Juneau Fishing Species & Seasons

Local nicknames: Kings, Chinook

Size: Average 15–35 lbs around Juneau, with larger fish landed each year. Alaska records exceed 50 lbs.

Run timing in Juneau: Mid-May through early July, with peak in June.

Where we target them: Saltwater shoreline (especially the mouth of Fish Creek on Douglas Island and along DIPAC near the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery), and select freshwater drainages along the Juneau road system. King salmon regulations changed in 2015 — drainages crossed by the road system are now open to king fishing year-round with a 4-fish bag limit, and nonresident kings caught here don't count against annual limits.

How we target them: Heavy rods (8–10 weight on fly, medium-heavy on spin), sinking fly lines or weighted lures, large streamers or spoons. Kings are the trophy of the Juneau fishery and not a beginner's fish on either gear type. Fly fishing for kings is a specialty pursuit; spinning gear is more forgiving for first-timers chasing them.

License requirement: A king salmon stamp is required in addition to your basic Alaska sport fishing license.

Local nicknames: Reds, sockeye

Size: Average 4–8 lbs.

Run timing in Juneau: Freshwater runs occur in July. Saltwater availability runs July through September but in lower numbers than other species.

Where we target them: Specific waters with sockeye runs (Windfall Creek has a sockeye fishery with seasonal restrictions). Sockeye are a regulated species — we follow current ADFG rules carefully.

How we target them: Sockeye are notoriously difficult to take on a fly because they're not feeding aggressively when they enter freshwater — they're spawning. Targeted flossing techniques work where legal. Spinning gear with the right setup can sometimes outperform fly for sockeye. They're not the most realistic primary target in Juneau, but they show up.

Local nicknames: Pinks, humpies, humpbacks

Size: 3–6 lbs.

Run timing in Juneau: Late June through August in salt water; peak July through mid-August in fresh water. Pink runs in Southeast Alaska are dramatically larger in even-numbered years — 2026 is a strong year for pinks. In odd years, runs are significantly smaller.

Where we target them: Lower rivers and creek mouths — Cowee Creek, Echo Cove, Amalga Harbor, near the Macaulay Hatchery. Salt water near stream mouths.

How we target them: Aggressive on small streamers and pink-colored flies on fly gear, or small spinners and spoons on conventional gear. Light to medium rods (6–7 weight fly, or light spinning). Pinks are the easiest salmon to catch on either rod — they'll smash flies and lures repeatedly. Best species for beginners and high-volume action, regardless of gear preference.

Eating quality: Pinks are best eaten very fresh or smoked. They don't freeze well. Most anglers release them or eat them within a day or two.

Local nicknames: Chums, dogs (because Alaska Natives historically fed them to dog teams)

Size: 7–18 lbs, occasionally up to 30+.

Run timing in Juneau: Late July through August.

Where we target them: Lower rivers and creek mouths alongside the pinks. Sheep Creek is well-known for its chum run.

How we target them: Aggressive feeders on streamers (especially anything purple) on fly gear, or on spoons and spinners on conventional. Strong fighters, often underrated. Heavier rods recommended (7–8 weight fly, medium spinning) because they pull hard.

Eating quality: Chums are not prized as table fish, but freshly caught chum smoked is genuinely excellent. Chums are also the source of most commercial salmon caviar.

Local nicknames: Silvers, coho

Size: 6–12 lbs typically, with larger fish common.

Run timing in Juneau: Mid-July through October, with peak in August and September.

Where we target them: Salt water shoreline and lower rivers. Auke Bay through Berners Bay sees excellent shoreline silver action in late summer.

How we target them: The favorite species for many returning clients, including ours. Silvers are aggressive, acrobatic, and hard-fighting. They take a fly or a spinner with intent. Medium to heavy rods (7–8 weight fly, or medium spinning), bright streamers or spoons, sinking or intermediate lines on fly. Late summer and fall silvers are some of the best fishing of the year in Southeast Alaska on either gear.

Eating quality: Excellent. Flaky pink meat, freezes well, smokes beautifully. Most anglers want to take a silver or two home.

Local nicknames: Dollies

Size: 12–22 inches typically. Larger sea-runs are common — Dominick has taken fish over 30 inches.

Season: Active May through September. Peak feeding when salmon are spawning (July through August) — Dollies stack up behind spawning salmon and feed on eggs.

Where we target them: Cowee Creek, Montana Creek, Sheep Creek, and many smaller streams along the Juneau road system. Estuaries and beach habitat through summer.

How we target them: Dolly Varden are Dominick's favorite fish to target in Juneau — aggressive, not picky, growing to over 30 inches, and they fight like little tanks. Light rods (4–6 weight fly, or light spinning), egg patterns when salmon are spawning, small streamers and flesh flies otherwise, or small spinners on conventional gear. Dollies hit aggressively, fight well above their weight class, and are abundant.

Eating quality: Excellent — light, flaky, white meat. Dolly Varden in some waters is catch-and-release; in others harvest is legal under ADFG bag limits.

Local nicknames: Cutts, sea-runs, harvest trout

Size: 12–18 inches typically.

Season: Active May through September, especially in estuaries and lower rivers.

Where we target them: Estuaries, beach lagoons, lower stretches of road-system streams.

How we target them: Light rods (3–5 weight fly is the classic approach), small flies — sculpins, smelt patterns, and egg flies during salmon spawn. Cutthroat are smart, beautiful fish that take a well-presented fly with finesse rather than aggression. A favorite of experienced fly fishers. Spinning gear works too with small lures, but cutthroat fishing is one of the species where fly fishing really shines.

Eating quality: Most cutthroat fishing is catch-and-release.

Local nicknames: Steelies

Size: 6–15+ lbs. Steelhead are sea-run rainbow trout — anadromous, like salmon.

Season: Spring (April–May) and a smaller fall window (October–November) in select systems around Juneau.

Where we target them: A few specific streams, with effort and luck. Steelhead populations in Southeast Alaska are not large by Lower 48 standards — these are not high-numbers fish.

How we target them: Heavy rods (7–8 weight fly), swung flies on sinking tips, classic steelhead techniques. This is dedicated fishing — we don't target steelhead on most general half-day trips. Custom full-day trips with steelhead as the goal can be arranged for the right conditions and timing. Fly fishing is the standard approach for steelhead given the catch-and-release ethic.

Note: Steelhead conservation is a serious topic in Southeast Alaska. We follow strict catch-and-release ethics on every steelhead.

Local nicknames: Starries, flounder

Size: 1–4 lbs typically, occasionally larger.

Season: Available through summer in shallow saltwater and estuaries. Most active May through September.

Where we target them: Sandy and muddy estuary bottoms, shallow saltwater beaches, lower river mouths. Starry flounder hold on the bottom in 2–15 feet of water in protected bays and tidal flats.

How we target them: Bottom-bouncing with small jigs or weighted streamers, or natural bait where legal. Light rods (4–6 weight fly with sinking line, or light spinning). They're not subtle — when a starry hits, you know — but they're a different style of fishing than the salmon-and-trout focus of most trips, more methodical and exploratory.

Why this matters: Starry flounder is one of the species the offshore charter boats don't catch — they're a shallow-water, wade-accessible fish. If you've fished Alaska before and want to target something you can't get anywhere else, this is one to ask about. Especially fun for kids and beginners because they're abundant and willing.

Eating quality: Excellent — mild, white-fleshed, flakes nicely when cooked. Bag limits set by ADFG.

Several lakes and streams along the Juneau road system hold resident rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout populations — fish that don't run to the ocean. Cropley Lake, Salmon Creek Reservoir, Dredge Lakes, and the upper sections of Peterson Creek are notable. These are smaller fish (6–12 inches typically), but they're available year-round and offer fishing in the off-season when nothing else is running.

Saltwater bottom fish — halibut, lingcod, rockfish — are the target species for the offshore charter boat industry around Juneau. We don't target them. They're caught from boats in deep water, with conventional heavy tackle, and they don't fit our wade-based guided fishing approach. If you want offshore halibut, book one of the offshore charter operators in Auke Bay. If you want wade-based guided fishing for salmon, trout, char, starry flounder, and other shoreline species — fly or spin — you're in the right place.