It's that time of year again and we are ready to start fishing here in Alaska. This weekend marked the beginning of the annual Salmon Derby in Juneau. It's been a long winter but it's time to get out there and go catch some winning king salmon. The spring derby is an annual fund raiser for the regional housing authority, which means this derby is one I can stand by. All proceeds after derby winnings have been distributed to the derby winners go directly to this non-profit, so you can be sure it's going to a good cause. I will be entering in the second of the two King salmon derbies due to the fact it will be warmer and the fish will be closer to shore in a month or so. So far I've heard the winning fish right now stands at 23.5 pounds so we have a way to go before we have a standout winner. I've heard rumor of a 40 pound king being caught yesterday but we won't know until the end of today. If you are interested you can check out the standings HERE.Spring Fishing:
May marks the beginning of the spring time stream fishing for trout and dolly varden. You can check out my post from last year about fishing these tasty fish HERE. This link provides a lot of useful information on catch methods and species of fish that can be caught during the spring in Alaska.Permits and Fishing Regulations Update 2015:
Licenses and Permits:
| Description | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Sport Fishing License | $24.00 | |
| Hunting License | $25.00 | |
| Sport Fish & Hunt License | $48.00 | |
| Sport Fish, Hunt, & Trap License | $62.00 | |
| Hunt & Trap License | $39.00 | |
| Trapping License | $15.00 | |
| Low Income Sport Fish, Hunt, & Trap License | $5.00 |
Sport fishing regulation changes:
Alaskan ResidentNonresident
Rockfish Conservation
Vimeo Video on Rockfish Conservation: HERE
There have been many changes over the past few years in Southeast Alaska regarding fishery conservation and we are beginning to feel the effects. Shrimping has been closed for personal and sport use for the past two seasons and there are now more strict regulations for Rockfish catch and release. A bit of good news though, the fishing license and hunting licenses have not gone up since 2013. Out of state sport licenses have seen a rise however it is still well worth the money if you plan on going out on a boat this summer.
2015 Long Range Weather:
The least interesting but most exciting news so far this spring: IT'S GOING TO BE WARM THIS SUMMER! I know, everyone thinks Alaska is home to the frigid cold year round and we don't ever have sunlight, but most of Alaska often times has a hot, dry, enjoyable summer. Last year was an exception as we clocked in 2 of the 3 wettest months on record from June-September. This year however is supposed to be different. The long range forecast from NOAA for May-July gives us a +5 to +10 degree temperatures as well as dryer than normal conditions, all which can be good and bad for fishing. Since it will still be early on in the summer when we see this weather the water levels, from the runoff of the alpine, will be relatively normal. The warm temperature will make for more enjoyable fishing but remember to bring your sunscreen, Alaska sees a lot of sun during these next three months. Here are the long range forecast charts for the next three months:
