Kodiak and Alaska Peninsula/Aleutian Islands Management Area
Fishing Management - Karluk River

Karluk River is located on the southwest end of Kodiak Island. It supports native stocks of steelhead trout and all five species of Pacific salmon. Sockeye and coho salmon and Steelhead are the preferred species by anglers; however, large runs of pink salmon, as well as dolly varden, arctic char and rainbow trout are also available.

The Karluk River is home to the largest run of King Salmon on Kodiak Island, but has been closed to fishing for king salmon for a number of years. It was listed as a Stock of Concern by the Board of Fisheries in 2010 and has special management status for protection of the king salmon run.

Karluk River's principal public land managers include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the State of Alaska, and Alaska Native corporations. The Karluk Village owns land surrounding most of the lagoon and 3 miles of the lower river. Koniag Corporation owns land surrounding the lake and the upper river.

The Karluk River is approximately 22 miles long and can be floated via raft or other watercraft from Karluk Lake to Karluk Lagoon. There are a number of means anglers can use to access Karluk fisheries. Some travel to the village of Karluk via float- or wheel plane, then fish Karluk Lagoon and the lower Karluk River, while others fly into Karluk Lake, float the Karluk downstream to the "Portage," or continue all the way downstream to Karluk Lagoon. Anglers may also fly into the Portage area of the Karluk River, located 15 miles upstream from the lagoon, and 8 miles below Karluk Lake. Anglers fish the several long, slow, deep spots in the Portage area, or fish and float down to the lagoon. A two-mile hiking trail from the head of Larsen Bay will also leads to this area.