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Bristol Bay Fishing Report: Silver Salmon, Rainbows, and Tides - September 13, 2025
Published 7 months, 2 weeks ago
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Good morning from Bristol Bay, this is Artificial Lure with your local fishing report for Saturday, September 13, 2025. Sunrise today was at 8:11 AM and sunset will be at 9:03 PM, so there’s a good stretch of daylight for folks to get out and wet a line. Over in Port Moller, we’ve got a high tide rolling through at 2:38 AM and again at 4:46 PM, with a pretty deep low tide bottoming out at -1.53 feet around 9:39 AM. That swinging tide could move a lot of bait and fish, so timing your set or cast around that flood and slack might bring on the bite.
Weather-wise, expect classic fall in the Bay: overcast early with some light winds out of the west, picking up just a hair in the afternoon. Air temps are starting in the upper 40s and might just scrape 55 by mid-afternoon. If you’re boating, keep an eye on the breeze around the tide change, but all in all, it’s a manageable day on the water for both river and salt anglers.
Now, onto the fishing itself. Sockeye are pretty much through for the season; boats have been pulling gear for a couple weeks, and as reported in Fishery Nation and National Fisherman, the conversation in the canneries is turning toward prices and next year’s forecast. But there are still a few late sockeyes in the upper tributaries for the diehards swinging flies—think flesh, egg, or even a small copper spinner.
Coho, though, are the big draw right now. Late-run silver salmon are pushing through the Nushagak, Kvichak, and Ugashik rivers. Guides and locals have been finding solid action tossing Vibrax spinners in pink or chartreuse, and silver spoons are doing work on brighter days. Globug eggs or cured roe are top baits if you’re running gear under a float or on the bottom. Plenty of reports of fish in the 7–12 pound range, fat and feisty after bulking up for the journey upstream.
Rainbows and Dolly Varden are still aggressive in the main rivers and backwater sloughs, chasing flesh flies and beads below the salmon redds. Spin casters are picking off Dollies using small Mepps or Panther Martins, especially up near the Wood-Tikchik system. If you’re looking for something tasty, sea-run Dollies are shining bright and putting up great sport near river mouths.
Halibut activity is slowing as the water cools, but groundfishers drifting off Naknek and Egegik mouths at slack tide are hooking a few keepers using herring and jigs tipped with squid. Rockfish and cod can be found mixed in, especially where there’s a little reef structure.
For those after a hotspot, try the lower Nushagak near Portage Creek on a rising tide—locals have been reporting steady silvers and some big bows. Another good bet is the mouth of the Kvichak just above Igiugig, where coho are stacking up waiting to shoot upriver on the highs.
Quick tackle tip for today: with these clear waters and cooling temps, downsize your leaders and lures for rainbows and Dollies. But don’t be afraid to go big and bright for silvers—they love gaudy colors when fresh in from the salt.
That’s what’s happening out here in Bristol Bay on this fine September Saturday. Thanks for tuning in to your local report. Don’t forget to subscribe for daily rundowns and tackle tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Weather-wise, expect classic fall in the Bay: overcast early with some light winds out of the west, picking up just a hair in the afternoon. Air temps are starting in the upper 40s and might just scrape 55 by mid-afternoon. If you’re boating, keep an eye on the breeze around the tide change, but all in all, it’s a manageable day on the water for both river and salt anglers.
Now, onto the fishing itself. Sockeye are pretty much through for the season; boats have been pulling gear for a couple weeks, and as reported in Fishery Nation and National Fisherman, the conversation in the canneries is turning toward prices and next year’s forecast. But there are still a few late sockeyes in the upper tributaries for the diehards swinging flies—think flesh, egg, or even a small copper spinner.
Coho, though, are the big draw right now. Late-run silver salmon are pushing through the Nushagak, Kvichak, and Ugashik rivers. Guides and locals have been finding solid action tossing Vibrax spinners in pink or chartreuse, and silver spoons are doing work on brighter days. Globug eggs or cured roe are top baits if you’re running gear under a float or on the bottom. Plenty of reports of fish in the 7–12 pound range, fat and feisty after bulking up for the journey upstream.
Rainbows and Dolly Varden are still aggressive in the main rivers and backwater sloughs, chasing flesh flies and beads below the salmon redds. Spin casters are picking off Dollies using small Mepps or Panther Martins, especially up near the Wood-Tikchik system. If you’re looking for something tasty, sea-run Dollies are shining bright and putting up great sport near river mouths.
Halibut activity is slowing as the water cools, but groundfishers drifting off Naknek and Egegik mouths at slack tide are hooking a few keepers using herring and jigs tipped with squid. Rockfish and cod can be found mixed in, especially where there’s a little reef structure.
For those after a hotspot, try the lower Nushagak near Portage Creek on a rising tide—locals have been reporting steady silvers and some big bows. Another good bet is the mouth of the Kvichak just above Igiugig, where coho are stacking up waiting to shoot upriver on the highs.
Quick tackle tip for today: with these clear waters and cooling temps, downsize your leaders and lures for rainbows and Dollies. But don’t be afraid to go big and bright for silvers—they love gaudy colors when fresh in from the salt.
That’s what’s happening out here in Bristol Bay on this fine September Saturday. Thanks for tuning in to your local report. Don’t forget to subscribe for daily rundowns and tackle tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI