Salmon personal use dip net harvest opportunities

Sport fishing opportunities to catch ocean-run salmon in Mat-Su Valley streams should be improving by the July 24 / 25 weekend, however, participation and catch rates will still be low compared to later in the season, when more salmon have migrated further up Valley stream drainages. As I write this column the best opportunities for Mat-Su anglers to catch and harvest salmon will occur in personal use dip net fisheries through the end of July. Personal Use Fisheries are open to Alaska residents only and both a sport fishing license and personal use fishing permit are required of all participants age 18 and older. NOTE: king salmon harvest has been or is closed in each of the following fisheries. Expect some of the best harvest opportunities of the season in the following fisheries from now through July 31:

Lower Susitna River Personal Use FisheryThe open fishing dates for this fishery are Mondays and Saturdays from July 10 —31. This fishery is accessible by a 45 minute — 1 hour boat ride downriver from Deshka Landing in Willow or by airplane landing on a lower Susitna River gravel bar. The fishing location is at least a mile below the Susitna / Yentna River confluence, below Susitna Station, and marked by ADF&G signage. Open fishing dates for 2021 are July 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, and 31. Through Monday July 19, ADF&G had only counted 32 sockeye past the Larson Lake Weir and 0 Sockeye past the Judd Lake Weir. Note: both of these escapement measuring weirs are located far upstream from the dip netting area.

I did some searching to find someone who had participated in the lower Susitna fishery this year, but then I talked with Kris Ogonowski who reported minimal success during the July 10, 14, and 17 fishing dates. She and her partner Bruce participated each of those dates and caught 0 salmon on July 10, 0 salmon on July 14, and then caught 4 pink salmon, 2 sockeye salmon, and 1 silver salmon on July 17 — they fished about 8 hours ton the 17th. Kris and Bruce will be dip netting again on Wednesday July 21 — but that is after the submission deadline for this fishing column. Their success somewhat mirrors the harvests they experienced last year — except on the third period in 2020 they caught lots of pink salmon.

Last year harvest rates in Lower Susitna River Personal Use Fishery went up significantly during the last 3 periods in July, so expect a similar trend to occur in 2021. On Tuesday, Mike Woods, who commercially set nets for salmon west of the Susitna River confluence with Cook Inlet, reported decent commercial harvests of primarily sockeye salmon with some coho salmon from the July 16 and 19 commercial periods. One could reasonably expect that same migration of salmon should be showing up in the lower Susitna River drainage soon. Mike also mentioned that his harvests of both pink salmon and chum salmon had been low up to this point. Visit https://susalmonco.com to order carefully cared for salmon caught from Mike’s site.

The two closest Northern District commercial stat areas west of the Susitna River mouth reported less sockeye salmon harvested than coho salmon during the July 19 commercial period. A total of 1,705 sockeye were reported harvested compared to 2, 012 coho salmon from the Tyonek and Beluga stat areas, according to preliminary numbers listed on the ADF&G website.

Fish Creek Personal Use FisheryAlaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) area sport fisheries biologist, Sam Ivey, left me a phone message on Monday that sockeye salmon migration through the FIsh Creek Weir had slowed down because of low and warm water recently. He believes it was only a matter of time before this fishery would open by emergency order. Through July 19 ADF&G had counted 11,393 sockeye salmon past the Fish Creek Weir. ADF&G’s Fish Creek sockeye salmon escapement goal range is 15,000 — 45,000 fish. Final escapement numbers for Fish Creek sockeye salmon have exceeded the escapement range for each of the past 6 years. On all but one of those 6 years Fish Creek sockeye salmon escapements exceeded 61,000 fish. Readers should check the ADF&G Website for updates as I believe this fishery SHOULD be opened by or before the July 24 / 25 weekend. This fishery by regulation is only open through the last day of July with fishing hours of 6 am — 11pm. As of Tuesday July 20 the Fish Creek salmon sport fishery and personal use fishery were both closed. Look for the Emergency Order.

Kenai River Personal Use FisheryThis is the largest personal use fishery in the entire Upper Cook Inlet, and steady numbers of sockeye salmon are now migrating through the legal fishing area downstream of the Warren Ames bridge. With closure of the king salmon sport fishery and corresponding restrictions placed on commercial harvesters of salmon, sockeye salmon numbers in the Kenai River will likely rise dramatically before this weekend and on through the end of July. King salmon harvest is closed in this fishery as well, and any king salmon caught must immediately be released. Fishing hours are currently 6 am — 11pm. Depending upon traffic along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage, Mat-Su Valley residents should plan on at least a 3 -4 hour drive to get to this fishing area. Through July 19 ADF&G had counted 236,511 sockeye salmon past the Kenai River Sonar.

Kasilof River Personal Use FisheryThe Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is projecting a sockeye salmon escapement in excess of the Kasilof River sockeye salmon escapement goal, so the area open to personal use dip netting has been expanded by emergency order up to the Sterling Highway bridge. A similar 3 — 4 hour drive time is necessary to reach this fishing area further south of the Kenai River. Through July 19 ADF&G had counted 258,554 sockeye salmon past the Kasilof River Sonar.

Chitina Personal Use Fishery

The drive north along the Glenn, Richardson, and Edgerton Highways to the Chitina Personal Use Fishery may also take 3 —4 hours for most Mat-Su Valley residents, however, these roads are often far less busy with traffic. Because of a significant harvest opportunity, the more pleasant drive, and number of days this fishery is open during a year, Chitina is used by many Mat-Su residents. Through July 19 ADF&G had recorded 702,686 sockeye salmon past the Miles Lake Sonar site. Note: Fluctuating high water conditions can significant impact harvests in this fishery. This fishery will remain open the longest — through September 30, however dip netters should check which days / hours will be open each week to personal use fishing. The tentative and finalized schedules for Chitina personal use fishing may be viewed at the ADF&G website: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=PersonalUsebyAreaInterior Chitina.schedule

Harvest Success in Personal Use FisheriesLarge limits and opportunity to use a dip net Does Not Guarantee large harvests of salmon. Just like other fisheries, a participant needs to learn when to fish, where to fish, and which gear to use. Water conditions may also play a significant role in harvests — even in a personal use fishery. Under ideal conditions personal use participants may harvest their entire seasonal limit in a single day — but more often more days are needed to harvest the desired number of salmon. When I examined harvest results from these various fisheries last winter I noticed that on average participants seemed to harvest about 10 salmon per permit.

Good Luck and Fish On!

Andy Couch is a 35-year Mat-Su Valley salmon fishing guide. You may read daily fishing reports on his Fishtale River Guides website at https://www.fish4salmon.com/alaska-fishing-reports/