King salmon sportfishing slows in Yakutat marine waters after strong week

King salmon sportfishing in Yakutat marine waters slowed over the Memorial Day weekend after excellent conditions the week prior, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's May 28 fishing report.

King salmon fishing in Yakutat remains open under 2026 regulations, with Alaska resident anglers allowed a bag and possession limit of two king salmon 28 inches or greater in length, while nonresident anglers face a one-fish limit with an annual harvest cap of three fish from April 1 through June 30. Earlier in May, ADFG reports noted that king salmon fishing remained slow, with only a couple of sportfishing reports from Yakutat Bay. The late May slowdown came as coho salmon numbers in the bay increased, marking a fluctuation in what has been an uneven month for king salmon anglers.

Jason Pawluk, Yakutat Area Sport Fish Management Biologist, reported that most anglers troll spoons or herring behind a flasher. He identified Redfield, Logdump, Johnstone Pass, and Monti Bay as productive locations to check out.

Lingcod and rockfish fishing remain strong, while steelhead trout fishing has slowed as fish sit on spawning beds and prepare for out-migration.