Contact:
Jason Dye
Area Management Biologist
Phone: (907) 842-2427

During the December 2012 meeting, the Alaska Board of Fish made the following regulatory changes to Bristol Bay sport fisheries. The new regulations are published in the 2013 Bristol Bay sport fishing regulation summary, and are in effect this season. 

• Chumming (putting bait in the water) is prohibited in freshwaters of Bristol Bay closed to the use of bait.
• Bag limit for king salmon in all drainages from Cape Constantine to Cape Newenham is three fish per day and three in possession, only one fish over 28 inches in length; five fish per year.
• In the Nushagak River drainage
  • upstream of its confluence with the Chichitnok River
    • only single-hook, artificial lures may be used year round
    • anglers may not harvest (catch and release only) rainbow trout.
    • Rainbow trout bag limit and terminal tackle regulations for the Nushagak River are now consistent for all waters upstream of Harris Cr.
  • In the remainder of the Nushagak River drainage
    • only one single-hook or single-hook lure may be used year-round.
    • May 1 – July 31, the use of bait is allowed UNTIL an angler harvests a daily bag limit of king salmon 20 inches or greater in length, then that angler can only fish with one UNBAITED, single-hook or single-hook lure for the remainder of that day.
  • Adjusted inriver goal and regulatory trigger numbers in the Nushagak-Mulchatna King Salmon Management Plan to be in accordance with new sonar technology. This was a neutral change converting estimates from the previous sonar system to the updated system and will not result in any significant changes to allocation or management of the fishery.
• The Big Creek drainage and all waters within one quarter mile of its confluence with the Naknek River are closed to sport fishing for king salmon year round.

Additionally, statewide regulations were adopted by the board at the March 2013 meeting. Some of these regulations that may affect anglers in Bristol Bay include:

• The definition of bag limit changed to state if a fish is landed and not immediately released, it becomes part of the angler’s bag limit. A person obtaining a duplicate or additional sport fishing license (or harvest record) shall record the information for all finfish previously recorded on the original license or harvest record.
• For sportfishing services, “compensation" is defined to clarify what is considered payment or remuneration.

For more information call the ADF&G area office in Dillingham at (907) 842-2427.