Low coho numbers trigger Little Su restriction

On Aug. 3, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued an emergency order that will likely restrict fishing to artificial lures only for the remainder of the salmon fishing season on the Little Susitna River.

The fishing area restricted will extend from the Parks Highway all the way to the river mouth (the entire area open to salmon fishing). The emergency order contains a caveat that if coho run strength improves, then restrictions to the sport fishery may be rescinded. Additional restrictions may also occur if there is no increase in coho run strength. View ADF&G emergency order 2-SS-2-26-11 online with this URL link: http://tinyurl.com/3aum4tj.

Little Susitna River is historically the premier coho (silver) salmon fishing of the entire Mat-Su Valley, with high angler participation, high annual coho harvests and some of the largest coho salmon in the area. It is good ADF&G is paying attention and making a step down in regulations early enough in the season that angler participation may continue — at least for a while — on this highly valued fishery. Waiting until later before making a regulation change may have necessitated making a season sport fishing closure rather than allowing sport fishing to continue at a reduced level. On the evening of Aug. 2, I had the opportunity to talk with ADF&G area sport fish biologist Sam Ivey and asked him if the department was planning any restrictive action on the Deshka River or other Mat-Su Valley coho fisheries as well?

According to Ivey, the department is closely monitoring Deshka River as well, through the Deshka River weir coho salmon counts (adfg.alaska.gov/sf/FishCounts) and through fishing guide and angler reports. Although Deshka River coho numbers had been quite low through Aug. 1 (only 687 total coho through the weir at that time), the Deshka weir coho count made a big jump on Aug. 2 when more than 2,400 coho swam past the weir in one day.

At this time, the department will continue to allow a bait fishery for coho salmon on the Deshka River with a bag limit where anglers can harvest up to three coho salmon per day. However, ADF&G will continue monitoring Deshka River coho salmon escapement levels, as well as Knik Arm coho salmon fisheries. Additional restrictions may also be issued on these systems as the season progresses.

Two of the three coho salmon indexes mentioned in ADF&G’s Little Susinta River emergency order (offshore ADF&G Upper Cook Inlet test fishery results and lower than normal commercial coho harvests) indicate that coho salmon run strengths may be significantly lower than normal on a wide basis throughout Upper Cook Inlet.

Sharing the burden

Some sport anglers are already asking questions. If ADF&G data indicates that Upper Cook Inlet coho salmon run strengths may be in jeopardy to the extent that the department has issued an in-season emergency order restricting the priority sport fish use on one of Upper Cook Inlet’s most important sport coho fisheries, why has the department enacted zero commercial fishery restrictions to provide any sharing of the conservation burden by non-priority commercial gillnetters? Why has the department commercial manager failed at the very least to announce some reduction in the commercial area, gear or time allowed to be fished near the mouth of the Little Susitna River?

Fish Creek youth fishery

As mentioned previously in this column, this fishery will occur for the first time on the weekend of Aug. 6-7, and should provide a good opportunity for youths 15 years and younger to fish and likely catch coho and/or sockeye salmon.

Congratulation to Mat-Su Anglers Club members and club president Julie Busch for their work in establishing this fishery. For more information, use the following URL link to the ADF&G news release about this fishery, including fishing times, area open and bag limits: http://tinyurl.com/3zoxjz3.

Although coho numbers may be lower than normal, the next couple weeks should produce peak coho salmon abundances in many Mat-Su Valley fisheries, and the number of fish available still provides fishing action and catches envied by many anglers living in other parts of the United States. As one Alaskan angler told me, “I put up with long Alaskan winters to enjoy this time of year and coho salmon fishing.”

Andy Couch owns and operates Fishtale River Guides (fish4salmon.com), is a Mat-Su Anglers Club member (matsuanglers.org) and member of the Mat-Su Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Sportsmen’s Committee. Email this column at sports@frontiersman.com if you have Mat-Su fishing questions or information readers may find useful.