Sitka, Alaska Fishing Report
Sitka fishing is heating up. The king salmon season has been good so far, with a couple of 25-pounders having hit the dock recently. Halibut fishing has been excellent. Lingcod opened up mid-May and fishermen are catching these toothy predators. Rockfish angling has been solid so far.
King salmon are being caught on both the inside and outside coasts, with fish spread out everywhere and lots of feed. This makes it possible to find fish on windy days when it’s not possible to get to the outside waters. Ocean temperatures are good, and the sand lance are in thick, providing lots of food for area kings.
Warm spring looking ahead to summer
Sitka weather has been nice. We had an excellent spring with some warm weather so far. There’s good snow pack, so the water temperature should stay nice and cool throughout the summer. There are lots of fish around so far, and our clients have been having a heck of a time catching king salmon, halibut, lingcod, and rockfish. We should start seeing some early coho in the next few weeks.
The usual lures trolled behind flashers have been working for king salmon: Silver Horde Coho Killers and a variety of spoons are typically the best producers. Anglers are also experiencing success using herring and hoochies. Halibut fishing has been reliable, and fish numbers appear to be very good.
Bag Limits and Outlook
The annual limit for king salmon until July 1st is three kings (one per day). Our outlook for the next month is very positive for king salmon anglers. We’ve heard reports of several kings in the 35- to 40-pound range being caught. Unguided halibut anglers are allowed two halibut per day of any size, so our clients are catching quality fish daily. Non-pelagic rockfish are closed, so if you catch a non-pelagic rockfish species, you will beed to release it with the use of a descender. Pelagic rockfish species like black rockfish are abundant in Sitka-area waters, and that’s the one to target.
Fishing has been great so far, and so has the weather. Anglers are catching king salmon, halibut, lingcod and rockfish, enjoying good ocean conditions and great catching. We’ll report again next month on how the June fishing continues to unfold.