Coho bag limit raised for Susitna Drainage

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has increased the bag limit for coho salmon in the Susitna Drainage.

On Tuesday, Fish and Game announced that the daily bag limit on cohos to four fish per day, with a maximum of eight in possession of any angler.

According to the order to increase the bag limit, multiple indicators point to a stronger than average run of cohos in the Susitna Drainage. Over the weekend, the counting weir on the Deshka River saw thousands of silvers swim by each day. On Saturday alone, nearly 10,000 silvers passed the weir, significantly more than in all of last year.

Fish and Game says the Deshka gives an indication that the rest of the rivers in the area are also seeing a strong run. Commercial and sport anglers are also reporting increased catch rates over previous years.

Popular fishing sites not covered by the increased bag limit include the Little Susitna River, Eklutna Tailrace, and numerous creeks in the Southern Valley. Earlier this month, Fish and Game eliminated the use of bait for cohos on the Little Susitna.

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