Beginning June 3 thru July 15, all saltwaters north of Bluff Point are closed to King salmon fishing, including Catch n Release, within ONE MILE from shore. Anchor River and Deep Creek have also been closed now to King salmon fishing thru July 15. Below is the Emergency Order released by ADFG on June 1st. If you fish more than one mile out for kings you will be legal. (Few adult migrators are out that far.) These measures are to protect the remaining poor returns entering these streams as well as the Kasilof and Kenai rivers king salmon early runs which are far below normal this year.
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King Salmon Restrictions in the Cook Inlet Saltwaters
(Homer) - In favor of protecting returning king salmon and ensuring sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is closing sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release, in the Cook Inlet saltwaters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00' N. lat.) and within one mile of shore. This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 3 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
“So far this season, the king salmon counts at our monitoring locations throughout Cook Inlet have been below average. ADF&G is managing this fishery conservatively to minimize the harvest of local stocks,” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “Anglers will still be able to target king salmon in lower Cook Inlet since there are no restrictions to the summer saltwater fishery south of Bluff Point, which is mostly composed of nonlocal feeder king salmon stocks.”
In conjunction with this restriction, Emergency Order 2-KS-7-15-20 (https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/EONR/index.cfm?ADFG=Region.NR&NRID=2943) closes the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages to all sport fishing from June 3 through July 15, 2020. Please review the emergency orders in their entirety.
For more information, please contact Area Management Biologist Mike Booz or Assistant Area Management Biologist Holly Dickson at (907) 235-8191.