Contact:
Robert Begich
Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-262-9368

To ensure continued successful king salmon spawning populations in 2015, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is implementing the following changes to the sport fishery on the Kasilof River, effective Friday, May 1 through Tuesday, June 30.  

• Anglers will be allowed to harvest only hatchery-produced king salmon and
harvest will be allowed seven days per week. Hatchery-produced king salmon
are distinguished from naturally-produced king salmon in the Kasilof River by
a healed adipose fin-clip scar. The adipose fin is the small fleshy fin on the
back just ahead of the tail.

• The bag and possession limit for hatchery-produced king salmon will be
reduced to one fish in the Kasilof River.

• Naturally-produced king salmon may be retained only Saturdays each week. On
Sundays through Fridays when the retention of naturally-produced king salmon
will be prohibited, naturally-produced king salmon may not be removed from
the water and must be released immediately. A naturally-produced king salmon
is a king salmon with an adipose fin intact.

• The use of bait and multiple hooks will be prohibited in the Kasilof River from
its mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway bridge. Anglers may use only one
unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure. “Single hook” means a fishhook with only
one point (with or without a barb).

King salmon stocks throughout Cook Inlet, including Kasilof River early-run king salmon, are experiencing a period of low productivity and, since 2009, below average run strength. That trend is anticipated to continue during the 2015 season. The department manages the Kasilof River king salmon sport fishery to achieve a sustainable escapement goal (SEG) of 650–1,700 naturally-produced king salmon and broodstock collection goals for naturally- and hatchery-produced fish as monitored through the Crooked Creek weir. Since 2009, low escapements have occurred despite restrictions to the Kasilof River early-run king salmon sport fishery. The department has determined that in-season restrictions to the early-run king salmon sport fishery in the Kasilof River during 2015 will provide the best chance to achieve the SEG for naturally-produced king salmon in Crooked Creek and to meet king salmon stocking goals that increased in 2014.