Alaska Fishing

Ice fishing this weekend at Jewel Lake

For anyone who can't wait to satisfy their urge to fish, the Alaska Sports Fishing Association's annual Ice Fishing Jamboree is taking place this weekend at Jewel Lake Park.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Convicted fishing guide blames flood erosion for stream mixup

Ray Blodgett guides an outing on the Deshka River in 2006.

A Mat-Su guide is facing a big fine and loss of his boat and guiding license after his second conviction in five years for violating fishing laws. Ray Blodgett was found guilty last week of letting clients use bait and multiple hooks in a salmon stream where they weren't allowed. Blodgett says he's innocent and "getting hosed" in the wake of flooding on Susitna River tributaries that changed the course of stream beds, reports The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.

State-of-art fish hatchery in Fairbanks gets first batch of eggs

The Ruth Burnett Sport Fish Hatchery is alive and breathing -- finally.

US sets 2012 catch limits for all managed fish species

In an effort to sustain commercial and recreational fishing for the next several decades, the United States this year will become the first country to impose catch limits for every species it manages, from Alaskan pollock to Caribbean queen conch.

JOHN SCHANDELMEIER

Cold weather equals safe travel for great ice fishing

Alex Zaochney braved single-digit temperatures to try his luck ice fishing at DeLong Lake in January 2008. A portable ice-fishing house or tent will allow you to be out in the wind at minus 20 in relative comfort and a sunflower head on a small propane bottle will get your coat off and possibly even the kids inside to fish with you.

The cold temperatures of the past week have insured safe travel on all of the lakes in the Copper River Basin. And good ice means good fishing.

Guide accused of charging for Kenai fishing trips, failing to provide them

A longtime Kenai Peninsula fishing guide bilked more than $90,000 from clients who paid for fishing trips that he failed to provide in 2010 and 2011, according to Alaska Wildlife Troopers.

Catch limit cuts alarm halibut fisheries

This Kenai Peninsula town's halibut fishing community is alarmed at a decision that could set catch limits at one fish per person.

PHOTOS: BEST OF DECEMBER

The creature comforts on Little Campbell Lake

Zane Giles fishes for Arctic char Tuesday in his new ice fishing tent on Little Campbell Lake. With Giles are his two dogs, Annie and Anya (not pictured). Giles has a propane heater keeping them all toasty warm.

Zane Giles, with his dogs Annie and Anya, tested his new ice fishing tent Tuesday with a trip to Little Campbell Lake to try for Arctic char. A propane heater kept the fisherman and his companions warm.

Charter halibut harvest within allocation in Southeast Alaska

The halibut charter catch in Southeast Alaska fell within allocation guidelines for the first time in seven years, a newly released analysis shows.

Former Fish and Game commissioner seeks Kodiak job

A former commissioner for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game who resigned after pleading guilty to DUI is seeking to become a contract fisheries analyst for Kodiak Island.

NOAA asks fishery council to reconsider halibut-sharing plan

Federal officials are asking the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to re-examine a halibut catch-sharing plan for waters off Southcentral and Southeast Alaska.

Halibut catch allocation plan divides Peninsula fishermen

ALASKA FISHING REPORT

Salmon fishing winds down as trout picks up

Salmon fishing is petering out, although chums, pinks and silvers are still spawning in the rivers. The guys at Mountain View Sports Center in Anchorage report that rainbow fishing in the Mat-Su has been good lately. Water conditions in the Parks Highway streams are excellent. They suggest trying small sculpins or egg patterns. We would add that this time of year you always want to have a variety of flesh flies -- pink, ginger, off-white -- with you as well.

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Yakura, Gutierrez win Valdez fish derbies

Jack Yakura of Middleburg, Pa., caught the biggest fish in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby, and Annette Gutierrez of Albuquerque, N.M., landed the biggest flatfish in the Valdez Halibut Derby, and those fish didn't represent their biggest hauls.

Halibut catch allocation plan divides Peninsula fishermen

Kenai Peninsula commercial fishermen and sport anglers have often had disputes about who should have the right to catch salmon. These days, the focus is on another valuable fish: halibut.

Comment period extended for halibut allocation plan

Federal fisheries managers should weigh the economic impact before approving a Pacific halibut allocation plan that could reduce the number of fish caught by sport anglers on charter boats, an Alaska lawmaker said Thursday.

ALASKA FISHING REPORT

Kenai great for rainbows and dollies

The Kenai River is fishing great right now. Try using beads and flesh patterns for rainbows and dollies. The upper is fishing particularly well for trout. Coho are still being caught in the lower Kenai River. Anglers fishing for silvers are having the best success using plugs.

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Troopers crack down on salmon snaggers in Juneau area

Alaska Wildlife Troopers in the Juneau area are cracking down on illegal snagging.

Kenai River testing shows low pollution from boat motors

Testing is again showing very low levels of hydrocarbons in the Kenai River.

Silvers for seniors

Richard Tubbs, Jeff Dunks and Bob Cellers show off some of the silver salmon donated to the facility.

For the second year in a row Carl Baker and all the lunch bunch at the Palmer Senior Center a special treat earlier this month thanks to Northern District Setnetters Association that set aside portions of two days catch for the seniors at the Palmer Center.

ALASKA FISHING REPORT

This week should be hot for trout

Trout fishing is improving everywhere -- at least in any stream or river that isn't too high or too muddy. As a rule, streams that come out of lakes aren't susceptible to big fluctuations like the streams without lakes upstream.

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