(Anchorage) - A Youth-Only Fishery will be held on 12:01 a.m. Friday, September 7 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 9, 2018, at the Seward Lagoon and Lagoon Outfall Stream. During the Youth-Only Fishery, only anglers 15 years old and younger may fish for coho salmon in the Seward Lagoon and Lagoon Outfall Stream. This will be the last Youth-Only Fishery in the Seward area for the 2018 fishing season.

“Fishing for coho out of Seward has been outstanding over the last couple of weeks and this presents a good opportunity for kids to catch a salmon,” stated Area Management Biologist Jay Baumer. “This is one of the few weekends where the lagoon and stream leading to the lagoon are open by regulation to youth anglers age 15 and younger.”

ADF&G staff evaluated fishing conditions prior to this Youth-Only Fishery area and estimate that there were over 400 coho salmon in the stream leading into the Seward Lagoon, with many additional fish staging in the saltwater to enter the creek. Therefore, youth anglers should have a good chance at catching coho salmon this weekend.

A single-hook with bait or a single-hook artificial lure with or without bait may be used. Multiple or treble hooks are not allowed in the Seward Lagoon and Lagoon Outfall Stream. Snagging is also not allowed in the lagoon or outfall stream and all snagged fish must be released immediately. The bag limit is two per day and two in possession. The waters of the Seward Lagoon and Lagoon Outfall Stream remain closed to all fishing the remainder of the year and closed to fishing for other species during this Youth-Only Fishery.

For current regulations, please see page 78 of the 2018 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Sport Fish Information Center at (907) 267-2218.

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