Mat-Su king salmon closures and restrictions

On Thursday March 14 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced that sport king salmon fishing will be closed at Little Susitna River and the entire Susitna River drainage from May 1 — July 13, 2024. In addition, the department announced that all fishing for other species in these waters, normally open to king salmon fishing, would be restricted to single-hook artificial lures with a gap between the hook point and shank of 1/2 inch or less during this same time period.

Differing Upper Cook Inlet King Salmon Closures and Durations

The hook size restriction for Little Susitna River and the Susitna River drainage is new this year, and although the Department also issued additional emergency regulations closing sport king salmon in West Cook Inlet freshwaters (May 1 - June 30), Kenai River early run (May 1 - June 30), Kenai River late-run (July 1 - August 15), and Cook Inlet salt waters north of Bluff Point (May 1 - August 15) — the two Mat-Su Valley locations were the only ones with a specific hook size restriction when fishing for other species. Two Kenai Peninsula locations had more complete closures; (Anchor River and Deep Creek) were closed to ALL FISHING (May 18 - July 15).

I did not notice any additional gear restrictions for Cook Inlet salt waters or West Cook Inlet freshwaters closed to king salmon fishing. Fishing locations specifically targeting king salmon returning from hatchery enhancements remain open to king salmon sport fishing and harvest, although only adipose fin-clipped king salmon may be harvested from Kasilof River and Ninilchik River. King salmon hatchery releases at Ship Creek and Eklutna Tailrace / Knik River side channel were not fin-clipped — so all king salmon remain available for harvest (following standard seasonal and daily bag limits) at those two locations.

Poor 2023 King Salmon Returns/Poor King Salmon Forecasts for 2024

According to acting Area Fisheries Management Biologist, Samantha Oslund, ZERO Northern Cook Inlet Management Area king salmon spawning escapement goals were attained during 2023, and the department’s 2024 outlook for Deshka River is calling for a return below the Deshka River king salmon spawning escapement goal of 9,000 — 18,000 fish — even without any fishing. Similar 2023 returns and 2024 ADF&G king salmon forecasts / outlooks for other locations throughout Upper Cook Inlet have triggered some of the most sweeping Upper Cook Inlet sport king salmon fishing closures and restrictions in over 50 years.

On Tuesday of this week I talked with ADF&G Director of Sport Fisheries, Israel Payton, about the additional hook size restrictions that will undoubtedly reduce sport anglers ability to catch / harvest additional species that will remain open to fishing during the first half of the summer in 2024. Payton explained that king salmon returns had been low for several years, and that this past season anglers had been observed fishing “for trout,” with king salmon-sized lures and hooks in known Susitna River drainage king salmon congregating areas (while emergency king salmon fishing closures were in place). The department had considered that northern pike fishing / harvests and fishing for other salmon species that may start arriving in early July would likely be inhibited by restricting to one single hook with a 1/2 inch or smaller gap, but believes such a change is needed to help protect struggling wild king salmon populations.

Personal Experience

During 40 years of guiding Mat-Su fishing trips to locations like Little Susitna River, Deshka River, and Susitna River tributary streams along the Parks Highway my guests have caught considerably more king salmon than all other species combined from May 20 — July 10. Even with a severe king salmon shortage last season, my guests still caught considerably more king salmon than all other species through July 13, while fishing nearly exclusively at Little Susitna River. King salmon numbers and the smaller size of the fish, however, often had me talking potential guests out of fishing for them last year. It is difficult and disheartening to see how far Mat-Su king salmon returns have fallen over the past 15 years. As tough as these closures and restrictions maybe, they also appear necessary to give our precious king salmon populations a chance to recover. In addition, steps need to be considered and made to address lowered king salmon ocean production — or all the restrictions and closures for the few mature king salmon returning to Upper Cook Inlet waters may be for naught.

Fish On.