Last Modified July 15, 2026

Welcome to our Seward fishing report, where we share how the saltwater season is unfolding out of Resurrection Bay aboard the Blackjack. This is where you’ll find the latest on what’s biting, how conditions have been, and all the great catches and happy guests along the way.

Lingcod Opener and Loaded Decks

July 15, 2026

Lingcod opener kicked the month off right. Amazing group on board, the best weather we could ask for, and great fishing conditions to go with it. Couldn’t have asked for a better start.

That momentum carried into a long range multispecies trip a couple days later, with the Blackjack crew coming home with a loaded deck and lingcod fishing that’s been nothing short of incredible so far this month. A rough weather day followed, with bigger seas and tougher fishing making things a challenge, but the crew still managed a solid turnout. They bounced right back the next day with a nice haul and full freezers to show for it.

Record Yelloweye and Floating Icebergs

Captain David and the Blackjack crew have been putting on a show out of Seward, landing some record yelloweye and lings along with great lingcod numbers, and even had a group spot floating icebergs out on the water. Fish just kept coming, day after day. As the stretch wore on, the crew brought in more nice fish and great size lingcod before rough seas forced a day off to let everyone reset. The next stretch is shaping up to be a grind, but the fishing has been well worth it.

Check open dates to fish with the Big Dan’s crew on a charter!

June Fishing in Seward

June 30, 2026

Halibut season kicked off strong for the Blackjack this June, with steady action on halibut, rockfish, and cod out of Resurrection Bay.

Early June started with the Blackjack crew putting in the work, and it paid off. A family on board landed a hefty 120-pound halibut along with plenty of fat black rockfish, and Captain Dave kept the momentum going through some shaky weather days, giving guests everything he had to put fish on the deck. Even a smaller group midmonth had a blast reeling in a solid mix of halibut and rockfish.

Mid June brought a little bit of everything. The Seward boat ran a full-day multispecies trip that filled freezers, then got sidelined by weather for a day before bouncing back. Rougher seas tested a few groups, but nobody went home empty handed, and the fishing only got better from there. Halibut in the 50 to 80 pound range, with a couple larger ones, showed up across the fleet, and warm, sunny days made for easy, enjoyable trips on the water. Later in the month another beast came off the Seward boat, a halibut topping 100 pounds, continuing a strong stretch of bigger fish moving in.

By the end of June, the Blackjack was still grinding through a mix of calm and rolling seas, with guests pulling in halibut, cod, and rockfish right up to the close of the month. As halibut season wrapped, excitement is building for the July 1 lingcod and yellow-eye opener, with the Seward crew gearing up to add those species to the target list alongside halibut, minus Tuesdays and Wednesdays for halibut retention under this year’s regulations.

May and Early June Off to a Solid Start

June 16, 2026

Fishing out of Seward is off to a strong start, and we’re just getting started. Halibut are on the move, cod fishing inside the bay has been excellent, and kings are starting to trickle in.

What’s Biting

Halibut are the story right now, and it’s a good one. We’ve been coming back with serious fish on deck. We’re talking multiple fish in the 50 to 80 pound range, plus a couple pushing past 100. Halibut catches have started to pick up inside Resurrection Bay and will pick up as more halibut begin migrating near shore. We’ve barely gotten started!

Fishing for Pacific cod has been excellent inside Resurrection Bay. They’re easy to target and easy to keep. If you haven’t put them in your cooler before, you’re missing out on a good-eating fish in Alaska.

Kings are also beginning to show. King salmon fishing has been slow but has begun to pick up slightly inside Resurrection Bay, with hatchery fish starting to move. We expect that to build throughout June.

Sockeye, meanwhile, are making their first appearance. The first sockeye have arrived at the mouth of Resurrection River. It’s still early, but catch rates should continue to improve as more fish arrive.

Rockfish have also been filling out boxes. Anglers have reported fair catch rates near the entrance of Resurrection Bay and along the Gulf Coast. Just note that yelloweye rockfish season is closed until June 30 by emergency order, so know your species before you keep them.

What to Expect on the Water

Overall, May was a mixed bag weather-wise. Some days were flat and gorgeous. Others had us working through bumpy water. That’s spring in Alaska. Even so, everyone came home with fish. Early June has brought more of the same. Expect cool temperatures, some rain, and the occasional chop on the water. Also expect nearly 19 hours of daylight, which means long days on the water with plenty of time to find fish. Dress in layers, bring rain gear, and let us take care of the rest. Good start out of Seward. June is setting up to be even better.

Good start to the season. Looking forward to what June has in store. Check open dates to fish with the Big Dan’s crew on a charter!