Area Sport Fishing Reports
Upper Copper/Upper Susitna

Recent Emergency Orders & Press Releases for Upper Copper/Upper Susitna

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 28, 2022

ADF&G News

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Personal Use Fishing

  • The Chitina Subdistrict personal use salmon fishery on the Copper River is currently open through July 31. For the week of August 1, the fishery will be open:
    • 6:00 p.m. Thursday, August 4 through 12 p.m. (Noon) Sunday, August 7.
  • Dipnetters may retain their one King salmon 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 on 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

Freshwater Fishing

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

  • Sockeye salmon are still running in the Klutina River. Fishing is consistent on the Klutina, but it will take some time to limit out if you can.
  • Sockeye salmon are also running in the Gulkana River. Sockeye numbers should be increasing over the next few weeks. Clear, sunny weather should make fishing the lower Gulkana River for sockeye salmon a real joy.
  • Effective July 19, bait is no longer allowed in the Gulkana River.
  • 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.
  • King salmon fishing on the Gulkana River closed on July 20.
  • The Klutina River remains open for king salmon fishing and will remain open through August 10. Fishing is reported to be good to excellent. However, salmon fishing is closed on the Klutina River above 13 Mile of the Klutina Lake Road.
  • King salmon fishing in the Tonsina River has also been reported to be very good.

Lake trout

  • Lake trout are being caught in all area lakes so if you want a break from flossing reds, try running a boat in some of our area lakes.

Arctic grayling

  • Arctic grayling abound in almost all waters of the area. Try wetting a line in any of our streams for small to average-sized fish. Try shore fishing many of our lakes for some larger fish. For the really big ones, you’ll need to trek into those colder headwater streams of the Gulkana River system.

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-22-22 opens the Chitina Subdistrict personal use fishery from 6:00 p.m. Thursday, August 4 through 12:00 p.m. (NOON) Sunday, August 7.

Additional Tips

For more information

Call the Glennallen office at (907) 822-3309 with any questions.

Archives

Upper Copper Upper Susitna Area Archives for:
Aug 11, 2022 Jul 28, 2022 Jul 13, 2022 Jun 30, 2022 Jun 23, 2022 Jun 15, 2022 Jun 01, 2022 May 25, 2022
May 11, 2022

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