Area Sport Fishing Reports
Upper Copper/Upper Susitna
August 11, 2022
ADF&G News
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Personal Use Fishing
- The Chitina Subdistrict personal use salmon fishery on the Copper River is now open continuously through September 30.
- Dipnetters may retain one king salmon as part of their bag limit for the remainder of the season.
- If you're heading to Chitina to try your luck dipnetting salmon in the Copper River, be sure to check out ADF&G's four-part video series "How to dipnet for salmon at Chitina." This series of videos shows anglers what they need to dip net at Chitina and how to do it, including how to fish eddies, how to sweep and how to fish from a boat.
Informational Hotlines for Chitina Personal Use Fishery
- Anchorage: 907-267-2511
- Fairbanks: 907-459-7382
- Glennallen: 907-822-5224
Resident freshwater species
- Fall fishing for resident species is a great activity in the Copper River Basin. Waters are cooling off and that means those bigger Arctic grayling and rainbow trout are moving out of their high drainage summer homes and back into the lower streams and rivers.
- Lake trout are also moving into shallower waters more accessible to shore anglers. Burbot even start to move in closer to shore this time of year.
- An adventure to the top of the Klutina Lake Road, especially with a motor raft, should open up some great Dolly Varden angling as well as an occasional rainbow or Arctic grayling in Klutina Lake. Please respect private property along the road.
- Heavy rains have brough the Gulkana River back up to flood stage and muddied the waters there, but this trend should subside later next week.
- For a guide to where all the accessible fisheries are, check out Sport fishing Alaska rivers and lakes in the Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River Basin. This guide lists all the fisheries, species available, and mile markers along all the major highways crossing the Upper Copper and Upper Susitna Area.
Salmon
- King salmon fishing in the Gulkana, Klutina and Tonsina Rivers is closed for the season.
- Sockeye salmon are still available in the Klutina River Fishing for sockeye salmon here will be slow, but it's a great place to cast away for a few hours.
- Sockeye salmon should be building in the Gulkana River. Now is the time for the late portion of the Gulkana River sockeye salmon run. Although the water is high this run should continue to build throughout August and into early September. However, based on late sonar counts, don’t expect huge numbers of fish this year, but instead expect fishing to be a bit slow, but still productive.
- Remember, your daily bag limit in the Copper River Drainage is still just 3 sockeye salmon per day, but now you may have a total of 6 sockeye salmon in possession. So if you are camping for two days you no longer need to get that first day’s catch frozen or canned before fishing the second day. Or if you are floating the Gulkana you can come out with up to 6 sockeye salmon in your cooler.
Emergency Orders
Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements listed at the top of this report in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip:
- Emergency order 3-RS-I-22-23 opens the Chitina Subdistrict personal use fishery from 12:01 a.m. Monday, August 8 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, August 31. The fishery is open continuously by regulation from September 1-30.
Additional Tips
Check out ADF&G's new gofishak interactive map to discover popular fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat and angler access tips.
Don’t forget to bring your 2022 sport fishing license. You can purchase your sport fishing license at the ADF&G Online Store and print it off from the comfort of your home. Also, be sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2022 Northern Sport Fishing Regulations Summary Booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.
For more information
Call the Glennallen office at (907) 822-3309 with any questions.
