UTERChinook (king) salmon fishing in Southeast Alaska
In Southeast Alaska, Chinook (king) salmon peak May–June and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Returning kings run the outer coast and the inside passages — herring on a flasher at the points on the change.
Last silvers; fall steelhead at Yakutat. Bays and terminal areas for late coho; the Situk for fall steelhead.
Chinook (king) salmon in Southeast Alaska, month by month
- JanuaryAroundWinter kings (feeders) around Ketchikan, Sitka and Juneau — downrigger herring deep; the derby fish of winter.
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAroundFeeders on the herring; the first spring returning kings by month's end.
- AprilArrivingSpring kings start showing at the capes off Sitka and Ketchikan. SE king limits are set by emergency order each year — check ADF&G.
- MayPeakReturning kings run the outer coast and the inside passages — herring on a flasher at the points on the change.
- JunePeakPeak king month: Sitka, Craig, Ketchikan's Mountain Point, Juneau's derby water.
- JulyLeavingKings thinning, coho taking over; terminal hatchery kings at the release sites.
- AugustAroundFeeders stay all year in deep water off the points.
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAroundLast silvers; fall steelhead at Yakutat. Bays and terminal areas for late coho; the Situk for fall steelhead.
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish Chinook (king) salmon near Ketchikan, Craig, Wrangell
The Inside Passage: a thousand islands of rainforest, deep fjords, kelp-lined points and the exposed outer coast off Sitka and Craig, with hundreds of salmon streams and hatchery release sites.
Fish Scouter charts 328 lake spots in the Southeast Alaska map area — the kinds Chinook (king) salmon hold on.
What to use for Chinook (king) salmon
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Anchovies (Pacific)Nose- or collar-hooked on a #4 to 1/0 hook and fly-lined with no weight, or on a dropper loop; a dozen tossed over the side as chum keeps the bass and bonito up.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 44–60°F water, best at 50–56°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Chinook (king) salmon in Southeast Alaska?
Peak season is May–June. Chinook (king) salmon are here year-round. May: Returning kings run the outer coast and the inside passages — herring on a flasher at the points on the change.
Where do Chinook (king) salmon hold in Southeast Alaska?
Look on pass / inlet, channel edge, marker / buoy, beach / surf, ledge / hard bottom, river — around Ketchikan, Craig, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau.
What is the best bait for Chinook (king) salmon in Southeast Alaska?
Live bait: herring, anchovies (pacific), salmon eggs (roe). Herring: Cut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for Chinook (king) salmon in Southeast Alaska?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and change — read the current rule at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishregulations.main before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=license.main.
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All about Chinook (king) salmon · Southeast Alaska, the whole year