Sport fishing the Prince of Wales Game Island area and Alaska Department of Fish Revised and edited by Steve McCurdy, Prince of Wales Island Area Management Biologist Layout, design and maps by Alma Seward, Region I Sport Fish Publications Coordinator Cover photo: Clarence Strait, Southeast Alaska © 2005 by ADF&G Division of Sport Fish Alaska Department of Fish and Game Sport Fish Division Offices: Southeast Regional Office Ketchikan Area Office 802 Third Street 2030 Sea Level Drive Douglas, AK 99824-0020 Ketchikan, AK 99901 (907) 465-4270 (907) 225-2859 State Headquarters Prince of Wales Island Area Office Division of Sport Fish 333 Cold Storage Road 1255 W. 8th Street Craig, AK 99921 P.O. Box 3-2000 (907) 826-2498 Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 465-4180 Recorded fishing information for Southeast Alaska: (907) 465-4116 (Juneau) (907) 225-0475 (Ketchikan) Questions about the ADF&G Trophy Fish Program should be directed to the Headquarters office. Other ADF&G publications are available through the Public Communications Section. ADF&G Public Communications Section: (907) 465-4112 The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs and activities free from discrimination on the basis of sex, color, race, religion, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. For information on alternative formats available for this and other department publications, contact the department ADA Coordinator at (voice) 907-465-4120, or (telecommunication device for the deaf) 1-800- 478-3648. Any person who believes s/he has been discriminated against should write to ADF&G, P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802, or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240. Inside . Introduction, geography ............. 1 Land ownership, population, economy, climate, roads ............ 2 Access to area communities ...... 3 Area facilities.................................. 4 Fish species in the area ................ 6 salmon 6 bottomfish 9 area trout, char, grayling 10 shellfish 12 Run timing ..................................... 13 Fishing spots .................................. 14 salt water 14 • saltwater map 15 roadside fresh water 16 Alaska • roadside fishing map 18 remote lake & stream 20 • remote area map 22 ADF&G regulations, licenses,andfisheries management ............................... 24 Comfort and safety .................... 25 produced by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game P.O. Box 240020 Douglas, AK 99824 Sport fishing the (907) 465-4270 (907) 465-2034 (Fax) Prince of Wales Island ADF&G WEBSITE ➤ www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/ statewide/sf_home.cfm Guide to sport fishing opportunities in the Prince of Wales PoW Island area n southern Southeast I Yakutat Alaska, sport fishing is our CANADA U.S. Map 1. most popular recreation, and Location of the in the Prince of Wales Island area, P Prince of Wales A opportunities abound for even the C Island ADF&G IF most discriminating anglers. IC management Juneau This guide summarizes the main O area in C Southeast sport fishing locations on Prince of E A Alaska. Wales Island and nearby areas, with N maps and related information. Please don’t hesitate to contact our staff about information not presented in the guide. Sitka Prince of Wales Island lies off of the Petersburg mainland coast, across from Ketchikan and Wrangell Wrangell—it is the third largest island in the U.S. A waterway known as the Inside Passage separates it from the mainland. The Prince of Ketchikan Wales Island area includes a number of smaller islands clustered along its west coast. Together, they form a protective barrier from the open sea. The landscape is rugged and mountainous, with rocky coastlines and heavily forested slopes rising to 4,000 feet. Sitka spruce, Western hemlock, and red and yellow cedar dominate the forest. Dozens of small streams and lakes are scattered throughout the area. 1 Land Ownership. (and as late as June in the higher elevations), snow and ice cover limit Most of the area is within the access to lakes and streams. Rainfall Tongass National Forest and is averages over 100 inches per year. managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Our weather is always unpredictable— The rest is owned by Native corpora- high quality rain gear and rubber boots tions, state and local governments, are recommended year-round! and private landowners. Public access along some waterways is limited because of private land Roads . ownership. The USFS road map of The road system on Prince of Wales Prince of Wales Island shows most Island is more extensive than elsewhere of the privately held lands. in Southeast Alaska. Of over 1,000 miles of public-use roads on the island, Population and about 900 miles are Forest Service Economy . gravel roads maintained at various levels, depending on road-use patterns. The area is sparsely populated: DOT (the Alaska Department of Craig is the largest town, with a popu- Transportation) maintains the rest lation in 2000 of 1,397. The only (about 105 miles of which are paved), incorporated cities are Craig, Thorne linking the Inter-Island Ferry Authority Bay, Klawock, Hydaburg, Coffman terminal at Hollis and the airstrip at Cove, and Kasaan—all on Prince of Klawock to the island’s larger towns— Wales Island. Economic patterns Craig, Klawock, Thorne Bay, and have been historically influenced by Hydaburg. The communities of Craig, logging and commercial fishing, but Hollis, Hydaburg, Klawock, and Thorne tourism has shown recent growth. Bay are all connected by paved road, and work is in progress on the road to Climate . Coffman Cove. Relative to the rest of Alaska, the Kosciusko, Heceta, Tuxecan, and area is mild and moist. Winter Marble islands have about 280 com- temperatures average around freezing bined miles of Forest Service roads, but (32°F), and summer temperatures vehicle access is very limited to those average 56°F (ranging from 45° to islands, because they are not served by 80°F). From November to April any ferry system. 2 Access to Prince of Wales Island communities P rince of Wales Island can be reached by the Inter-Island Ferry Air charter companies Authority system (IFA) or by small aircraft from Ketchikan. Floatplane offer both wheeled and floatplane service service is also available to northern for island area transportation. Car and boat rentals are also available to facilitate Prince of Wales Island from travel around the island. Wrangell and Petersburg. There is only one developed airstrip on the For a complete list of area operators, island, and it is located 2 miles contact these organizations: north of Klawock. Prince of Wales Petersburg Visitor Chamber of Information Center The IFA provides daily service Commerce c/o Chamber of to the island and is a dependable P. O. Box 490 Commerce method of travel, regardless of Klawock, AK 99925 Box 649 (907) 755-2626 Petersburg, AK 99833 weather. The IFA terminal is at (907) 772-4636 Hollis, about 35 miles west of Ketchikan Visitors Bureau Wrangell Chamber of Ketchikan, across Clarence Strait. 131 Front Street Commerce Autos, trucks, boats, and RVs can Ketchikan, AK 99901 Box 49 (907) 225-6166 Wrangell, AK 99929 be transported on the ferry, but (907) 874-3901 advance reservations are recom- mended. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority . The IFA maintains year-round ferry service between Ketchikan and Hollis. The system is very busy during summer and holidays. Reservations should be made well in advance at: Inter-Island Ferry Authority 1-866-308-4848 toll-free P.O. Box 495 (907) 826-4848 telephone Craig, AK 99921 (907) 277-4829 (fax) [email protected] (e-mail) Visit the IFA Website: www.interislandferry.com 3 Lodging and facilities in the Prince of Wales I sland area Commercial lodging facilities are available in about half of the communities shown on Map 4. A number of sport fishing lodges, small motels, and bed-and- breakfast establishments operate in the area. In addition to U.S. Forest Service facilities, there are private campgrounds and cabin rentals in some communities. Additional information on lodging may be obtained from: Prince of Wales Island City of Coffman Cove City of Klawock Chamber of Commerce P. O. Box 18135 P. O. Box 113 P. O. Box 490 Coffman Cove, AK 99918 Klawock, AK 99925 Klawock, AK 99925 (907) 329-2233 (907) 755-2261 (907) 755-2626 City of Hydaburg P. O. Box 49 City of Thorne Bay City of Craig Hydaburg, AK 99922 P.O. Box 19110 P.O. Box 725 (907) 285-3761 Thorne Bay, AK 99919 Craig, AK 99921 (907) 828-3380 (907) 826-3275 City of Kaasan PO Box KXA Kasaan, AK 99950 (907) 542-2212 U.S. Forest Service where access is limited to floatplane, Public Use boat, or trail. Skiffs are available at many of the lakeside cabins. Sport Cabins fishing is available near all but two The U.S. Forest Service manages cabins. Reservations are required and 19 cabins, one 3-sided shelter, and can be made up to 180 days in advance 10 picnic/campground areas for at www.reserveUSA.com. public use in the Prince of Wales If you are planning road travel and Island area (see maps on pages 15, are not familiar with the Prince of 18 and 22). The cabins house four Wales Island road system, we recom- to six people and are modestly mend the USFS road map. Purchase a priced ($25–$45/night in 2004, map, make cabin reservations, or find depending on location and time of information at www.reserveUSA.com year). Most are remote cabins, or contact a Forest Service office at: 4 U.S. Forest Service offices . Tongass National Forest Craig Ranger District Thorne Bay Ranger District SE Alaska Discovery Center P.O. Box 500 P.O. Box 19001 50 Main Street Craig, AK 99921 Thorne Bay, AK 99919 Ketchikan, AK 99901 (907) 826-3271 (907) 828-3304 (907) 228-6220 Summary of Prince of Wales Island area transportation services Float Fishing/ Groc- plane Road Boat Medical hunting Gas eries service access ramp Police services Lodging license Coffman Cove • •••• •• Craig • •••••••• Edna Bay • Hollis ••• L Hydaburg • •••• •• Kasaan • ••• • Klawock • •••••••• Labouchere Bay ••P Naukati •••P Point Baker •• • • Port Protection •• • • • Thorne Bay • •••••••• Whale Pass • •••• • L = limited availability P = primitive launch ramp—recommended only for cartop boats or skiffs.