CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Cordova, AK Daily Water Report — October 5, 2026

Cordova gets a qualified go today: solid for boating, kayaking and diving by the available scores, but it is a damp, chilly, low-visibility day that rewards an early plan and conservative margins rather than a casual all-day float. The water is relatively manageable, with waves running about 0.8 to 0.9 metres and the day’s calmest reading near 0.76 metres around 4 AM. An east wind averaging near 8 knots is not especially troublesome on its own, but gusts are forecast to reach roughly 20 knots around 6 PM. That makes the morning through midafternoon the cleaner operating window before the gustier finish arrives. Boating leads the board at 7.3/10, with kayaking at 6.8 and diving at 6.9; those are useful planning signals, not safety clearances. The 10 C marine sea-surface temperature and air temperatures only around 6 to 8 C make exposure management a central part of the day, especially with rain possible throughout. For anglers, the 6.4/10 fishing score is steady rather than spectacular, matching yesterday’s mark. The most promising timing overlaps the late-morning solunar major period, 8:39 to 10:39 AM, as the tide approaches its 10:36 AM high of 3.16 metres. A second major period runs 8:39 to 10:39 PM, close to the 10:09 PM high, but that is after sunset and nearer the stronger-gust portion of the forecast. Pressure is rising from a low base near 996 hPa, another reason to keep expectations practical rather than heroic. Visibility is forecast near 6.8 km under near-total cloud cover and rain; that is atmospheric visibility, not a read on underwater clarity. Divers should also note the short-period swell—0.7 metres at 4 seconds—and allow for surface texture despite the decent diving score. Compared with the notably calmer, higher-scoring boating and paddling days earlier last week, today is a step down, though it remains slightly better for boating than yesterday. Tomorrow stays wet with 0.7 to 0.9 metre waves; Wednesday and especially Thursday look calmer on the marine forecast before conditions build again late week. Best bet: launch early, use the late-morning high-tide window, and be back in before the evening gusts start writing their own itinerary.