Anchorage Daily News

KENAI -- A fishing guide has admitted that he lied about where his client caught a monster king.

Jason McMurrian from Angler's Lodge in Sterling was the guide when Steve Paterson of New York City caught a 73.5-pound king salmon on the Kenai River.

As it turns out, it was an illegal fish.

McMurrian says he measured the fish at 55 3/4 inches both on the boat and at Angler's Lodge. But Fish and Game's measurement of the king was 53.5 inches.

McMurrian also said the fish was caught near Honeymoon Cove, which is located downstream of the Sterling Highway bridge, when actually it was caught above the Sterling Highway bridge.

State fishing regulations say any fish 46 to 55 inches in length caught above the bridge between Jan. 1 and July 14 may not be retained.

The fish was caught on July 10.

He said he was cited and fined $110. His court date is set for Aug. 15.

McMurrian admitted he lied about where the fish was caught.

"I lied about the location of the fish to keep other fishermen out of that area," he said.

Last year, after a story ran about another of McMurrian's clients landing a large fish, several boats showed up in the same hole the next day, McMurrian said.

When Paterson caught the big king, he gave credit to his guide.

"I had a good guide that took us right to where the fish were," he said.

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