Division of Sport Fish
Dave Rutz, Director

Anchorage Headquarters Office
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518


Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner

P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
www.adfg.alaska.gov


Advisory Announcement
(Released: January 26, 2022 - Expired: June 22, 2022)

CONTACT: Mike Booz
Area Management Biologist
(907) 235-8191

Anchor River and Deep Creek King Salmon Restricted to Catch-and-Release

(Homer) - To protect returning king salmon and ensure sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following sport fishing restrictions in the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 21 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Sport fishing for king salmon is restricted to catch-and-release only and gear is restricted to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure during the dates open to king salmon fishing in the Anchor River and Deep Creek. Single-hook means a fishhook with only one point. Any king salmon caught, must be released immediately. A person may not remove a king salmon from the water before releasing the fish. These streams are only open to sport fishing on the dates outlined in the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet (available March 2022).

“Limiting these fisheries to catch-and-release with unbaited single-hook lures will provide some fishing opportunity while maximizing king salmon escapement,” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “Anglers that prefer to use bait and would prefer to have a chance to harvest a king salmon will be able to do so in the Ninilchik River for hatchery king salmon.”

In conjunction with this restriction, Emergency Order 2-KS-7-10-22 reduces the annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from five to two fish in the Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point and closes king salmon fishing within one mile of shore in Cook Inlet salt waters north of Bluff Point from 12:01 a.m. Sunday, May 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022. In addition, Emergency Order 2-KS-7-12-22 changes the bag and possession limits in the Ninilchik River drainage to two hatchery king salmon 20 inches or greater in length during the Memorial Day weekend (May 28 - 30), and the following two weekends and Mondays following each weekend (June 4 - 6 and June 11 - 13), the Youth-Only Fishery (June 8), and continuously seven days a week starting June 16. The gear restrictions are effective from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 28 through 11:59 p.m., Friday July 15, 2022. The bag and possession limits are effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 28 through 11:59 p.m. Monday, October 31, 2022. Please review these emergency orders and advisory announcements in their entirety for the specific regulatory changes.

King salmon escapement monitoring will begin in May on the Anchor, Kenai, and Ninilchik rivers. As the runs progress, run strength will be evaluated to determine inseason management actions.

For more information, please contact Area Management Biologist Mike Booz or Assistant Area Management Biologist Holly Dickson at (907) 235-8191.

#22-3276