Area king salmon fishing restrictions announced

WASILLA — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released its first set of king salmon sport fishing restrictions for the Susitna and Little Susitna river drainages, continuing similar guidelines that have been set in place for recent fishing seasons.

The restrictions, announced in a press release issued Feb. 18, detail emergency orders similar to those issued in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The big difference comes with fishing in the Deshka River. That fishery will start the season with legal use of bait and multiple hooks. Another change is an additional day of harvest per week on the Little Susitna River.

According to the press release, the following restrictions, beginning May 1, are part of the order:

• Annual limit of two king salmon 20 inches or longer area wide. The total annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or longer taken from fresh waters of Cook Inlet remains at five, but no more than two may be taken in combination from the Susitna River and Little Susitna River drainages.

• Only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure is allowed, except Deshka River. Single- hook means a fish hook with only one point. Treble hooks and more than one single-hook are prohibited.

• Harvest is allowed on the Deshka River 7 days per week and bait and multiple hooks are allowed per regulation, June 1 – August 31.

Harvest is allowed on specific days within the Yentna River drainage (Unit 4), except for the Talachulitna River. Harvest within Unit 4 (except for the Talachulitna River) will be restricted to Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays only; fishing, but not harvest of king salmon is allowed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

• King salmon harvest (of any size) is prohibited within Unit 1 (except on Deshka River), on the Parks Highway streams within Unit 2, the upper Susitna (Unit 3), Talachulitna River (Unit 4), Talkeetna River (Unit 5), and Chulitna River (Unit 6). Fishing, but not harvest of king salmon will be allowed during days and times normally open to king salmon fishing within these management units. Specifically within Unit 2, these days correspond to January 1 through the third Monday in June (June 20), and for the next two consecutive three-day weekends (Saturday through Monday, June 25 – 27 and Saturday through Monday, July 2 – 4. King salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. In the waters of Unit 2 open to catch-and-release fishing for king salmon, fishing for trout and other species will not be affected by these emergency regulations for king salmon and will continue as written in current regulation.

• King salmon harvest in the Little Susitna River is restricted to Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays only. King salmon harvest (of any size) is prohibited on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; fishing, but not harvest of king salmon is allowed on these days. King salmon that are intended to be released may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Also, according to the press release, The Eklutna Tailrace is excluded from all restrictions.

Management biologists reported Northern Cook Inlet king salmon runs have been well below average since 2007, and that trend is expected to continue in 2016.

Information courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.