CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Sitka, AK Daily Water Report — October 7, 2026

Sitka gets a qualified green light for small-craft time today: kayaking is the standout at 8.5/10 and boating follows at 7.9/10, but the sea state—not the wind—is the detail to respect. Winds are exceptionally light for much of the day, generally 0.5 to 5.4 knots from the east, though gusts could reach 15.7 knots around 1 PM. That makes the morning the cleaner bet before the gustier patch, especially for paddlers who want to make the most of the 5:04 AM low and the strong flood toward the 11:33 AM high of 2.90 m. The late evening also deserves attention: waves ease toward their daily minimum near 11 PM, around 1.02 m, while the tide rises again toward an 11:34 PM high. The catch is a persistent 1.0 to 1.7 m sea, represented by 1.12 m waves at 8.65 seconds and a 0.92 m southwest swell. That is manageable-looking water only if your route, boat, and experience match it; light wind does not erase moving swell. The current ocean flow is modest at about 0.17 m/s, but tide-driven conditions can still change quickly around the larger exchanges. It is also a gray, damp-feeling day, with full cloud cover, 95% humidity and air near 9 C. Atmospheric visibility is forecast around 13.1 km, though that says nothing about underwater clarity. Fishing rates 6.2/10, with the best timing centered on the 9:36–11:36 AM solunar major period, neatly overlapping the late flood and high tide. Another major period runs 9:36–11:36 PM. Diving is only 5.7/10: 10.9 C marine water and the swell argue for conservative expectations. Sailing, at 5.2/10, has little wind to work with. Wildlife scores 7.4/10, strongest around the morning major period and the 5:34 PM low-tide window. Compared with the reconstructed recent scores, today’s boating and kayaking outlook improves sharply from October 6, while fishing slips from 7.6/10. Pressure is higher than the last few days but falling, currently 1019 hPa. Thursday through Saturday look progressively calmer offshore, with Saturday’s 0.6–0.7 m waves the cleanest marine forecast, though Thursday carries a 94% rain chance. Best bet: launch early, use the late-morning flood wisely, and treat that gentle wind as a courtesy—not a guarantee of gentle water.