Fighting king salmon in the kenai river is a classic alaskan adventure. You have lakes, streams and the ketchikan creek to choose fromgo solo, use charters, or stay in a fishing lodge. The kenai river has the impressive distinction of producing the worlds largest sportcaught king salmon at 97 lbs. Fishing in alaska in october is for hearty anglers who are willing to brave the elements in search of a trophy rainbow trout or a big silver salmon. Forest service by the maritime executive 05142020 07. Our 4 day4 night sessions run through midaugust and we are often the only fullservice lodge operating through silver season on the nush. Our alaska peak fishing calendar is an essential guide to planning your ideal alaska fishing trip.
Apr 08, 2020 the state of alaska, however, only has six deaths from 2 cases, with local communities wanting to keep it that way, even at the expense of the lucrative salmon season. Kenai river salmon run timing alaska fishing lodge. Go with the experienced deshka river fishing guides with over 30 years fishing the deshka river. Hot deals alaska fishing vacations 2020 denise lake lodge. King salmon are abundant in the waters outside of whittier, alaska and we offer multiday alaska salmon fishing and halibut combo charters, which feature, an overnight lodge stay at the beautiful port ashton lodge. Alaska fishing peak calendar salmon runs, peak periods. Inseason alaska salmon summary, alaska department of fish and. Easily accessible options offer the chance to catch arctic grayling, rainbow trout, salmon, pike and more. Beginning at tustamena lake, and quite close to the kenai river, the. Kenai river fish run times soldotna chamber of commerce. Copper river salmon season to kick off amidst busy alaska. Most folks choose to fish for salmon from a boat, although shore fishing does still take. Area 2 general salmon season gillnetting and purse seiners june 8 sept.
Salmon fishing season is about to begin, but nothing is business as usual this year. If its alaska salmon fishing you want, gary is the man to see. King salmon also offers access to numerous flyin fishing and adventure camps and lodges on the alaska peninsula as well as wildlife viewing expeditions in becharof national wildlife refuge, alaska peninsula national wildlife refuge and mcneil river state game sanctuary. As fishermen scraped through a scant opener, rumors circulated online and in news outlets that copper river seafoods was paying out just usd 3. Copper river, alaska salmon fishery kicks off with low.
The kenai river is 82miles long and is broken up into three sections the upper, middle, and lower river. Kenai river fish run times if you plan on fishing the kenai river while visiting soldotna, alaska be sure to check the fish runs prior to your trip. With the copper river salmon season set to start next month and the massive bristol bay fishery in june, the commissioner of the department of fish and game says plans are in the works to harvest. Alaska king salmon fishing on the kenai and kasilof rivers is world renown and for good reason. Apr 02, 2020 anchorage, alaska alaska government officials and fishing industry professionals are making plans to ensure the state can have a strong summer salmon season amid changes forced by the outbreak.
Dec 08, 2019 alaska cod fishery to close for 2020 season amid warming waters gulf of alaska cod have been in steep decline due to rising ocean temperatures. June 10 july 25 sockeye salmon season in bristol bay june 10. The town of cordova has a fulltime population of 2,100. As alaska fishing season set to begin, fearful communities and seafood industry try to prevent spread of coronavirus april 17, 2020 at 6. All king salmon fishing on the kenai river closed anchorage daily. Alaska king salmon kenai river fishing trips with mark. The city of dillingham and the curyung tribe have asked governor dunleavy to shut down the bristol bay salmon season to control the impacts of the entry of the virus to our state, our region and our community. When is the best time for salmon fishing in alaska. The red salmon swims with its mouth in continual open and close motion, so the best technique involves getting the attractor as close to the mouth of the fish as possible. Alaska commercial fisheries calendar of fishing seasons. You may order hard copies for all of the sport fish regulations summaries by visiting our regulation request page or by calling 907 4654180. Fish count database search fishing with bears salmon identification pdf. We start off our spring king salmon fishing season with the early run of king salmon, also known elsewhere as spring chinook. But alaskan salmon are migratory species with very specific peak seasons.
Kings are the largest of the salmon species, fish over 4050 pounds are not uncommon in sitka waters, 2535 pound fish being the norm. Travel alaska king salmon traveler and vacation information. View our salmon run calendar and peak seasons to determine. Deshka river fishing guides, guided salmon fishing trips. Alaska emergency closes entire 2019 king salmon season the 3 11th hour. We have had great success catching halibut very close to the 38 inch maximum especially in may and june. Sep 11, 2019 fighting king salmon in the kenai river is a classic alaskan adventure. The alaska allspecies salmon harvest for 2019 totaled 207. It can be as easy as pulling off the side of the road and casting a line, or you can charter a boat or float plane to whisk you off to a secluded fishing spot where you can reel in one of the more than 627 species that inhabit the alaskan waters, including a variety of salmon, trout. The king salmon fishing season in the matsu valley typically only lasts two months, but with several years of declining returns, the alaska dept. The us state of alaskas salmon season officially kicks off in one week, on may 14, at copper river near cordova with a 12hour opener for kings and. According to the state of alaska department of natural resources, gary respects the areas environment and provides a safe and positive.
Over half of this harvest was composed of pink salmon 128. A good portion of the folks dreaming of fishing alaska have this fish in mind. Deep cold water close to the coast line and the incredible number of bait fish draws large numbers of kings to the sitka waters. Statewide alaska sport fish regulations for the alaska department of fish and. Sport fishing regulations, alaska department of fish and game. We offer daily guided salmon fishing trips for king salmon and silver salmon. Alaska fishing industry plans for salmon season amid virus. Apr 04, 2019 the kenai river, located in southcentral alaska, is around a 3 and a half hour scenic drive from anchorage. With 34,000 miles of coastline and countless pristine lakes and rivers, alaska fishing is something you can fit in anywhere on your itinerary. King salmon fishing in alaska is world renown and for good reason.
Fishingriver excursions with bountiful freshwater rivers, streams and lakes, alaskas interior and arctic provide ample opportunities for fishing enthusiasts. Run forecasts and harvest projections for 2020 alaska. King salmon closure could cost matsu businesses millions. If theres a single fish that alaska is known for, its the chinook or king salmon. Alaska offers some of the most spectacular freshwater, saltwater, fly and even ice fishing in the world.
A majority of the 2019 pink salmon harvest occurred in the westward region, and bristol bay continued to lead sockeye salmon harvests. Mike dunleavy is not planning any closures at this time. Dec 06, 2017 alaska is home to the best salmon fishing in the world. In an unprecedented response to historically low numbers of pacific cod, the federal cod fishery in the gulf of alaska is closing for the 2020 season. And in alaska, halibut fishing can certainly fill that bill in many instances. The kenai river holds 8 out of the top 10 record king salmon in the world, with the world record being 97. With more than 37 years of experience guiding alaska salmon fishing, hes a favorite of both clients and fellow salmon fishing guides. Salmon fishing in alaska offers incredible fishing action for 5 salmon. Silver salmon are very aggressive so you need to use a good fishing reel and we use quantum cabo 40s with 30 lb. Anchorage, alaska alaska government officials and fishing industry professionals are making plans to ensure the state can have a strong summer salmon season amid changes forced by. The kenai river, located in southcentral alaska, is around a 3 and a half hour scenic drive from anchorage. The state of alaska, however, only has six deaths from 2 cases, with local communities wanting to keep it that way, even at the expense of the lucrative salmon season.
Alaska fishing in october with cooper landing fishing guide. Fairbanks fishing plus nearby options fish alaska magazine. I also dont have to tell you the first spot that comes to mind for this is the kenai. The saltwater salmon here, just outside sitka sound. As for the king salmon runs in the 2020 fishing season, ak fish and game biologists are predicting a decent run of king salmon, thus presenting. The kenai river has the impressive distinction of producing the worlds largest sportcaught king salmon at 97 lbs every year these mammoth salmon tip the scales at 70, 80, and even 90 pounds. Alaska department of fish and game commissioner doug vincentlang said in an interview that he is certainly aware of the issues that could arise from holding spring and summer salmon fisheries that start next month as everyone also attempts to limit the spread of the disease, but he stressed state officials are drafting plans to provide extra. Jan 01, 2018 commercial salmon fishing in crawfish inlet. Alaska cod fishery to close for 2020 season amid warming waters gulf of alaska cod have been in steep decline due to rising ocean temperatures. Bright red salmon, pink salmon, fighting silver salmon and a local starthe huge king salmon are waiting for you. Alaska fishing charters and day trips catch your limit with. Ketchikan is a major stop on cruises and along the alaska marine highway, or you can fly from anchorage or seattle. With a world record set at nearly 100 pounds, you can see why so many people are interested in alaska king salmon fishing on the kenai river. A dismal alaska salmon season got drearier when the alaska department of fish and game on monday announced the closure of the entire.
We continued fishing the little susitna river, reaching a solid 70% success rate of kings until the end of alaska king salmon season. Opening and closing dates may vary from year to year, but this is a general overview of the. Alaska salmon fishing alaska salmon fishing with mark. During the alaska silver salmon fishing season, close to anchorage, alaska we use 7 ft. The fishing guides at tower rock lodge are experts at fishing for sockeye salmon in alaska. This run starts arriving around the second week of may and often is led in by some really nice fish. Best fishing is on the ocean, so as long as weather permits, well get them.
Alaska salmon fishing charters, flyins, day trips, lodges. Pandemic prompts rush to close peter pan, ocean beautyicicle. Nestor guillermo, right, an expert fish filleter with ocean beauty seafoods, fillets a 40pound copper river king salmon from the first shipment of the season of the valuable fish from. Alaskan fishing towns get ready for salmon season and. Good places for this are near anchorage, homer, ketchikan, and seward. Kenai river salmon run timing alaska fishing and lodging. For those not familiar with the salmon fishing seasons on the kenai river we are going to give you a quick primer. Peak season for salmon fishing occurs from may through september, with the five major species spread across the season. In an effort to maintain the presence of our unique stock of kenai kings, we have implemented a catch and release only policy unless otherwise noted. Our affordable charters begin only 90 minutes drive from anchorage alaska.
Did you know that during the average alaskan salmon fishery season over 150 million fish are caught weighing over 742 million pounds. When to come fishing in alaska kenai riverside fishing. The us state of alaskas salmon season officially kicks off in one week, on may 14, at copper river near cordova with a 12hour opener for kings and sockeyes, reports alaska fish radios lane welch. Downstream of the chena river dam, king salmon season is open through july, and anglers catch decent numbers of kings on this section of the river. As alaska fishing season set to begin, fearful communities. When fishing for salmon, its common to catch fish weighing between 60 and 80 lbs. Copper river salmon fishery nears without travel restrictions. The urgent letter was dated monday april 6, 2020, according to news reports from alaska public media and yesterday. The salmon industry is the most important fishery in alaska. Best time to fish in alaska chart showing summer runs. Alaska commercial fishing seasons city of unalaska. For our king salmon fans, there are two runs each summer on the kenai. Silver salmon silver salmon fishing on the nush begins about the third week in july and continues through august.
Information about all the parks is available at the king salmon visitor. As the famed copper river salmon season begins, isolated fishing towns are bracing for an influx of workers and their first brush with the coronavirus. Alaska fishing is unlike anywhere elseyoull throw back fish up here that would be trophies elsewhere. The final alaska king salmon count on the deshka river was 9,695. Alaska main fishing seasons run from may through september, with chartered fishing trips bringing anglers to the best fishing areas.
King salmon opens the fishing season with its early run in late spring, and. Halibut is closed on all wednesdays throughout the season, plus 5. Commercial fisheries home salmon home southeast salmon bristol bay salmon copper river salmon lower cook inlet salmon upper cook inlet. Best time to fish in alaska chart showing summer runs, may to.
Alaska fishing seasons salmon, halibut trout denise lake lodge. The entire summer offers at least one type of salmon fishing. Dillingham asks alaska governor to close bristol bays salmon. In just a few weeks, about 400 fishermen and processing workers will arrive in cordova, alaska for the opening of king salmon and copper river sockeye season. The kenai is a popular fishing destination due to its close proximity to anchorage, and moderate road access. Alaska fishing season begins amidst covid19 pandemic. Every summer, they run up alaskan river rapids, jumping out of the water all along the way, so this is the best time to go fishing in alaska. Alaska commercial salmon fisheries jobs alaskajobfinder. King salmon fishing begins in may, and you can continue fishing for silver salmon all the way through november. King salmon also offers access to numerous fly in fishing and adventure camps and lodges on the alaska peninsula as well as wildlife viewing expeditions in becharof national wildlife refuge, alaska peninsula national wildlife refuge and mcneil river state game sanctuary. Alaskan fishing towns get ready for salmon season and covid19 the fishing town of cordova, alaska u. The chena is a sizeable river below the dam and large motorboats are employed by anglers on a regular basis. The major salmon spawn has ended, but the flesh bite and swinging of flies on 2handed spey rods for big rainbow trout and dolly varden is in full swing.
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