Alaska Administrative Code, Chapter 47, 5 AAC 47.023 - Special provisions for seasons, bag, possession, annual, and size limits, and methods and means for the fresh waters of the Southeast Alaska Area | Alaska Administrative Code

(a) Unless otherwise specified through an emergency order issued under AS 16.05.060, the special provisions in this section apply to the fresh waters listed. The special provisions are exceptions to the general provisions specified in 5 AAC 47.022 and 5 AAC 47.030, and modify the general provisions only to the extent specified in this section.

(b) In the freshwater drainages in the Yakutat vicinity that are crossed by the Yakutat road system and all streams draining into Yakutat Bay between Ocean Cape and Point Latouche:

(1) except as provided in (5) of this subsection,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length is two fish;

(2) in the Antlen River drainage, including Pike Lakes, upstream of Forrest Highway 10, northern pike may not be possessed or retained; northern pike caught must be released immediately;

(3) in the Lost River drainage, upstream from the Lost River Bridge, sport fishing is allowed only from January 1 - August 14;

(4) Ophir Creek upstream from the downstream side of the Yakutat Highway Road culvert is closed to all sport fishing;

(5) repealed 7/13/2012;

(6) in the Situk River drainage,

(A) a king salmon 28 inches or greater in length taken by a nonresident will not count toward that nonresident's annual harvest limit established under 5 AAC 47.055;

(B) from ADF&G regulatory markers located two miles above the Situk River Nine Mile Bridge to ADF&G regulatory markers located two miles below Situk Lake, sport fishing is allowed only from May 16 - April 14;

(C) from the mouth to the old railroad bridge, sport fishing is allowed only from October 15 - June 14, except a person 60 years of age or older (senior citizen) may sport fish from January 1 - December 31;

(D) upstream from the U.S. Forest Service middle cabin, king salmon may be taken only from September 1 - June 30;

(E) only single hooks may be used;

(7) in Tawah Creek, within 50 yards of the R.E.L. Bridge on Canon Beach Road, sport fishing is allowed only from October 1 - June 15;

(8) in the Lost River and Ahrnklin River and all drainages flowing into or between the Lost River and Ahrnklin River, the bag and possession limits for sockeye salmon is a bag limit of three fish and a possession limit of six fish.

(c) In the Haines vicinity:

(1) in the Chilkat River drainage,

(A) except as otherwise specified in this subsection, bait may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limits for coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length is a bag limit of three fish and a possession limit of six fish;

(C) in Chilkat Lake and Mosquito Lake,

(i) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(ii) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(D) in all inlet and outlet streams of Mosquito Lake to the confluence with the Chilkat River and all inlet and outlet streams of Chilkat Lake to the confluence with the Tsirku River, bait may be used only from September 15 - November 15;

(E) in the Chilkat Lake's main tributary stream, located at the southeast end of the lake,

(i) bait may be used only from September 15 - November 15;

(ii) sport fishing is closed from April 1 - June 30;

(2) in the Chilkoot River drainage and Lake,

(A) bait may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length is two fish;

(C) the possession limit for chum, pink, and sockeye salmon 16 inches or greater in length is six fish per species;

(D) the bag and possession limit for Dolly Varden is four fish;

(E) all waters flowing into Chilkoot Lake are closed to sport fishing for salmon;

(3) in Herman Lake and Walker Lake, bait may be used;

(4) One Mile Creek, off Mud Bay Road, and Sawmill Creek and its tributaries, are closed to sport fishing for all species from April 1 - June 30.

(d) In the Skagway vicinity;

(1) in all waters and lakes flowing into Taiya Inlet, bait may be used;

(2) in Pullen Creek above Second Avenue,

(A) bait may be used;

(B) sport fishing is open only from December 1 - September 14;

(3) in Lost Lake,

(A) bait may be used;

(B) rainbow trout must be no less than nine inches in length.

(e) In the Juneau vicinity:

(1) in all drainages crossed by the Juneau City and Borough road system,

(A) unless otherwise specified in this paragraph,

(i) the bag and possession limit for coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length is two fish;

(ii) the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon 16 inches or greater in length is one fish ;

(iii) the bag and possession limit for king salmon is four fish; no size limit; king salmon harvested by a nonresident angler does not count toward that angler's nonresident annual limit;

(iv) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(v) the bag and possession limit for Dolly Varden is two fish;

(vi) stee lhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(B) in the waters of Auke Lake, its tributaries, and the outlet stream downstream to Glacier Highway,

(i) sport fishing for sockeye salmon and Dolly Varden is closed;

(ii) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(C) in Montana Creek, including McGinnis Creek, only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(D) in Mendenhall Lake,

(i) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(ii) sport fishing for Dolly Varden is closed;

(E) in Peterson Lagoon, only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(F) in Salmon Creek Reservoir, bait may be used;

(G) in Twin Lakes,

(i) bait may be used;

(ii) the bag and possession limit for all species of salmon less than 16 inches in length is 10 fish in combination;

(iii) the bag and possession limit for rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, is five fish; no size limit;

(H) Windfall Creek (the outlet stream of Windfall Lake) and the portion of the Herbert River within 100 yards of the confluence of Windfall Creek is closed to sport fishing from June 1 - July 31, except that sport fishing is allowed on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the month of June;

(I) in Windfall Lake and all inlet streams,

(i) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(ii) the retention of sockeye salmon is prohibited;

(J) Auke Nu Creek, Kowee Creek on Douglas Island, and Waydelich Creek (Wadleigh Creek) are closed to sport fishing for salmon;

(K) Auke Creek downstream from the Glacier Highway, Bear Creek on Douglas Island, Duck Creek, Jordan Creek, Steep Creek, Switzer Creek, and Vanderbilt Creek are closed to sport fishing for all species;

(L) in Cowee Creek, from September 15 - November 15, bait may be used only by a person less than 16 years of age;

(M) in Fish Creek Pond, from June 1 - August 31,

(i) the use of bait, weighted hooks and lures, and multiple hooks with a gap between point and shank larger than one-half inch are permitted; and

(ii) king salmon hooked elsewhere than in the mouth may be retained;

(N) in Crystal Lake, Glacier Lake, and Moraine Lake,

(i) the bag and possession limit for rainbow trout is five fish; no size limit;

(ii) the bag and possession limit for cutthroat trout is two fish, which must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches;

(2) in Annex Lake, Antler Lake, and Dorothy Lake,

(A) bait may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(3) in Shelter Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than nine inches in length;

(4) in Turner Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) cutthroat trout may not be possessed or retained; all cutthroat trout must be released immediately.

(f) In the fresh waters of Admiralty Island:

(1) in Alexander Lake and Young Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(2) in Distin Lake, Guerin Lake, Hasselborg Lake, and Jims Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for cutthroat trout is one fish, which must be 25 inches or greater in length;

(3) in Florence Lake,

(A) bait may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limits for rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, is a bag limit of five fish and a possession limit of 10 fish; no size limit.

(g) In the Sitka vicinity:

(1) in Baranof Lake, Lake Eva, Little Lake Eva, and Salmon Lake, and Kook Lake on Chichagof Island,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(2) in Beaver Lake, Deep Lake, Green Lake, Heart Lake, Long Lake, and Thimbleberry Lake, bait may be used;

(3) in Buck Lake, Lake 436, and Sukoi Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than nine inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(4) Indian River and Starrigavin Creek are closed to sport fishing for salmon, except that

(A) Indian River, upstream of the Sawmill Creek Road Bridge, and Starrigavin Creek are open to sport fishing for pink salmon; and

(B) Indian River and Starrigavin Creek are open to king salmon fishing as specified in (10) of this subsection;

(5) in Port Banks Creek, the outlet of Plotnikof Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(6) repealed 5/26/2006;

(7) in Sitkoh Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) repealed 5/26/2006;

(C) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(8) Wrinkleneck Creek, the main inlet to Swan Lake, is closed to sport fishing for all species;

(9) as specified in 5 AAC 01.760, in the Redoubt Lake drainage, the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon is four fish;

(10) in the freshwater drainages that drain into the Sitka Sound Special Use Area, described in 5 AAC 47.021(g)(1);

(A) the bag and possession limit for king salmon is 10 fish, no size limit; and

(B) repealed 6/17/2018;

(C) a king salmon taken by a nonresident does not count towards the nonresident annual limit;

(h) In the Petersburg/Wrangell vicinity:

(1) in Blind Slough, upstream of a line between Blind Point and Anchor Point,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used from November 16 - May 31;

(B) a person may not intentionally snag, attempt to snag, or retain a salmon that is hooked other than in the mouth, except during periods established by emergency order;

(C) king salmon may be taken from January 1 - December 31; bag and possession limits, as follows:

(i) 28 inches or greater in length; bag and possession limit of two fish;

(ii) less than 28 inches in length; bag and possession limit of two fish;

(D) a king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by a nonresident counts toward the annual harvest limit established under 5 AAC 47.055;

(2) the Blind Slough tributaries are closed to sport fishing for salmon;

(3) in Castle River and Hamilton River,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(4) in Crystal Lake, Kane Peak Lake, and Tyee Lake, bait may be used;

(5) in Kah Sheets Lake, Anan Lake, Thoms Lake, and Virginia Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(6) in Eagle Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for cutthroat trout is one fish, which must be 25 inches or greater in length;

(7) in Long Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than nine inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(8) in Pats Lake, on the third and fourth Saturday and Sunday in June, a person under 16 years of age may use bait; the bag and possession limits for all finfish species combined is two fish; no size limit.

(i) In the Ketchikan vicinity:

(1) in all drainages crossed by the Ketchikan City and Borough road system, not otherwise specified in this subsection, the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon,

(A) 16 inches or greater in length, is two fish in combination;

(B) less than 16 inches in length, is 10 fish in combination;

(2) Carlanna Creek is closed to sport fishing for all species;

(3) in the City Park Ponds,

(A) sport fishing is allowed only from the first Saturday in June through August 31;

(B) bait may be used from the first Saturday in June through August 31;

(C) the bag and possession limit for rainbow trout, king salmon, and coho salmon in combination, is five fish; no size limit;

(4) in Carlanna Lake and Harriet Hunt Lake,

(A) bait may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, is five fish; no size limit;

(5) in Herring Cove Creek,

(A) upstream from the Herring Cove Bridge, sport fishing for all species is closed;

(B) from the Herring Cove Bridge to ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately 300 yards downstream,

(i) sport fishing is allowed only from August 10 - December 31;

(ii) the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, is two fish in combination, and for salmon, other than king salmon, less than 16 inches in length, is 10 fish in combination;

(6) in Ketchikan Creek, excluding City Park Ponds,

(A) only unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures may be used;

(B) sport fishing is allowed only from September 15 - May 31;

(C) the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon,

(i) 16 inches or greater in length, is two fish in combination;

(ii) less than 16 inches in length, is 10 fish in combination;

(D) repealed 7/1/2015;

(7) Mahoney Creek, on Revillagigedo Island, is closed to sport fishing for salmon;

(8) in Ward Creek,

(A) only unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon,

(i) 16 inches or greater in length; is two fish in combination;

(ii) less than 16 inches in length, is 10 fish in combination;

(C) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(9) in Bakewell Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(10) in Big Goat Lake, Bugge Lake, Claude Lake, Grace Lake, Half-Moon Lake, Little Goat Lake, Manzoni Lake, Minne Lake, Nellie Lake, Nooya Lake, Orton Lake, Shelokum Lake, Snow Lake, Swan Lake, Upper Mahoney Lake, Mahoney Lake, and Whitman Lake, bait may be used;

(11) in the Ella Creek drainage, excluding Ella Lake, and in Fish Creek, Gokachin Creek (Sealevel Creek), Humpback Creek drainage, Spit Creek, and Steelhead Creek,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(12) in Ella Lake, Manzanita Lake, Humpback Lake, Orchard Lake, and Wilson Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for cutthroat trout is one fish, which must be 25 inches or greater in length;

(13) in the McDonald Lake drainage,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(C) in McDonald Lake, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(14) in the Naha River drainage,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) in Heckman Lake and Jordan Lake, rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(C) in Patching Lake, the bag and possession limit for cutthroat trout is one fish, which must be 25 inches or greater in length;

(D) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(15) in Reflection Lake, on the Cleveland Peninsula,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon,

(i) 16 inches or greater in length, is two fish in combination;

(ii) less than 16 inches in length, is 10 fish in combination;

(C) the bag and possession limit for cutthroat trout is one fish, which must be 25 inches or greater in length;

(16) in Ketchikan Lake,

(A) bait may be used;

(B) the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon,

(i) 16 inches or greater in length, is two fish in combination;

(ii) less than 16 inches in length, is 10 fish in combination.

(j) In the Hyder vicinity, in Fish Creek and Marx Creek, only single-hooks may be used.

(k) In the Prince of Wales Island vicinity:

(1) in 108 Creek, Dog Salmon Creek, Eagle Creek drainage including Luck Lake, Hunter Bay Creek, Klakas Creek, Old Frank's Creek, and Staney Creek,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(2) in the Karta River drainage, including Karta Lake and Salmon Lake,

(A) only unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(3) in Kegan Lake and Red Bay Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow trout and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(4) in Marge Lake, Mellen Lake, Shinaku Lake, and Summit Lake, bait may be used;

(5) in the Klawock River drainage,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used, except that bait may be used in the Klawock River drainage downstream from ADF&G regulatory markers located downstream of the hatcherv weir from September 15 through October 15;

(B) sport fishing for all species from the Klawock River Bridge is closed;

(C) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(D) repealed 7/13/2012;

(E) upstream from the Klawock River Bridge, sport fishing for sockeye salmon is closed;

(6) in Noname Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than nine inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(7) repealed 5/26/2006;

(8) in the Sweetwater Lake drainage,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may used;

(B) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(C) the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, is three fish per day, with six in possession;

(D) from June 1 - July 31, in Hatchery Creek, sport fishing is closed 100 feet upstream of the upper falls at the end of the United States Forest Service boardwalk to 100 feet downstream of the lower falls;

(9) in the Salmon Bay Creek drainage,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(C) in Salmon Bay Lake, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(10) in the Sarkar Lake drainage,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(C) in Sarkar Lake, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(11) in the Thorne River drainage, including Control Lake,

(A) only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;

(B) steelhead may be taken by catch-and-release fishing only, and may not be possessed or retained; all steelhead caught must be released immediately unharmed;

(C) rainbow trout and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length.

Alaska Administrative CodeTitle 5 - Fish and GamePart 2 - Sport Fishing and Personal Use FisheryChapter 47 - Southeast Alaska Area5 AAC 47.023 - Special provisions for seasons, bag, possession, annual, and size limits, and methods and means for the fresh waters of the Southeast Alaska Area

Alaska Administrative Code
Title 5 - Fish and Game
Part 2 - Sport Fishing and Personal Use Fishery
Chapter 47 - Southeast Alaska Area
5 AAC 47.023 - Special provisions for seasons, bag, possession, annual, and size limits, and methods and means for the fresh waters of the Southeast Alaska Area