Ketchikan Southeast Alaska fishing forecast
Ketchikan Southeast Alaska is a saltwater fishing spot in Southeast Alaska, United States. Anglers here target Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pacific Halibut, Lingcod. The most productive months are typically May, June, July, August, September.
Today’s verdict
Ranks #261 of 419 spots FishRadar scored worldwide today
Trending down — 3 points below this spot’s 7-day average
Score confidence ±4 points, from 8 live signals
The statistical model disagrees with the physics model here today — treat this score with extra caution.
Current conditions
| Sea surface temp | 13.7 °C |
|---|---|
| Wind | 18 km/h from NW, gusting 27 km/h |
| Wave height | 0.2 m at 7 s |
| Current | 0.03 m/s toward N |
| Pressure | 1014 hPa |
| Depth | 13 m |
| Cloud cover | 100% |
| Chlorophyll | 7.43 mg/m³ |
| Salinity | 29.8 PSU |
| Mixed-layer depth | 10 m |
| UV index | 0 |
| Wind sea | 0.1 m at 2 s |
| Ground swell | 0.0 m at 7 s from W |
| Current shear (surface vs 50 m) | 0.03 → 0.00 m/s |
The water here is 1.0 °C warmer than the September average of 12.8 °C. Warmer-than-normal water pushes cool-water species deeper and brings warm-water species in earlier than the calendar suggests. The water is mixed to about 39.4 m, with the thermocline below that.
Updated 1 h ago.
What the score means at Ketchikan Southeast Alaska
Ketchikan Southeast Alaska currently scores 69 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 13.7 °C. 8 forecast signals are active in this score.
- Water temperature +25.0
- how close the water is to this species mix’s comfort band
- Waves +9.0
- swell energy stirring the water column
- Wind +8.0
- surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
- Chlorophyll +5.4
- plankton density — the base of the food chain
- Thermal front +5.0
- temperature edges concentrate bait and predators
- Chlorophyll front +5.0
- a plankton edge — classic feeding line
Bite windows
Best months for Ketchikan Southeast Alaska:
Score history at this spot
30 days tracked at this exact location
Best recent day: 2026-09-11, 83/100
10 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period
+4 points vs the same day last week
About this spot
Open coastal saltwater — conditions and safety depend heavily on the live wind, wave, and tide forecast, so check them before you head out.
Approximate bottom depth: 13 m
Access & shore
Fishable from shore · offshore-only
What you can catch
-
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
-
Oncorhynchus kisutch
-
Hippoglossus stenolepis
-
Ophiodon elongatus
Best months by species at Ketchikan Southeast Alaska
| Chinook SalmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coho SalmonOncorhynchus kisutch | ||||||||||||
| Pacific HalibutHippoglossus stenolepis | ||||||||||||
| LingcodOphiodon elongatus |
Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.
Local regulations
| Species | Bag limit | Min size | Open season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook SalmonADF&G Sport Fishing Regulations — regional booklets and in-season Emergency Orders | — | — | — |
| LIMIT SET BY AREA AND BY EMERGENCY ORDER — FishRadar does not publish a number for Alaskan king salmon. ADF&G sets king limits separately in each regional sport fishing regulation booklet and changes them in-season by emergency order; some fisheries close entirely. A king salmon stamp is required in addition to a sport fishing licence, and an annual harvest record must be carried and filled in immediately on retaining a king. Read the current regulations for the specific area and check the emergency orders page before you fish. | |||
| Coho SalmonADF&G Sport Fishing Regulations — regional booklets and in-season Emergency Orders | — | — | — |
| LIMIT SET BY AREA AND BY EMERGENCY ORDER. Coho limits differ between the Southeast, Southcentral and Southwest regulation booklets and are adjusted in-season. Read the booklet for the area you are fishing. | |||
| LingcodADF&G Sport Fishing Regulations — regional booklets, lingcod provisions | — | — | — |
| LIMIT AND SEASON SET BY AREA. Lingcod has a closed season in Alaskan salt water to protect nesting males, and both the season dates and the minimum size differ between regulation areas. Read the booklet for the area you are fishing. | |||
| Pacific HalibutIPHC / U.S. federal fisheries authority Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (Areas 2C and 3A) | — | — | — |
| NOT SET BY ALASKA. Pacific halibut is managed by the International Pacific Halibut Commission and U.S. federal fisheries authority, not by ADF&G, and the rules differ between guided charter anglers and unguided anglers in the same water — Area 2C (Southeast) and Area 3A (Southcentral, including Homer and Kodiak) each have their own charter limits and size restrictions under the Catch Sharing Plan, set annually. Check the IPHC and U.S. federal fisheries authority rules for your regulatory area and whether your trip is guided. | |||
Licensing:
- combined — residents Resident annual sport fishing licence $20.00. Resident annual king salmon stamp $10.00. Low-income combined sport fishing, hunting and trapping licence $5.00., non-residents Non-resident sport fishing licence: 1 day $15.00, 3 days $30.00, 7 days $45.00, 14 days $75.00, annual $100.00. A king salmon stamp is priced to match the licence: 1 day $15.00, 3 days $30.00, 7 days $45.00, 14 days $75.00, annual $100.00.
FishRadar publishes NO bag or size limits for Alaska, on purpose. Alaska does not set statewide sport limits: ADF&G issues separate regulation booklets for the Southeast, Southcentral, Southwest and Northern regions, and then amends them during the season by emergency order, which is how king salmon fisheries open and close. Pacific halibut is not managed by Alaska at all but by the International Pacific Halibut Commission and U.S. federal fisheries authority, with different rules for guided and unguided anglers. Read the ADF&G booklet for your specific area, and check the emergency orders page on the day you fish.
Check Ketchikan Southeast Alaska before you go
Live scores update through the day. Get the full forecast, bite windows, and your own saved spots in the FishRadar app.
Download on the App Store Google Play
Scan to install on your phone
Nearby spots
Explore 10 more fishing spots within 1843 km of Ketchikan Southeast Alaska.
-
Sitka
Juneau Gastineau Channel
Kenai River AK
Kenai Peninsula
Homer Kachemak Bay
Kodiak Island
Lake Iliamna AK
Eureka Humboldt Bay
Shasta Lake California
Sacramento River California
Frequently asked questions
What fish can you catch at Ketchikan Southeast Alaska?
Anglers at Ketchikan Southeast Alaska target Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pacific Halibut and Lingcod.
When is the best time to fish Ketchikan Southeast Alaska?
The most productive months at Ketchikan Southeast Alaska are typically May, June, July, August, September.
What is the fishing forecast for Ketchikan Southeast Alaska right now?
Ketchikan Southeast Alaska currently scores 69 out of 100, based on live ocean and weather conditions — see the full breakdown on this page.
Can you fish Ketchikan Southeast Alaska from shore?
Yes — Ketchikan Southeast Alaska is fishable from shore (offshore-only).
Is the thermocline set up at Ketchikan Southeast Alaska right now?
Not strongly right now — the water column is fairly mixed, so fish are less depth-locked.
How deep is the water at Ketchikan Southeast Alaska?
The scored point sits over roughly 13 m of water. Depth shapes which species hold here and how the thermocline forms.
Fishing guides for this spot
- How to Catch Salmon: Kings, Coho, and SockeyeHow to Catch Pacific Halibut: The Barn Door of the North PacificHow to Read Tides for Fishing
Forecasts, not guarantees — check local rules before you fish.