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259-acre Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.56% measured), ADF&G Tongass Narrows fish evidence, measured fishing spots, Bar Harbor access and active-harbor advisories. The water tops out around 162 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area runs 258 acres with 4.8 miles of edge, with 3 islands in the mix. The 2.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 0% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.3 mi with a 0.7-mi widest point. For a second option, Clam Cove lies 1 mi south.
Spring puts coho salmon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 30 to 70 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Thomas Basin channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 24 ft, rated good for spring coho salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Spring pink salmon on Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area hold shallow, usually 8 to 60 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 70 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 90 ft. The chart's best answer is Thomas Basin channel edge — channel edge, 24 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 3 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 20 to 90 ft | midday | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Small vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: chum salmon sit in 10 to 70 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 70 ft covers summer, 25 to 100 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Thomas Basin channel edge, a channel edge in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for chum salmon in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 25 to 100 ft | midday | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
When the water first warms, pacific halibut slide up into 35 to 160 ft. Summer is an 18 to 162 ft game here, winter a 41 to 162 ft one. Start at Thomas Basin channel edge. It's a channel edge holding about 24 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run midday and early morning. Keep a heavy vertical jig or a large swimbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 35 to 160 ft | dawn | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub on lead head |
| Summer | 18 to 162 ft | midday & dawn | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Large swimbait |
| Fall | 26 to 162 ft | midday | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub |
| Winter | 41 to 162 ft | midday | Thomas Basin channel edge (24 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Spring puts lingcod in skinny water — 25 to 140 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 18 to 162 ft; cold water stacks them in 41 to 162 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 64 ft, rated prime for spring lingcod. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A heavy swimbait or a metal jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 18 to 162 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 24 to 162 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 41 to 162 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (76 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Come spring, look for black rockfish tight to the bank in 10 to 80 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 100 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 140 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 64 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and midday. A dart jig or a small metal jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 80 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Small metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 8 to 100 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Dart jig, Small metal jig |
| Fall | 15 to 120 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Compact swimbait |
| Winter | 25 to 140 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (64 ft) | Slow vertical jig, Dart jig |
The chart marks 16 structure features on Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 94 ft.
Access data: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Bar Harbor access map and City of Ketchikan harbor pages. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Alaska waters are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area is about 162 ft (49 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target coho salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, pacific halibut, lingcod, black rockfish on Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 64 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For coho salmon, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing). Check the official Alaska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Clam Cove 1 mi · Bald Headed Cove 3 mi · Ward Cove 5 mi · Ryus Bay 28 mi · Union Lake 73 mi, BC · Border Lake 79 mi, BC · Wrangell Harbor 82 mi · Sarah Lake 83 mi, BC · Bill Lake 91 mi, BC · Toon Lake 92 mi, BC · Marion Lake 92 mi, BC · Jade Lake 93 mi, BC
See how Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area stacks up: best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best pink salmon lakes in Alaska · best chum salmon lakes in Alaska · best pacific halibut lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.