Get out and go ice fishing for Arctic char

Our staff at the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery have been busy lately stocking fish in lakes throughout Southcentral Alaska. While staff have stocked species such as rainbow trout and catchable (7-14”) chinook salmon, you might be interested in knowing where some of the broodstock (>18” Arctic char have been stocked.

A broodstock fish, or “brooder” is an adult fish that the hatchery keeps for spawning, or in hatchery terms, an “egg take”. These fish provide the eggs or milt used to produce the next generation of that species of fish. After an egg take, surplus broodstock are often leftover, and those fish make their way to select lakes in Southcentral Alaska to provide additional angling opportunity. Both Arctic char and rainbow trout surplus broodstock are stocked out after egg take events. In this case, we’re looking specifically at Arctic char broodstock.

The majority of the surplus Arctic char broodstock are three to four year-old fish. These fish are larger in size, on average measuring 22 inches and make for a fun and formidable fish to target through the ice.

Anglers can target these fish in lakes using small lead-head jigs tipped with a small piece of bait such as shrimp or cured salmon roe. It’s often best to thread a rubber body such as a Mister Twister or tube onto the shank of the hook. Pink, orange or white jig bodies work well for Arctic char. Check local regulations for the use of bait on the area you plan to fish.

The following lakes were recently stocked with Arctic char brooders:

Island Lake (on the Kenai Peninsula): Received 50 Arctic char brooders on October 28.

Campbell Point Lake (in Anchorage): Received 97 Arctic char brooders on October 28.

Also received 89 catchable-sized brood.

Sand Lake (in Anchorage): Received 97 Arctic char brooders on October 28.

Also received 178 catchable-sized brood. These fish on average measure a little more than 11 inches.

Finger Lake (Mat-Su Valley): Received 97 Arctic char brooders on October 29.

Seventeenmile Lake (Mat-Su Valley): Received 97 Arctic char brooders on October 29.

Also received 89 catchable-sized brood. These fish on average measure a little more than 11 inches.

Fish stocking efforts for other species will continue throughout the winter months. For those of you hoping for more broodstock, keep watch for rainbow trout broodstock in the winter months! Otherwise, you’ll have to wait again until next fall.

For a complete list of stocked lakes in Alaska, visit our stocked lakes page.

If you have questions about ice fishing, please contact your local Alaska Department of Fish and Game office.

Be sure to follow ADF&G – Ship Creek Fisheries Center on Facebook for stocking updates and other fishing information.

Information courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.