Late breakup, late salmon?

Last week I mentioned the first few king salmon and one sockeye had been counted through Little Susitna River Weir. The Deshka River weir was installed on Thursday June 1, with the first king salmon passage counted on Saturday June 3. Two days after installation Deshka River weir passed more king salmon in one day than Little Susitna River weir had passed in the first two weeks after it was installed. 146 king salmon had swum past Deshka Weir compared to 27 king salmon passing Little Susitna River weir through Monday June 5. The weir passage numbers at both systems are lower than what is sometimes observed by now, however Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) fisheries biologist, Sam Ivey, was optimistic that perhaps a late river breakup and cooler than normal water temperatures may have slowed the salmon run timing. Ivey mentioned cooler water temperatures as more of an issue at Little Susitna River compared to Deshka River. In fact, while water was also cool at Deshka River, Ivey mentioned that warming water, and in particular at Deshka River, could retard salmon migration later in the season.

King Salmon Escapement Quality

The unusually high percentage of small male king salmon passing Little Susitna River weir is concerning. On a typical year, and especially early in the season larger and older age-class king salmon usually dominate the escapement passing Little Susitna River weir. If I was understanding my conversations with ADF&G staff correctly, so far during 2023, most of the king salmon passing the weir have been jack king salmon of about twenty inches or less. This has many anglers wondering why such small king salmon are even counted as spawning escapement at both Deshka River and Little Susitna River. According to retired ADF&G fisheries biologist, Gene Sandone, king salmon returns always have more male fish, and it is the number of female king salmon that realistically determines an adequate king salmon escapement level. Since female king salmon only return as older age-class fish which also average longer in length, it may be more appropriate to only count king salmon over a certain size as spawning escapement. ADF&G state king salmon expert, Ed Jones, feels that king salmon 28 inches in length or larger is the appropriate-sized fish upon which to base Alaska king salmon escapements.

Many king salmon populations in Southeast Alaska are already managed by the department counting only larger-sized king salmon as the spawning escapement. This same concept is used by the department on the Kenai River, where counting only larger fish as the king salmon escapement also make it easier to identify king salmon escapements mixed in with large numbers of smaller sockeye salmon. Kasilof River king salmon returning to Crooked Creek are counted through a weir, but managed on a larger fish-size spawning escapement basis.

Dan Page told me he submitted a Board of Fisheries Proposal for next February’s Upper Cook Inlet meeting requesting that Little Susitna River king salmon be managed based on a spawning escapement of larger-sized king salmon. It should be interesting listening to the discussion of that proposal. Will the department and board agree that ensuring adequate numbers of larger female king salmon in the escapement could better sustain the Little Susitna River king salmon population?

Mat-Su Salmon Catches Driven by Salmon Abundance and Water Conditions

Through last weekend Mat-Su Valley sport king salmon catches had been modest, at best. A few king salmon have been caught at lower Little Susitna River — with most reported catches I’ve heard about being small jack king salmon from this location. There have been a handful of larger salmon caught as well. I know of fish being taken on drift bobbers, diving plugs, and weighted spinners. Only single-hook artificial lures are currently allowed at Little Susitna River, and this king salmon fishery is currently being managed as a catch & release only fishery open 7 days per week from 6am — 11p.m. daily.

The other area open to targeted catch & release king salmon fishing (with single hook artificial lures only) is the remote Yentna River drainage. Ivey mentioned that a few Yentna drainage king salmon had been caught over the weekend as far upstream as Lake Creek. The Department is currently working at developing an understanding of king salmon migration numbers and timing through a fish wheel sampling and tagging project on the lower Yentna River in combination with a sonar project in the lower portion of Lake Creek. As this column was being written only a few king salmon had been captured with the wheels to date.

The Eklutna Tailrace / Knik River side-channel fishery is currently the only other Mat-Su location where targeted sport king salmon fishing is currently allowed. Since this is a hatchery generated fishery and there are no spawning escapement needs to maintain the king salmon return at this location— king salmon harvest is allowed. This is also the one location where anglers may fish for ocean-run king salmon with bait and multiple hooks. Sport fishing is allowed 365 days per year, 24 hours per day at this location. Waters were both low and cold leading up to the tailrace on Monday of this week. A few salmon (mostly jack-sized specimens) were surfacing in the lower portion of the Knik River side-channel, and fewer still larger king salmon have been harvested from this location. With warmer weather sure to increase both snow and glacier melt, the Knik River and its side-channel running past Eklutna Tailrace should rise and make migration more appealing to king salmon currently staging in the lower Knik River. Although ADF&G had not heard of any king salmon being harvested from the actual tailrace through Monday, king salmon anglers have been actively fishing this location and some lucky or persistent anglers should be rewarded with king salmon soon.

Fish On!

Andy Couch posts fishing report updates on his Fishtale River Guides website at: https://www.fish4salmon.com/2023-fishing-reports/june-2023-alaska-fishing-reports/