ADFG Announces Fishing Regulation Changes For Copper, Upper Susitna River Drainages

The following is courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River Drainages Fishing Regulation Changes

(Glennallen) – The Alaska Board of Fisheries (Board) made several changes to personal use, sport, and commercial fishing regulations for the Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River drainages at its recent meeting held December 10-15 in Cordova.

The Board considered 27 proposals pertaining to subsistence, personal use and sport fishing regulations and adopted seven of those proposals resulting in these specific fishery changes:

PERSONAL USE FISHING

• The opening of the Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net salmon fishery is delayed until June 10 at the earliest. Previously the dipnet fishery could open as early as June 7.
• Personal use dipnetters cannot keep a king salmon until July 1. Previously dipnetters could retain king salmon as soon as the fishery opened.
• The ADF&G commissioner now has emergency order authority to increase the annual limit for sockeye salmon in the Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net salmon fishery when sockeye salmon escapement is projected to exceed the upper end of the sustainable escapement goal.

SPORT FISHING

• The bag and possession limit for burbot in Lake Louise is increased to two fish per day with no size limit, which aligns the bag and possession limit with the rest of the Tyone River drainage.
• Arctic grayling bag limits, seasonal spawning closures and size limits are removed from Mendeltna Creek, Moose Lake and Our Creek, returning these waters to background regulations of five fish per day with no size limit and no closed season.
• The period for when bait is allowed on Lake Louise, Susitna, Tyone, Crosswind, Paxson, and Summit Lakes is extended by one month from November 1 through May 15.
• The seasonal sport fishing closure on Hungry Hollow Creek, south of the Denali Highway, is removed for that section of Hungry Hollow Creek upstream of the outlet of Wait-A-Bit Lake. This section of Hungry Hollow is now open year round.
• The definition of “bow” is removed from area specific regulations as it is already defined in the statewide definition of “bow and arrow”.

COMMERCIAL FISHING

• The opening of the Copper River District commercial fishery is delayed until May 22 at the earliest.

The changes adopted to delay the opening of the commercial fishery and personal use fisheries, as well as prohibit dipnetters from keeping king salmon until July 1, were made to provide more early-run fish into the upper sections of the Copper River, especially king salmon.

The newly adopted sport and personal use fishery regulations will take effect with the release of the 2025 Northern Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary in April. To find a preliminary summary of all board actions please check the Alaska Board of Fisheries website under the Prince William Sound/Upper Copper and Upper Susitna Rivers Finfish and Shellfish meeting.

Any questions regarding these changes to the fishing regulations in the Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River drainages can be directed to Mark Somerville or Tracy Hansen at (907) 822-3309 in the Glennallen Fish and Game office.