Helping a kid catch a king salmon

My family moved to the Mat-Su Valley in 1971 when I was 10 years old. At that time the Mat-Su Valley king salmon populations were likely significantly lower than now in 2023. As I recall, sport king salmon fishing was closed in freshwaters throughout the Mat-Su Valley — and the first Mat-Su Valley opportunities that did open to king salmon sport fishing and harvest were limited and often remote. There were some legal king salmon sport fishing opportunities in the Kenai Peninsula freshwaters including the Kenai River, Anchor River, Ninilchik River, and Deep Creek. Sport king salmon fishing and harvest was also allowed north of the Mat-Su Valley in the Gulkana River near Glennallen.

I believe my Dad did not take the family king salmon fishing until Memorial weekend of 1974, when after work we drove to the Kenai Peninsula and camped on the beach at Deep Creek. Water was high with runoff and we attempted to fish near the stream mouth with saltwater. We did not see any king salmon or many other anglers even fishing from the bank at that location. We repeated that trip with the same lack of success the following year, but later in July of 1975 my dad drove the family to the Gulkana River and took us camping over the 4th of July weekend. My dad and older brother each caught a king salmon on that trip — while my younger brother, sister, mother, and I caught a few grayling and rainbow trout.

On May 28, 1976 after Dad got home from work (he was one of a few who commuted from the Valley to Anchorage at that time) he helped us finish loading our fishing and camping gear and then drove us south to try fish king salmon over Memorial Weekend as was becoming (and would continue for several years) our tradition. This time we stopped a few miles earlier in the trip at the Ninilchik River. There was no room in the campground, so we pulled off and camped along the road. I was eager to get fishing the next morning, but spring was late, the weather was cold, and the rest of the family chose to sleep in. I gathered my gear, put on more clothes, and walked to the river.

The first couple spots I fished I did not see any fish or see any of the other early morning anglers having any better luck. I stopped and warmed up where another angler had a fire burning beside a fishing spot he planned to fish until he caught his king salmon. Aside from the comforting fire, northing was happening at that location, so I walked upstream and cast into a promising looking hole where no one else was fishing. I felt the bite, set the hook, and a large fish broke the surface of the river. I battled the fish in that hole for twenty minutes without gaining much line, then it took off running downstream. Keeping the line tight, I chased after the fish, until it stopped in the hole beside the warming fire. The fish tired and the fire keeper netted and then weighed him for me. At 33 pounds this was by far the largest fish I had ever caught. After filling out and punching my harvest card, I lugged him back toward our camp along the road. That was Saturday May 29, 1976 — and thinking or telling about catching my first king salmon still gives me a thrill. My dad took some pictures — and I was mighty proud of that catch for several years. It was early in the morning and the pictures came out blurry and dark — but I treasured them more than many thousand words.

2023 King Salmon Harvest Opportunities

As mentioned last week, the Eklutna Tailrace / Knik River side-channel fishery is the one Mat-Su Valley location where sport anglers may harvest an ocean-run king salmon — at least to start the season. If enough king salmon are counted through Little Susitna River and / or Deshka River weir there is a chance a king salmon harvest fishery may open at one or both of those rivers later in the season. The past two years adjustments to the Little Susitna River and Deshka River king salmon fisheries did not occur until after mid-June so I would expect similar regulation adjustment timing during 2023 — if it occurs at all. Little Susitna River is currently open to catch and release king salmon fishing —- while Deshka River is closed to all king salmon fishing at this time.

Some of the better freshwater king salmon harvest opportunities may require a road trip. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has made a preseason king salmon forecast / projection for a Copper River Basin return in excess of 50,000 fish. This is a higher preseason number than the department had for this fishery in 2022, and will provide harvest of wild king salmon stocks. Depending upon inseason king salmon counts and harvest levels this fishery could be adjusted or closed at some point during the season. Last year with similar deep snow / late spring conditions the king salmon migration was later than normal arriving at the Gulkana River near Glennallen in particular.

To our south sport fisheries targeting hatchery king salmon will allow harvest at lower Ship Creek in Anchorage. Kasilof River, Ninilchik River, and Nick Dudiak fishing lagoon off the Kenai Peninsula road system have harvest fisheries as well — but review and become familiar with regulations for each specific fishery before your trip.

As mentioned earlier in this column, some of our limited 2023 king salmon fishing opportunities may be better than were available during the early 1970s. Trip planning, becoming familiar with specific fisheries, and going fishing in 2023 may provide kids (both young and old) memories that last for decades.

Fish On!

Andy Couch has been helping Mat-Su anglers find and catch ocean-run salmon for 4 decades.