CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Cordova, AK Daily Water Report — October 7, 2026

Cordova gets a strong go for small-craft time today: boating rates 9/10 and kayaking 9.6/10, with very light southwest wind, modest 0.5–0.7 m seas, and no meaningful wind-wave component in the marine forecast. It is a notably calmer setup than the last several days, when representative winds ran roughly 6.7–12.7 knots and boating scores were generally lower. Calm water is not warm water, though: marine SST is 9.7 C, slightly below average, and the air only reaches about 8.5 C. The most useful daylight window runs from dawn through the early afternoon. Dawn begins at 7:20 AM, sunrise is 8:02 AM, and the tide rises sharply from a 0.21 m low at 5:37 AM to a 3.76 m high at 12:09 PM. That rising-water period overlaps the 10:19 AM–12:19 PM solunar major period, giving anglers the day’s cleanest timing; fishing is a respectable 6.5/10, helped by light wind, rising pressure, and the tide sequence. The afternoon ebb begins after noon and leads toward a 0.64 m low at 6:05 PM, with a minor solunar period from 4:49–5:49 PM for anyone staying out late. For paddlers and boaters, the tradeoff is the tide rather than the breeze. Current data indicate a westward ocean current near 0.11 m/s, while the large tidal range means conditions can change around constrictions and shore approaches even on a glassier-looking day. Waves are forecast to ease toward their minimum near 10 PM, around 0.46 m, but darkness arrives well before then; sunset is 7:01 PM and dusk ends at 7:44 PM. Diving scores 7.3/10, but the cold water and short-period 0.42 m southerly swell deserve respect. Atmospheric visibility is excellent near 44 km, but that says nothing about underwater visibility. Sailing, at 5/10, gets little help from winds mostly under 5 knots; bring patience, not expectations of a lively sail. Tomorrow and Friday look even smaller offshore, with 0.3–0.4 m waves and light winds. Conditions turn less inviting Saturday into Sunday as rain chances rise and waves build toward 1.3 m. Best bet: launch after dawn, fish the rising tide into the late-morning major period, and be back with warm hands before the afternoon ebb starts making the decisions.