As Kings Head Inland, New Bag Limits Aim to Improve Future Runs

A conservative management plan for South Central king salmon fishing has prompted the Department of Fish and Game to implement Emergency Orders reducing the annual bag limit to two kings this season. After regularly dwindling runs the agency is hoping to bump king escapement up to 50-per-cent.  Along with the change to limits, most rivers in the Upper Susitna Valley are now single-hook, unbaited lures when fishing for kings, and they can only be kept when caught on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Midweek fish must not be removed from the water and released when caught.

Fish and Game says the kings are now beginning to enter inland waters. A weir at Deshka will be installed and start counting fish sometime next week, to give anglers an idea of how many fish are headed up-river.

Fish and Game biologist Samantha Oslund says the department is gearing up a big release of stocked fish ahead of the Memorial Day Weekend. The stocking trucks are running non-stop, carrying fish from the newly finished William Jack Fernandez hatchery in Elmendorf.

Oslund says the new equipment in the hatchery has warmer water, and this season is producing bigger fish than in the past, and weekend anglers at stocked areas should have plenty to fish for.