Contact:
Sam Ivey
Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-746-6300

The sport fishing bag and possession limit for coho salmon will increase to three fish beginning at 6 a.m. on August 13 in waters open to salmon fishing on Fish, Cottonwood and Wasilla creeks. In addition, fishing will be allowed at Fish Creek seven days per week, and anglers will be allowed to fish on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at Cottonwood and Wasilla creeks. Fishing will be allowed on these waters from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

“We’re seeing strong numbers of coho salmon on certain streams within the Knik Arm,” Sam Ivey, the Sport Fish Area Management Biologist in Palmer said. “As of August 9, just over 2,000 coho salmon have passed the Fish Creek weir. Looking at the average run timing and current weir counts, it is likely the sustainable escapement goal of 1,200 to 4,400 fish will be exceeded. Previous studies indicate a strong correlation in run size between coho salmon runs to Fish Creek and runs to Cottonwood and Wasilla creeks.”

The coho salmon limit is combined with the bag and possession limit of sockeye, chum, and pink salmon. After taking a bag limit of salmon in any of these waters, a person may not sport fish that same day in any water open to salmon fishing.

Bait and multiple hooks (meaning no more than two single hooks or two treble hooks per line) will be permitted in these fisheries.

The Jim Creek coho salmon run is managed separately to achieve the escapement goal established for that system. Jim Creek and the stocked terminal fishery at the Eklutna Tailrace are unaffected by this emergency order.

For more information, contact Sam Ivey at (907) 746-6300.