Contact:
Dan Bosch
Assistant Area Management Biologist
Phone: (907) 267-2153 or 267-2218

Effective Saturday, May 13, the bag and possession limit for rainbow trout in Anchorage’s stocked lakes and streams will be reduced to 2 per day, 2 in possession.  Only one trout may be 20 inches or longer.

 

In past years, over 106,000 rainbows were released every year into Anchorage area waters, according to Dan Bosch, Assistant Area Management Biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This year, only one-third of that amount, or about 35,000 fish, is available for Anchorage due to the loss of warm water at the state fish hatcheries.  

 

With such low numbers available for stocking, the department wants to allow anglers to fish them, but limit the harvest to help ensure good fishing throughout the summer.  On the bright side, this summer’s rainbow trout will be much larger than other years, about 12 inches long, and they will weigh about half a pound at the time they are released.  Bosch expects these larger fish to be very popular this summer.

 

The Emergency Order affects the following lakes in the Anchorage Bowl, Chugiak/Eagle River area, and Portage area:

 

Alder Pond, Airstrip/Willow Pond, Beach Lake, Campbell Point Lake, Cheney Lake, University Lake (also called Behn or APU Lake), Clunie Lake, Delong Lake, Dishno Lake, Edmonds Lake, Fish Lake, Green Lake, Gwen Lake, Hillberg Lake, Jewel Lake, Lake Otis, Lower Fire Lake, Mirror Lake, Otter Lake, Rabbit Lake, Sand Lake, Spring Lake, Symphony Lake Taku Campbell Lake, Triangle Lake, Upper Sixmile Lake, and Waldon Lake.

 

Campbell Creek and Chester Creek are also affected by this Emergency Order.

 

Although waters that are not stocked are not affected by this order, the bag limit for rainbow trout is already 2 per day, 2 in possession in those waters.

 

Stocking levels should return to normal in the 2007 season. For more information about the state’s hatchery programs, visit www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us and click on “Hatchery Situation Updates.”