Fish and Game announces major king fishing closure

PALMER — A tough season for local king salmon anglers just got worse.

As of Monday at 6 a.m., any type of fishing for king salmon will not be permitted in the Susitna River drainage, according to a release issued by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Friday. The restrictions include a number of popular fisheries along the Parks Highway and the Deshka River.

According to the department’s release, as of June 21, only 6,852 fish had passed through the Deshka River weir, and the total escapement goal was nearly twice that, a projection of about 11,350 fish.

While anglers can target other finfish species, the closure prohibits retaining kings or catch-and-release king salmon fishing. If anglers hook a king salmon for while targeting other species, the fish must be released before it’s removed from the water.

In addition to the Deshka, fishing for king salmon will also be closed in Parks Highway area fisheries such as Willow Creek, Little Willow, Kashwitna River, Caswell Creek, Sheep Creek and Montana Creek. The Talchulitna River, Lake Creek, Greys Creek, Goose Creek, Sunshine Creek, Birch Creek, Trapper Creek, Rabideux Creek, Clear Creek and the East Fork of the Chulitna River are also waters closed to king fishing.