Most of the time it’s shitty. But some of the time… it is beyond epic.
Here are some beta and tips.
There is no other way to say it, spearfishing around Juneau is murky, cold, with significant weather, and did I say murky. The hunting here is not the cool Riffe video you saw with spearos hauling out massive halibut in clear water. If you can see 10ft… here, that’s an epic day. Also, there aren’t many spearos around so you are often alone, which isn’t great (hence the purpose of this site).
Image on the right
The author with a chest shot on a decent dolly. Viz was 10ft that day. Lena Pt. 6/10/2025
Visibility and Water Temperature.
Why is it so murky?
Well, there are 3 factors: Run-off from glaciers, Plankton blooms, and wake from vessels.
First: Run-off
The main culprit to ruining visibility around here is run-off from several glacial fed rivers dumping their sediment rich waters into Lynn Canal and Stephens Passage. Its a real bitch and most days in the summer you can barely see your hand in front of your face. Add in some strong flood/ebb tides that churns all this soup around… it can ruin your day.
I have a list below featuring water temps and viz expectations by season. I have also listed a range of viz conditions that you can anticipate. From best viz timeframe to best fishing timeframe.
December to April. Peak conditions Feb/March.
Excellent viz. Minimum fish. COLD.
Once freezing levels drop below 5,000 feet and the rivers start to freeze up, visibility really clears out in Lynn Canal. In the heart of winter, especially in Feb and March, it is common to have days with 30 to 50ft of viz, some local scuba divers have even mentioned that they had days with 100ft of viz (I have yet to experience this myth).
While there is great viz and large stellar sea lions zooming by in the winter (more on that in the safety section), the fish in spearfish-able depths all but disappear. Lynn Canal is more or less game free, with any remaining species out of season.
Water temperatures are usually in the 35F to 40F range, with the water at the surface sometimes near 33F. Air temps are usually near 30F with some days in the teens.
EXCELLENT viz: 30 to 50 ft
Okay viz: 10 to 25ft (most common)
Bad viz: < 5ft.
If you can see the end of your speargun and a sea lion didn’t jump you… that’s a good f****** day.
-Andy
Spring and Fall (April-May and Sept-Nov).
Okay viz. Some fish.
The shoulder seasons are super hit and miss. I have experienced 30-40ft viz days in September but I also have seen less than 1ft.
Viz is determined by heavy rain, flooding of glacial rivers, and/or strong wind. There are fish in the water but not as widespread as the summer.
In the spring, water temperatures are increasing to near 45F, very warm compared to winter.
EXCELLENT viz: 20+ ft
Okay viz: 8 to 15ft (most common)
Bad viz: < 5ft.
June-August.
Shitty viz. TONS of fish.
The conditions that bring the fish back to the region are also the conditions that drop viz to absolutely nothing. From our normal plankton blooms to heavy run off, do not expect visibility beyond 10ft in the summer. However, I have experienced 1 day with 50ft of viz in the summer, surrounding by huge schools of salmon… what a treat.
If you come to hunt in the summer just have a good attitude and hunt whatever conditions you encounter. Don’t worry about the viz, it will likely be chocolate milk. Sometimes if you go below 15m the horizontal viz opens up.
Surface water temperatures can reach 55 to 60F but at 10m deep expect 45F.
EXCELLENT viz: 15+ ft
Okay viz: 4 to 10ft
Bad viz: < 5ft. (most common)
Strategy for Salmon
Spearfishing salmon is much like hunting white tail deer; put yourself in between where the salmon are and where they want to go. Let them come to you.
-andy
Hunting salmon is very challenging, any movement will send them scattering in all directions. In excellent viz this isn’t a problem, they hang just close enough to where you can pick out a big one. In the murky viz however, they shoot off into the darkness never to be seen again. I have yet to successfully stalk salmon in 10ft of viz….
Best time frame:
July and August
Hunting strategy:
The best advice I can offer is this; put yourself on a bed of kelp or along a rocky drop off and don’t move. The fish will come to you (more on this below). In the image on the left we can see my buddy holding on to kelp in strong current, waiting for fish to swim by. We shot quite a few salmon that day. Viz was 8 to 10ft.
When you see fish, wait about 5 or 10 seconds longer, I guarantee more fish will swim by. Be picky.
Best tide:
I find that hunting a flood tide (when the tide is coming in) is the best. Plan on being in the water 1 to 2 hours before slack.
Complications:
Be careful on what species of fish you are targeting. The murky water makes it EXTREMELY difficult to identify species. Is it a legal hatchery king? Or perhaps a wild king? A silver?? Is it 28 inches? Before you pull that trigger make damn sure you know what you are hitting.