Recent fishing reports for Alaska 6/16

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Fishing reports are provided for the major fisheries throughout the state. These reports are prepared by the biologist most familiar with each area. Reports are provided throughout the busy summer season on more or less a weekly basis. During the winter and less active months the reports are updated only as conditions or regulations change. You should check this site before venturing out to fish to get the most current information.
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This is the Haines and Skagway Sport Fishing Report

King salmon bag and possession limits for anglers fishing in Chilkat Inlet increased effective June 3rd through July 31st (see announcement below). Over the past week it took an average of 39 rod hours of effort to catch a king salmon in the Haines area. This is below the five year average of 29 hours per king for this week. Look for fishing to be good over the next week or so as mature king salmon continue migrating into the area (see below for average weekly king salmon catch rates for Haines).

We are expecting the first significant return of hatchery king salmon to the Skagway Area from smolt released in 2000 and 2001. As a result, look for king salmon fishing to be good in Taiya Inlet during June and July. Special king salmon regulations for anglers fishing in Taiya Inlet north of the latitude of Taiya Point are in effect through Thursday July 31, 2004. During this period, the daily bag and possession limit in Taiya Inlet is two king salmon of any size, and king salmon caught in Taiya Inlet do not count toward the nonresident annual limit. In addition, the salt water area off the mouth of Pullen Creek is closed to sport fishing during this time. More information on these regulations is provided below under the Taiya Inlet Hatchery Terminal Harvest Area. Last week it took an average of 19 rod hours of effort to catch a king salmon 28 inches or greater in length in Taiya Inlet. This is better than the average of 39 hours per king for that week.

We are optimistic that the return of sockeye salmon to Chilkoot Lake will be within the escapement goal range this year. The weir was installed on June 4th and by June 13th, 405 sockeye had been counted through which is about average for that date. We will be closely monitoring the return and take management actions if necessary. Average daily weir counts of salmon are presented below.

There have been very few people fishing for halibut so far. Halibut fishing should improve as they migrate into shallow waters to feed this summer. Dolly Varden are dropping out of local lakes and streams to feed in salt water. Dolly Varden can be caught in saltwater along the shorelines of Chilkat Inlet, Lutak Inlet, and Portage Cove, and in freshwater along the Chilkat and Chilkoot Rivers. The limit for Dolly Varden is 10 per day and in possession except in the Chilkoot drainage where the bag and possession limit is four Dolly Varden.

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Jeneau Fishing Reports

Harvest rates for chinook salmon in Southeast Alaska ranged from 2 rod hours per fish in Sitka to 39 rod hours per fish in Haines. Catch rates in Juneau were 14 hours per fish harvested which is substantially better than the past 5-year average of 20 hours for this week of the fishing season.

Most of the fish stories heard last week probably told of king salmon being harvested in the Auke Bay area. And that is not surprising as that is where the majority of the local fishing effort occurred. But anglers who fished on the south end of town also did well last week. During this part of the season, fish caught on the north end of town will likely be hatchery fish returning to the terminal hatchery area (see below for a description of and harvest limits for the Juneau THA). Fish caught on the south end of town might also be hatchery fish moving up into the THA, but the south end also provides the opportunity of catching fish bound for the Taku River. In-river catches of king salmon at the department’s Canyon Island field camp indicate that the far majority of the Taku run is already in the river. But because this year’s return to the Taku is well above average, there may still be good opportunity to harvest fish from the tail end of this years run.

While there may some overlap of hatchery and Taku king salmon stocks in and around Point Salisbury area, there may be a greater concentration of Taku fish nearer Point Bishop and a greater concentration of hatchery fish well up into Gasitineau Channel. Fishing north of the Juneau-Douglas bridge will put anglers within the THA and allow them an expanded bag limit of 4 fish per day. Fishing much further south from Point Salisbury and further up the inlet might provide the opportunity to target the remainder of the Taku return. Anyone considering going further up into Taku Inlet should be aware that king salmon fishing is prohibited north of a line that extends across the inlet from Cooper Point on the west side to the mouth of Dorothy Creek on the east.

On the positive side, in Auke Bay, anglers should also be aware that the north or west end of the THA, depending on how you look at things, has been expanded in size (see map). This expansion allows for anglers to prospect for other areas to harvest hatchery king salmon. The expansion opens up the entire shoreline of Coughlin Island and the east shore of Portland Island. Near Outer Point, anglers can now also fish around Shaman Island and Georges Rock as they too are now within the THA. [left]Although it seems a little bit early to try fishing for hatchery kings in the Fish Creek Pond, the last set of strong high tides did bring in a few very bright fish. Whether or not many fish will enter the pond between now and the next set of good high tides remains to be seen. However anglers interested in the Fish Creek area should definitely consider giving the creek mouth a try as fish will likely be congregating there. [/left] [center]HALIBUT[/center] [center]Last week, 85% of the sport fishing effort in the Juneau area was spent targeting king salmon. The few anglers that chose to target halibut did fairly well as they catch rate for these fish was 7 hours per fish, a good two hours less than the 5-year average of 9 hours. A few local spots known to produce halibut in the area are Vanderbilt Reef, Benjamin Island and North Pass. [/center] [center] [/center] [left]Anglers looking for fresh water opportunities are reminded that it is the month of June and therefore the Windfall Creek outlet stream (from the outlet of Windfall Lake downstream to confluence with the Herbert River) is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays until the month is over. On all other days during June and for the entire month of July, all fishing is prohibited in the outlet stream. This closed area consists of the outlet stream and waters within 100 yards of the confluence with the Herbert. Sockeye salmon fishing is prohibited year round in Windfall Lake and all of its tributaries. [/left]

Other freshwater and saltwater shoreline opportunity exists in the lower reaches of some of our larger drainages. Dolly Varden fishing should be good in Peterson Creek Lagoon or Saltchuck as it is also known; the shoreline between the mouth of Eagle River and the Boy Scout camp is also good for Dolly Varden; and the long intertidal portion of Cowee Creek is a good bet for both Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout. Dolly Varden fishing in Gastineau Channel should also still be good though it may taper off as the season progresses. Later in the summer, a favorite of some anglers but unknown to many is the opportunity to shoreline fish for pink salmon in Echo Cove. These bright fish enter Echo Cove prior to heading up into Berners Bay and/or Cowee Creek.

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King Salmon in the Sitka area
Catch rates for king salmon continued to remain high last week. King salmon were caught just south of town in Sitka Sound as well as in Salisbury Sound, Biorka Island area, and along the outer coast of Kruzof Island. Many anglers had excellent fishing in the Sitka Point area. For more information on fishing for salmon in the Sitka area visit:
Coho Salmon

Coho catches are above average for this time of year. Most of the coho are caught when anglers are fishing for king salmon. Pink and Chum Salmon

It is still early for pink and chum salmon but a few are being caught in Sitka Sound. Catch rates will continue to improve for at least the next month. Halibut

Fishing for halibut is also good. The best fishing for halibut has been on the outside of Kruzof Island, but anglers have also had good success fishing inside waters. For more information on halibut fishing in the Sitka area vist:

[url "http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region1/sitka_guide/pdfs/halibut.pdf"]http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region1/sitka_guide/pdfs/halibut.pdf[/url]. LingcodCloses June 16

Fishing for lingcod in the Sitka area opened May 16 but will be closed from June 16 through August 15. This effectively establishes two periods during which lingcod may be harvested: May 16 through June 15 and August 16 through November 30. During these periods, the bag and possession limits will be one lingcod per day and two in possession for all anglers. For lingcod harvested by guided and nonresident anglers, a 30-inch minimum and 40-inch maximum size limit will be in effect. Additionally, guided and nonresident anglers may land lingcod only by hand or with a landing net. Lingcod regulations can be found on page 11 of the 2004 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary.

Anglers returning to the port of Sitka may not head or fillet lingcod prior to returning to port and offloading unless fish are preserved or consumed onboard. Once anglers have tied their boat to a docking facility or to existing fish cleaning stations, lingcod may be filleted and headed on board. Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden fishing along the roadside/shoreline should continue to improve as water temperatures warm and Dolly Varden migrate from overwintering lakes.

For more information on fishing for Dolly Varden in the Sitka area visit:

[url "http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region1/sitka_guide/pdfs/dv.pdf"]http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region1/sitka_guide/pdfs/dv.pdf[/url]. Trout

Local streams are producing fair runs and catches of steelhead and other trout.

For more information on fishing for steelhead and trout in the Sitka area visit:

[url "http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region1/sitka_guide/pdfs/trout.pdf"]http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region1/sitka_guide/pdfs/trout.pdf[/url].

All anglers are responsible for knowing the current regulations for the area that they will be fishing. Regulation handbooks and copies of the most current regulatory changes are available at the Sitka ADF&G office and on this web site. For further information, please feel free to contact Bob Chadwick, Sitka Area Management Biologist, at (907)747-5355. For more information on sport fishing in the Sitka area, please visit:

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Petersburg/Wrangell King Salmon fishing:

Saltwater fishing activity has been strong lately as anglers have been catching chinook salmon as they pass through area waters on their way to spawning rivers. Petersburg has just finished with the annual King Salmon Derby this past weekend, in which anglers entered 503 king salmon this year, up from last year's 287. The largest fish was 52.1 pounds, and neither of the tagged salmon were caught. Good weather, strong salmon returns, and small tides likely contributed to this year's success. The Wrangell King Salmon Derby is still continues, as it spans a much longer period, and so far a 55 pound fish has led since the opening weekend.

Fishing activity for salmon during the derby was spread throughout the Petersburg and Wrangell areas, with no clear hot spot among those fished. For post-derby anglers in Petersburg, areas that should remain productive near the Southern end of Mitkof Island include Woodpecker Cove, Point Alexander, and the lower Wrangell Narrows. Anglers will also find king salmon in areas near Petersburg such as Beacon Point Point Frederick, and Coney Island. A few fish are being caught already in Wrangell Narrows, with a few chinook reportedly caught near Blind Slough. Fishing south of Mitkof Island in Sumner Strait and the around the islands near Wrangell have also been productive for Wrangell anglers. Closer to Wrangell, Babbler Point or right in front of town off Point Highfield are good places to find chinook this time of year. Sumner Strait (near Baht Harbor) Vank Island, and Elephants Nose are also popular places to fish. Another location near Wrangell will be the approaches to, and at Anita Bay, as returns will be building from the transferred stocking program previously at Earl West Cove. Last weeks catch rate for chinook salmon was 9 hours per fish in Wrangell, but no catch rate information was available for Petersburg during derby week. In all locations close to Petersburg and Wrangell, trolling a fresh or frozen herring is the method of choice among local anglers.

Recent Management actions: Crystal Lake Hatchery chinook are showing up in Wrangell Narrows with a modest return of chinook salmon forcasted to return this year, similar to the levels observed in 2003. The 2004 projected return to Wrangell Narrows includes approximately 4,400 adult chinook. A news release on May 28 announced the increased bag and possession limits for hatchery return king salmon in the Wrangell Narrows/Blind Slough terminal harvest area. In this area, the sport fishing bag and possession limits for all anglers will increase to three king salmon 28 inches or more in length and three king salmon less than 28 inches in length from June 1, 2003 through July 31, 2003. The slight reduction in bag limits this year is to better achieve spawning escapement to the Crystal Lake Hatchery at the head of Blind Slough. The Wrangell Narrows-Blind Slough terminal harvest area near Petersburg is described as: that portion of Wrangell Narrows, south of 56O 46' N. latitude (Martinsen's dock) and east of the longitude, and north of the latitude, of the northern tip (Inlet Point) of Woewodski Island, and; the waters of Blind Slough upstream of a line between Blind Point and Anchor Point. An important distinction for King salmon caught by nonresident anglers in this area is that king salmon greater than 28 inches caught in this area, during this period, do not count toward the 2004 nonresident annual limit (3 fish). Resident and non-resident anglers planning to fish there should also refer to the 2004 Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary, and examine maps showing the boundaries of areas where different regulations exist in fresh and salt waters for chinook salmon. Maps of the terminal area are available at the Petersburg Fish and Game office, and posted locally at South, Middle, North Harbors, at the Blind River rapids access, and at Papke's Landing.

Crystal Lake Hatchery chinook will start showing up in greater numbers than at the current time, however but it is likely that the sport fishery may be similar to 2003. Recent report s have indicated some catches in the Wrangell Narrows, and fish will soon be entering the fresh water areas used by shore-based anglers.

Some King salmon reminders:
[ul] [li]Remember, the Grey's Pass closure for salmon fishing near the mouth of the Stikine River went into effect April 16th and remains closed through June 14th; [li]The regional daily bag and possession limit for Alaska residents is two king salmon 28 inches or greater in length; no annual limit king salmon 28 inches or more in length; [li]For Nonresidents the regional daily bag and possession limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length and the annual limit is three fish; and, [li]Please don't forget to purchase your King salmon stamp. [/li][/ul]

Other area fishing:

Although it's still early for good halibut fishing, but there have been some reports of the fish already in shallower waters than typical for this time of year. Some anglers reported moderate sized halibut while fishing in the local king salmon derby. These 30 to 70 pound fish have been attacking baits fished for salmon in relatively shallow water. Although fishing may be slow, traditional fishing areas such as The Eye Opener in Sumner Strait or north of town in Frederick Sound may be worth a try. Large halibut tend to be at 300 feet or greater near Portage Bay, try to fish the slack tides with heavy duty gear and use whole herring for bait. If you are fishing from a small skiff and need to stay close to town, fish just south of the red buoy just outside of Wrangell Narrows in 300 to 400 feet of water.

Sea run cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden are continuing to drop out of area lakes and heading out to sea. Anglers can find them in at the Blind River, Petersburg Creek, around most of the city docks, and in Wrangell Narrows along North Nordic Drive. In Wrangell, Pats Lake is a good spot to fish.

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Ketchikan Fishing Report

The marine sport fishery in the Ketchikan area continues to improve during this week. The sixth week of dockside surveys noted that anglers spent 20 hours on average to catch a king salmon. Other species of fish that were seen by dock side creel census samplers consisted of 28 halibut (8 hours per fish on average), 4 chum salmon, 4 coho salmon, 1 pink salmon, and 83 rockfish (3 hours per fish on average). A 51.9lb king leads the Ketchikan King Salmon Derby with one weekend remaining. Anglers are reminded to check ADF&G's main web page for in-season regulation changes under the Emergency Order icon for king salmon ( Regionwide and Terminal area limits) and lingcod ( bag limits, closures and size limits) regulation changes recently implimented. Inquires about in-season changes can also be addressed by calling the Sport Fish office at (907) 225-2859 or by dropping by the office at 2030 Sea Level Drive Suite 215 Ketchikan, Alaska.

Anglers looking for trout fishing locally should consider Carlanna, Harriet Hunt, Silvis and First Waterfall Lakes. Anglers interested in remote trout fishing should look at Heckman, Eagle, Wilson, McDonald, Reflection, Orchard and Humpback Lakes just to name a few. All anglers are reminded to check their regulation booklet prior to fishing in any area as regulations differ considerably between locations.
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PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND AREA

For anglers fishing for chinook last week out of the ports of Craig and Klawock it took an average of 8 hours of effort per king salmon, close to the 5-year average of 10 hours/fish. Halibut came in at 1 hour/fish, better than the 5-year average of 3 hours/fish for this same time period, and the best of any Southeast port sampled last week. Coho salmon fishing slowed down last week as it took an average of 593 hours of effort to land a coho, much slower than the 5-year average of 32 hours/fish. Anglers are reminded to check ADF&G 's main web page for in-season regulation changes for king salmon, lingcod and the prohibition on filleting of king, coho and lingcod until returning to port under the emergency order icon. Inquires about in-season changes can also be addressed by calling the POW office at (907) 826-2498 or dropping by the office in Craig.

The freshwater sport fishery on the Prince of Wales Island currently is targeting trout, as anglers wait for sockeye and summer run coho to show up. Sockeye salmon should start entering a few island streams any day now (if they haven't already). The Thorne River usually has some sockeye moving in by this date and is a good bet to try this time of year, as it also is one of the island's best trout streams. Anglers should also start thinking about summer run coho off the mouth of Neck Lake. This fishery usually starts pinking up this time of year in the bay, with July being the best time to fish the creek. Water conditions are currently (June 14) a little low on most streams despite recent showers. Anglers are reminded that the portion of Hatchery Creek (in the Sweetwater Lake drainage) near the falls is closed to all sport fishing by Emergency Order to protect migrating sockeye salmon and also that the bag limit for sockeye has been reduced from 6 a day to 3 a day until the end of July in Sweetwater Lake and Hatchery Creek. Anglers should check for any emergency orders affecting these fisheries. Anglers looking for trout fishing on Prince of Wales Island should consider Control, Klawock, Eagle, Red Bay, and No Name Lake as well as the Thorne River drainage just to name a few. Please check the regulation booklet for limits and other regulations that apply to these areas.

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Resurrection Bay Area Salt Waters

Halibut [ul] [li]Halibut fishing remains very good to excellent. [li]Fish deep if you want to catch the big ones. Several in the 200-pound range were caught last week. [li]The hottest fishing is still found in waters east toward Montague Island, but foul weather has prevented boats from consistently fishing these waters. [/li][/ul]

Salmon [ul] [li]King salmon fishing was generally slow both inside and outside Resurrection Bay, but those who know how to catch kings have still been catching them each time they go out. [li]The kings caught recently have been either caught deep while halibut fishing or caught in very shallow waters, less than 10 fathoms, while trolling herring behind a flasher. [li]The Seward beach fishery for king salmon has been very slow. [li]Several silver salmon were caught inside the bay again last week. [/li][/ul]

Other salt water fishing [ul] [li]Rockfish fishing continues to be good, with anglers catching mostly black rockfish. [li]Lingcod fishing remains closed until July 1. Resurrection Bay is always closed to lingcod fishing. [li]A few salmon sharks were seen near the mouth of Resurrection Bay. [li]The limit on sharks is 1 per day, and only 2 per year. Harvested sharks must be immediately recorded on your license or harvest record card. [/li][/ul] Fresh Waters

Salmon -Resurrection Bay [ul] [li]There is no fresh water salmon fishing open in Resurrection Bay drainages. [/li][/ul]

Resident Fish -Resurrection Bay and North Gulf Coast [ul] [li]Resident Dolly Varden fishing in local streams should be good. [li]Try fly-fishing with an egg pattern. [/li][/ul] Lake Fishing [ul] [li]Look at the helpful links below to find out how to find a stocked lake. The lake stocking website is updated weekly. [li]Hike into to Vagt Lake or Carter Lake to fish for rainbows. [/li][/ul] Northern Pike/Atlantic Salmon [ul] [li]Please report the catch of any northern pike or Atlantic salmon as soon possible to ADF&G at (907) 267-2218. [/li][/ul]

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Bristol Bay Area Fresh Waters

Eastern Section Salmon: Kvichak River drainage south to Cape Menshikof: [ul] [li]Naknek and Alagnak drainage king salmon: King salmon angling should improve this week. A few kings are being caught in the subsistence fishery; however, it is still early. [li]Central Section Salmon: Nushagak/Mulchatna and Wood River drainages: [li]Nushagak drainage king salmon: It is still early, but kings are starting to show up and anglers should expect to catch a few kings this week. Sport fishing should improve throughout the week. The sonar will be fully operational by June 9. The preseason forecast for the total run is 145,000 kings. Inseason management will be based on escapement numbers and follow provisions laid out in the Nushagak-Mulchatna Chinook Salmon Management Plan No significant escapement information will be available until after June 20. [li]Guide and angler informational meetings are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 17, at the Choggiung Office in Portage Creek, and Friday, June 18, at the Ekwok City building. The public is encouraged to attend. [/li][/ul]

Western Section Salmon: Drainages from Nushagak Bay west to Cape Newenham, including the Togiak River. [ul] [li]Togiak River king salmon: A few kings may have entered the river, but it is still early for the Togiak. Sport fishing will not be productive for at least another week. [li]Eastern Section Resident Fish: [li]Rainbow trout fishing opened June 8. Angler success was fair to excellent in the Naknek and Kvichak drainages and good fishing opportunities should continue this week as rainbow trout feed on out-migrating sockeye salmon smolt. [li]Naknek and Kvichak drainage grayling, pike, and char: Angling remains fair to very good. [/li][/ul]

Central Section Resident Fish: [ul] [li]

Wood River Lakes system fishing opportunities are very good. Char fishing is reportedly good to excellent at the outlets of salmon spawning streams as smolt move down river. [li]Northern pike fishing should be good along lake and slough shores. [/li][/ul]

Western Section Resident Fish: [ul] [li]· There still have been no angling reports from this section, though opportunities for grayling, char, pike, and rainbow trout should continue to improve throughout the week. [/li][/ul]

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Mat-Su Area Fresh Waters

King Salmon [ul] [li]King salmon are now spread throughout the entire Susitna River drainage. Anglers have a choice of streams where they will find good king fishing. [li]Kings are being caught at the Eklutna Power Plant Tailrace. Don't expect to find any big fish here because the kings returning this year have had only two years of ocean growth, so they are only about 10 pounds. The limit for king salmon less than 20 inches is 10 per day/10 in possession. [li]King salmon fishing at the mouth of Alexander Creek is slowing. Upstream fishing should continue to be productive until the season closure June 30. Fishing for kings is allowed in the first seven miles, up to a marker at Trail Creek. [li]The Deshka River has produced a good harvest of kings and should continue. Anglers are successful both at the mouth and upstream. [li]King fishing is good in the Little Susitna River. They can be found both up- and downstream of the Little Susitna Public Use Facility (LSPUF). Fish are now also caught at the Parks Highway bridge near Houston. This should be a good time to float the river from the Parks Highway down to the LSPUF. [li]The Yentna River is also producing some good king fishing. Lake Creek and the Talachulitna River are good, or try fishing some of the smaller tributaries and sloughs off the Yentna River, such as Moose Creek, Indian Creek, Fish Creek, or Hewitt Creek. [li]The kings have made their way to Willow Creek, and fishing has been good. Other Parks Highway systems are producing a few kings, and fishing should improve steadily this week. [li]By the end of this week the Talkeetna River may see its first few kings harvested. Clear Creek generally doesn't get hot until the last week of June. [li]As for the West Cook Inlet streams, the Theodore and Lewis rivers are open to catch-and-release king fishing and should provide plenty of action this week. The Chuit River is clear and is providing good fishing. Kings are also being taken in the Beluga River tributaries. [/li][/ul]

Resident Fish [ul] [li]The Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north will provide action for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling. [/li][/ul] Lake Fishing [ul] [li]Looking for open spaces, no crowds and lots of fish? Try one of the 90 stocked lakes in the Mat-Su Valley. [li]Best bets for rainbows include Beverly, Christiansen, Crystal, Knob, Loon, Marion, Ruby, Seventeenmile, Tanaina, and South Rolly lakes. [li]Canoe, Finger, Florence, Ida, Kepler/Bradley, Knik, Lorraine, Meirs, Mile 180, Weiner and Reed lakes have Arctic grayling. [li]Benka, Echo, Irene, Lynne, Marion, Matanuska, Memory, Prator, and Seventeenmile lakes are stocked with Arctic char. [li]For a single lake with a wide variety of fish, try Finger Lake. It has rainbow trout, Arctic grayling, Arctic char and landlocked king salmon. [/li][/ul] Northern Pike [ul] [li]Pike fishing is excellent in June. [li]Anglers may keep as many pike as they catch, since, with the exception of Alexander Lake, there is no bag or possession limit. [li]For road-accessible pike fishing, try the Nancy Lake Recreation Area lakes, Long Lake near Willow, or Memory Lake. [li]If you have a boat, try the sloughs off the Deshka River, Alexander Creek, Fish Creek (especially Kroto Slough), or Hewitt Lake. [li]For fly-in pike fishing try Alexander, Eightmile, Trapper, Flathorn and Sucker lakes. [/li][/ul]

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Kenai Area Fresh Waters

Kenai River King Salmon [ul] [li]Water levels on the Kenai River are slightly higher than normal. Water clarity is excellent. [li]Fishing for early run king salmon on the Kenai River has been very good. [li]The Division of Sport Fish is tagging Kenai River king salmon with a grey spaghetti tag to collect harvest timing and location data. Anglers catching a tagged fish are asked to report the tag number, date, and specific location of capture to Adam Reimer in the Soldotna ADF&G office at (907) 262-9368. Anglers may keep the tagged fish, if it's of legal size, as part of their regular bag and possession limit. [li]Only king salmon less than 44 inches or 55 inches or longer may be retained. [li]Any Kenai River king salmon 55 inches or longer that is kept must be sealed within 3 days of harvest by ADF&G staff in the Soldotna office. [/li][/ul]

Kasilof River King Salmon [ul] [li]King salmon fishing on the Kasilof River has been very good. [li]Bank anglers often do well by casting or flipping flies or small to medium sized Spin-n-Glos with yarn or eggs. [li]Boat anglers often fish a medium sized Spin-n-Glo with eggs behind a planer, or use a Kwikfish with a sardine wrap. [li]Lures must have only one single pointed hook. [li]Only fish with a hatchery-clipped adipose fin, as evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept. [/li][/ul]

Upper Kenai River and Russian River [ul] [li]Again, the waters of the Upper Kenai River and most of the waters of the Russian River are now open for fishing, and the Russian River Sanctuary Area remains closed to all fishing through July 15, unless an Emergency Order is issued to open it earlier. [li]Early run red salmon are showing in the Upper Kenai and Russian rivers, with anglers reporting fair fishing. Some anglers have been catching their three fish limit. [li]Water levels have been dropping over the past several days, but are still slightly higher than normal. Water clarity has been good. [li]Anglers are reminded that in the Russian River and waters of the Kenai River near its confluence with the Russian River are fly-fishing only waters and other special regulations apply. [li]If you use a bead in fly-fishing only waters, it must be attached to the hook and be part of the fly. Beads not attached to the hook are an attractor, and are not allowed in fly-fishing-only waters. [li]Again, please check page 31 of the 2004 Southcentral Alaska sport fishing regulation booklet for detailed regulations. [/li][/ul]

Resident Fish - Kenai River [ul] [li]Fishing for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden can be good at times during the summer, but are typically a little slow until early August. [li]Review the 2004 Southcentral Alaska fishing regulations closely for tackle and daily limits. [/li][/ul] Lake Fishing [ul] [li]Fishing in the area's stocked lakes is likely to be good at this time. See below for links to stocking information, as well as maps to the area lakes. [li]Johnson Lake in the Kasilof area and Sport Lake in the Soldotna area were both recently stocked with catchable rainbow trout. [li]Island Lake in the Nikiski area was also recently stocked with Arctic char. [li]Floating eggs off a bobber or casting small spoons or spinners are popular methods while fishing in the lakes. [/li][/ul] Northern Pike [ul] [li]Fishing success for northern pike will slow as water temperatures increase throughout the summer. [li]Stormy Lake and Arc Lake are both publicly accessible. [li]Many other area lakes have northern pike, but public access is limited. Private property owners may allow access, but get permission first. [li]Casting lures or flies that imitate small fish or other prey works well for northern pike. Bait fishing can also be productive. [li]Pike can also be taken using a spear or with a bow and arrow as long as the arrow is attached to the bow by a line. [li]There is no closed season for pike, and the bag limit is unlimited. Wanton waste laws apply, so be sure to use, or donate to charity, all the pike you harvest. [/li][/ul] Personal Use [ul] [li]Personal use hooligan (smelt) dipnetting in the Kenai River closes at 11:59 p.m. June 15. [li]The Kasilof River personal use set-net fishery is open June 15 through June 24, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. [li]The Kasilof River will open for personal use dip netting at 12:01 a.m. on June 25 and will be open through 11:59 p.m. August 7. The Kasilof dip net fishery will be open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. No king salmon may be retained in the Kasilof fishery. [li]The Kenai River will open for personal use dipnetting at 6 a.m. on July 10. The Kenai fishery will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., 7 days a week through July 31. [li]Personal use fishery participation is open only to those holding an Alaskan resident fishing license. [li]Kenai and Kasilof River personal use fishery permits are available from Fish and Game offices as well as most local license vendors. [/li][/ul]

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Kodiak Area Salt Waters [ul] [li]Saltwater fishing for halibut and rockfish is good this time of year. [li]Anglers are reminded that the lingcod season does not open until July 1. [li]Trolling for king salmon is variable this time of year. Last week trolling was fair, and anglers reported catching kings. [/li][/ul] Fresh Waters [ul] [li]The salmon returns around Kodiak Island are in full swing and appear to be early and strong in most cases. [li]There is a conservation easement in effect for the Karluk River. From June 10 - July 15, the number of people allowed to use the Karluk River uplands is limited to 70. Permits are awarded by lottery by the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. The lottery has already been held; however, there are many leftover permits still available. Permits can be obtained on a first-come, first-served basis, from the Kodiak Refuge at (907) 487-2600. [/li][/ul]

Sockeye (Red Salmon) [ul] [li]The first salmon to show up on the road system are the Buskin River sockeye. As of June 7, 6,200 sockeye have been counted into the lake, which is the highest on record for this date. [li]Both the Karluk and Ayakulik sockeye returns are very strong and early with counts of 192,000 and 79,000 respectively. [/li][/ul]

King salmon [ul] [li]King salmon fisheries also occur in the Karluk and Ayakulik rivers. The king returns in both of these rivers peak in mid-June. [li]The Ayakulik weir count as of June 7 was 11,700 kings, which is the highest count on record for this time of year. The Karluk return has been below average for the past 3 years. The weir count of 2,200 kings as of June 7 is encouraging, as it is the highest count for this time of year since 1997 [/li][/ul]

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Prince William Sound Area Salt Waters

Halibut [ul] [li]Fishing has been good out of Valdez, Whittier and Cordova [li]Cordova anglers are catching halibut near Humpy Creek and near Observation Island. [li]For consistent catches the best fishing continues to be around Hinchinbrook Entrance and Montague Strait. [/li][/ul]

Salmon [ul] [li]King salmon are being caught off Esther Island by trolling in 120 ft. of water. [li]King salmon have moved into Port Valdez with the herring. Most anglers are still catching them by trolling or mootching, with only a few getting caught from shore. [li]King salmon out of Whittier has been slow [li]Chum salmon are showing up around the Sound with catches reported from Lake Bay and near Esther Island. [li]Sockeye catches are coming in from Esther Island. Main Bay sockeye are starting to show up and should be picking up in the next few weeks. [/li][/ul]

Other salt water fishing [ul] [li]Salmon sharks have moved in with the returning chum salmon. [li]The daily/possession limit for shark is 1 fish, and the yearly limit for shark is 2 fish. [li]All bagged sharks must be recorded on your license. [/li][/ul]

Shellfish [ul] [li]Shrimpers have been doing very well so far this summer with good hauls in the Port Wells and Port Nellie Juan areas. [/li][/ul] Fresh Waters [ul] [li]Good numbers of fresh sockeye are backing up at the fly-fishing-only area at the outlet of Eyak Lake near Cordova. [li]Also near Cordova, Alaganic Slough has produced a few sockeye near McKinley Lake, and sockeye have been reported below the bridge in Clear Creek. [li]Sockeye are starting to show in the Robe River near Valdez. [/li][/ul]

Resident Fish [ul] [li]The season opens June 15 for rainbow, cutthroat and steelhead trout [li]Dolly Varden char are still found in area streams but fishing success will begin to taper off as salmon smolt numbers dwindle. [li]Try switching over to egg imitations as the salmon move in to spawn. [/li][/ul]

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Upper Copper Upper Susitna Area

Gulkana River king salmon fishing has been slow this week; kings are above Sourdough campground and 27 king salmon have been counted so far at the tower site. Fishing will still be best in the lower river. The water level is high and water clarity poor with the recent rain. Sockeye fishing has been slow due to water conditions but 160 red salmon have passed the counting tower as of June 8th.

Klutina river sockeye fishing has improved with limits being taken. A few reports of king salmon have been reported in the lower river.

Numerous roadside lakes were stocked with catchable rainbow trout. Small lures, flies or powerbait are the most popular gear and most stocked lakes are easily accessed from the highways. Lakes to try for rainbow trout include Ryan, Buffalo, and Tex Smith lakes along the Glenn Highway, Old Road and Round lakes off the Lake Louise Road, and Pippin along the Richardson Highway. Two and Three-Mile lakes along the Edgerton Highway should have good numbers of rainbow trout. On the McCarthy Road Strelna, Silver and Sculpin Lakes are good destinations for springtime rainbow fishing.

Grayling fishing has slowed in the smaller streams but Meiers Lake and Tangle River are experiencing good fishing at this time. Twin Lakes and Jack Lake along the Nabesna Road are also worth a try.

The ice is out on Paxson, Summit, Lake Louise and Tangle Lakes and lake trout should be in the shallow water. Paxson and Summit Lakes have a single hook, no bait rule in effect. Trolling or bank fishing with Pixies, Crocodiles, or Vibrax spoons off the points is usually productive at fairly shallow depths until the water warms up later in the season and drives the fish into deeper water. As always consult the fishing regulations before fishing.