Nonresident anglers must record all king salmon harvested, immediately, in ink, either on the back of their sport fishing license, or on a nontransferable harvest record immediately.

·         The maximum number of lines that may be fished from a charter vessel engaged in sport fishing charter activities is six lines or equal to the number of clients onboard the vessel, whichever is less.

Be sure to review the Sport Fish Regulations pages as well as the Emergency Orders and News Releases for more information.

Coho Salmon

Anglers last week averaged 2 hours per coho salmon harvested; this 1 hour more than the 5-year average of 1 hour per coho salmon harvested during the last week of July/first week of August. Coho salmon have been landed offshore in locations such as Vitskari Rocks, Biorka, Sitka Point, Cape Edgecumbe, and Salisbury Sound.

Pink and Chum Salmon

Harvest of pink and chum salmon was minimal in Sitka. Anglers last week averaged 9 and 94 hours per pink and chum salmon harvested respectively; this is 4 and 21 hours more than the 5-year average of 13 and 73 hours per pink and chum salmon harvested during the last week of July/first week of August.

Sockeye

Several Emergency Orders and News Releases affect Sockeye fishing in Southeast.

Halibut

Anglers last week averaged 3 rod hours per halibut harvested; this is 1 hour more than the 5-year average of 2 hours per halibut harvested during the last week of July/first week of August. The most successful areas for halibut have been the outer coast of Kruzof Island and also the outer islands near Biorka.Be sure to review the Sport Fish Regulations pages as well as the Emergency Orders and News Releases for more information.The Sitka Halibut Fishing Guide (PDF) has more information on fishing for halibut in the Sitka area.

Lingcod CLOSED

There are two time periods when fishing for lingcod is allowed; May 16 through June 15 and August 16 through November 30. During these periods, the bag and possession limit will be one lingcod per day, two in possession, and no size restrictions for non-guided Alaska resident anglers. For lingcod harvested by guided and nonresident anglers, a 30-inch minimum and 35-inch maximum size limit is in effect. The Nonresident lingcod annual limit will be one fish. Nonresident anglers are reminded that upon landing and retaining a lingcod, they must enter the date and location of catch, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or harvest record reporting form before continuing to fish. Additionally, guided and nonresident anglers may land lingcod only by hand or with a landing net. A gaff may not be used. Lingcod regulations can be found on page 11 of the 2008 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary.Be sure to review the Sport Fish Regulations pages as well as the Emergency Orders and News Releases for more information.

Rockfish

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced on April 30, 2008 the sport fishing bag and possession limits, and the mandatory retention of non-pelagic rockfish. Nonresident angler annual limits of yelloweye rockfish have also been established for the 2008 season. The following regulations become effective 12:01 A.M. May 1, 2008.

·         All non-pelagic rockfish caught must be retained until the bag limit is reached.

·         The resident bag limit is three non-pelagic rockfish only one of which may be a yelloweye; possession limit of six fish, two of which may be yelloweye.

·         The nonresident bag limit is two non-pelagic rockfish only one of which may be a yelloweye; possession limit of four fish, two of which may be yelloweye; with an annual limit of two yelloweye rockfish. Nonresident anglers must record all yelloweye rockfish harvested, in ink, either on the back of their sport fishing license, or on a nontransferable harvest record immediately.

·         Charter operators and crew members may not retain non-pelagic rockfish while clients are on board the vessel.

These regulations apply in all marine waters of Southeast Alaska as a means to reduce total mortality, keep regulations consistent to avoid angler confusion, and improve enforcement.The Board of Fisheries established management provisions for a subgroup of non-pelagic rockfish (demersal shelf rockfish) to be imposed on the sport fishery for controlling harvest (5 AAC 47.065). The board acted upon concerns regarding recent harvest levels of demersal shelf rockfish within the sport fishery during 2001 through 2005. The Board allocated 16% of the total allowable catch of demersal shelf rockfish to the sport fishery. An estimated harvest of 69 metric tons during the 2007 season dictates that harvest restrictions are required. The measures being imposed during 2008 are intended to reduce harvest and total mortality to within the sport allocation. Managers will continue to monitor sport harvest of non-pelagic rockfish and may take additional management actions to keep the sport fishery within its allocation.Be sure to review the Sport Fish Regulations pages as well as the Emergency Orders and News Releases for more information.

Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden fishing along the roadside/shoreline is fair.The Sitka Dolly Varden Fishing Guide (PDF) has more information on fishing for Dolly Varden in the Sitka area.

Trout

Local streams are producing fair catches of trout.The Sitka Trout Fishing Guide (PDF) has more information on fishing for trout in the Sitka area.All anglers are responsible for knowing the current regulations for the area that they will be fishing. Regulation summaries and copies of the most recent regulatory changes are available at the Sitka ADF&G office.Be sure to review the Sport Fish Regulations pages as well as the Emergency Orders and News Releases for more information.The Sitka Area fishing guide is a set of PDF documents with more information on sport fishing in the Sitka area.

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