Copper River
RSSChitina dipnet and Glennallen subsistence fisheries stay open through Sept. 30 after below-average Copper River run
Chitina and Glennallen subsistence fisheries stay open through Sept. 30 despite a below-average Copper River salmon run this summer.
by Bill AlaskaNews9h ago1 min readAI
King salmon fishing is over for the year in the Upper Copper River drainages
King salmon fishing in the Upper Copper River drainages is done for 2026. Permit holders must report online by Aug. 31 even if they never fished.
by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
Four dipnet openings left at Chitina in August
Chitina dipnetters have four 48-hour openings left in August and can't keep any kings, after a below-average sockeye run and a weak Copper River king return.
by Bill AlaskaNews3w ago1 min readAI
Chitina dipnetters can keep sockeye but must release every king
Chitina dipnetters can catch sockeye but must release all kings this season, as weak Copper River runs raise an old question: which fishery fishes less first?
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Copper River stays closed to commercial fishing as sockeye run under forecast
Copper River stays shut to commercial fishing as sockeye lag forecast; the only opening on the books is a 12-hour subsistence period Monday morning.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Chitina's dipnet window shrinks to 48 hours as sockeye falter
Chitina dipnetters get 48 hours next weekend, half the window two weeks ago, after last week's sockeye count came in 26,000 fish short.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Copper River dip netters stranded on sandbar near Chitina, self-rescue before troopers arrive
Dip netters stranded on a Copper River sandbar near Chitina self-rescued Friday before troopers arrived.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Copper River king salmon closed to sport fishing; Chitina dipnetters barred from keeping kings all season
Alaska closed Upper Copper River king salmon sport fishing and barred Chitina dipnetters from keeping any kings this season due to a weak forecast of 33,000 fish, 27% below the 10-year average.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Copper River stays closed to commercial fishing as Chinook run tracks weak
Copper River commercial salmon fishing stays closed through at least Saturday as Chinook counts track weak, though subsistence fishers get a 12-hour window Thursday morning.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Chitina dipnet fishery opens full 168 hours July 20–26 as salmon surplus builds
The Chitina dipnet fishery opens for a full week starting July 20 as salmon counts finally hit targets. King salmon remain off-limits.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Upper Copper River king salmon sport fishery closed through August 10
Alaska closes all Upper Copper River king salmon sport fishing from July 10 through August 10 after the lowest run count on record threatens the escapement goal.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Chitina dip net fishery cut to 96 hours as Copper River salmon run behind
Alaska Fish and Game cut the Chitina dip net season to 96 hours next week because the Copper River salmon run is running 30,600 fish behind schedule and sockeye escapement goals are at risk.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Three cited at Chitina dipnet fishery over July 4 weekend; one faces mandatory court date
Three fishers cited at Chitina dipnet fishery during July 4 weekend opening; one Fairbanks man faces mandatory court for retaining a king salmon in violation of emergency order.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Bush plane tips on Copper River sandbar during fishwheel check; no injuries
A plane tipped and sustained minor damage on a Copper River sandbar Friday evening after landing near the mouth of the Kotsina River to check a fishwheel, Alaska State Troopers reported. No injuries were reported and the occupants said they did not want or need assistance.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readAI
The Copper River's sockeye run just hit a 40-year low
The Copper River is running its worst sockeye return in 40 years — so bad Alaska closed the popular Chitina dipnet fishery, even with no commercial boats fishing the river.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readAI
Weak Copper River runs bring king closures and a Chitina dipnet shutdown
Copper River salmon are running weak, so kings are now off-limits in Upper Copper sport fishing from July 6, and the Chitina dipnet closes July 6–12.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readAI
Dipnetting the Kasilof? Record and clip before you stash your fish
Record and clip each salmon before it goes in your cooler, or risk a summons like the Wasilla man cited at Kasilof on June 27.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Copper River Kings Hit a Record Low — and Limits Drop
The Copper River's king run is the worst on record, so Alaska is cutting anglers from four fish to one — betting this summer's catch against next year's spawn.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Chitina opens full 168-hour dipnet week starting Monday, even as counts run behind projection
Chitina dipnet fishery opens for a full week starting Monday, June 15, despite sonar counts running about 5,600 salmon below projection for early June.
by Alaska News2mo ago2 min readAI
Hatchery groups cite NOAA Chinook decision as validation
NOAA found Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon do not warrant endangered-species protection, a decision hatchery operators cite as validation of their management but that critics say masks weaker local populations.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska opens Chitina dipnet fishery despite Copper River run 55% low
Alaska opened the Chitina dipnet fishery for 60 hours starting Friday despite the Copper River salmon run running 55 percent below target for early June, with subsistence fishers already reporting low catches upstream.
by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI