Species guide · Alaska
Sablefish fishing in Alaska
Anoplopoma fimbria, a bottom species also called black cod, blackcod and butterfish. Listed for the Alaska region.
Right now it scores best in Barren Islands East at 35, one of 60 Alaska bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Alaska
- Jan: Not present
- Feb: Not present
- Mar: Not present
- Apr: Off season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Off season
- Nov: Not present
- Dec: Not present
Peak: Jun to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): May to Sep.
Research notes, Alaska region
NOAA notes sablefish are occasionally caught in Alaska recreational fisheries during summer movements onto the shelf. A small targeted sport fishery out of Sitka and other Southeast ports uses electric reels in 700 feet and deeper, 60 to 90 minutes offshore. Southeast bag limit has been 4 per day with a nonresident annual limit.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 60
Alaska bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's sablefish score this hour.
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 2 AM (35) · 114 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 50 named spots
Best window today 6-8 PM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 2 AM (35) · 7 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 6 named spots
Best window today 6-11 PM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 29 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 11 AM (35) · 4 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 15 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 2 AM (35) · 130 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 2 AM (35) · 28 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 423 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 18 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 40 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (35) · 21 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 81 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 44 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 37 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 36 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 14 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 84 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 10 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 14 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 PM (35) · 27 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 151 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 34 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 100 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 8 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 AM (35) · 40 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 AM (35) · 5 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 184 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 9 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 23 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 AM (35) · 215 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 108 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 378 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 AM (35) · 12 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 3 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 33 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 3 AM (35) · 55 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 40 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 7 AM (33) · 21 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (34) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 8 AM (35) · 5 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 186 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 AM (35) · 153 named spots
Best window today 6-11 PM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 1 PM (35) · 25 named spots
Best window today 5 PM-12 AM (34) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 9 PM (34) · 10 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 112 named spots
Best window today 5 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 9 PM (33) · 7 named spots
Best window today 7-10 PM (34) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 7 AM (34) · 42 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 11 PM (35) · 85 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 8 PM (35) · 203 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (30) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 2 PM (30) · 2 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 9 PM (35) · 4 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (31) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 12 AM (35) · 29 named spots
Best window today 11 PM-12 AM (29) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 11 PM (29) · 2 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (31) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 11 AM (34) · 214 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (29) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 AM (30) · 53 named spots
Best window today 7-11 PM (32) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 10 AM (32) · 162 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (29) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 8 AM (32) · 39 named spots
Best window today 11 PM-12 AM (29) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 11 PM (29) · 28 named spots
Not scored in this forecast: Guam Coastal Waters, Koror Palau Coastal Waters, Rota Coastal Waters, Saipan Coastal Waters, Tinian Coastal Waters and Yap Coastal Waters.
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 35°F to 48°F, best between 37°F and 43°F.
- Water depth
- 600 to 1800 ft of water.
- Structure
- Canyon, ledge and bank, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with light current.Tide stage matters little at 1,000 feet. What matters is a slow drift so the line stays near vertical and the rig stays on the bottom, which needs light current and light wind.
- Light
- Little tied to dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 18 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Sablefish live on soft bottoms along the continental slope, and sport anglers find adults in 700 to 2,000 feet. Fish a multi-hook deep-drop rig with glow squid skirts and squid or herring on circle hooks, using several pounds of weight and an electric reel. It takes a long run offshore and a calm day to keep the line near vertical, so most trips happen in summer.
- Methods
- deep dropping with electric reels, bottom bait fishing
- Lures
- glow squid skirts over bait, deep-drop strobe lights, multi-hook circle hook gangions
- Bait
- squid, herring, mackerel strips, octopus
Regulations
Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Synced with ADF&G Oct 31, 2026.
No reviewed sablefish rule for Alaska is on file yet. Check with ADF&G before you keep one.