2022 End of Season Review
Great News for 2009: Better king fishing and you can keep them, too.
The king salmon abundance index rebounded sharply from the low levels we saw in 2008. That promises faster fishing throughout the season and much better regulations in July and August.
In 2009, non-resident anglers can keep one king per day, three per year all season long. The minimum size is 28 inches throughout the season – gone is the dreaded 48 inch minimum we dealt with from July 16 through the end of the season in 2008. So, expect hot king fishing from May until mid-August and count on regulations that allow you to bring up to three home.
The projected harvest of coho (silvers) in 2009 is right in line with the 10 year average. If you have fished silvers with us over the past decade, you know that average is terrific. We’re expecting another excellent year with silvers, which will only be made better by more kings in the mix that you can keep.
Catch quotas remain low, but two very strong year classes of halibut are working their way into Sitka catches. These fish are not particularly large given their age and the unexplained slow growth rates over the past decade. We’re expecting good catches and, as always with halibut fishing, the chance of a whopper is ever present.
The usual mix of rockfish, lingcod (in season), pink and chum salmon, plus exotics like salmon shark will round out the action and keep things busy aboard our boats in 2009.
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