Bristol Bay Fishing Regulation Changes For Togiak River; New Youth Fishery For Naknek

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

USFWS photo

Bristol Bay Sport Fishing Regulation Changes

(Bristol Bay) – The Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) adopted several proposals establishing new sport fishing regulations for Bristol Bay drainages. At the Bristol Bay Finfish meeting in November/December 2022, changes were made to sport fishing regulations in the Togiak and Naknek River drainages. At the Statewide BOF meeting in March 2023, Nushagak River king salmon sport fishing regulations were modified. Regulatory changes are summarized below as a service to anglers, and not as a complete digest of all sport fishing regulations. The new regulations will take effect with the release of the 2023 Southwest Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet when it is issued in April 2023.

Togiak River

  • Only unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures or flies may be used.
  • King salmon 20 inches or longer may not be retained, the bag and possession limit for fish less than 20 inches in length remains at 10 fish.
  • Closed year-round to fishing for king salmon upstream of the confluence of Gechiak Creek.

Naknek River

  • New youth fishery days for anglers under 16 in 2023 are June 7 in the entire river, July 9 between ADF&G regulatory markers above Rapids Camp, and August 13 between ADF&G regulatory markers above and below King Salmon Creek including King Salmon Creek.
  • King salmon 20 inches in length; bag and possession limit of 3 fish, only one of which may be 28 inches or longer. Annual limit of 5 king salmon over 20 inches, only 3 of which may be over 28 inches in length. Less than 20 inches in length bag and possession limit remains at 10 fish.

Nushagak River

  • Regulations remain the same except for the following change: Only 1 king salmon 28 inches or longer may be retained annually from the Nushagak/Mulchatna drainage.

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Lee Borden at (907) 842-2427 or lee.borden@alaska.gov.