Subscribe to ReelTimes

Issue 76

---

Get Ready to Fish!

It’s time to put away your ice fishing gear and get your open water fishing equipment ready for the coming season. Be sure to remove and replace the old fishing line and clean and lubricate your reels. It’s also a good idea to re-organize your tackle boxes.

Before heading out on your next fishing adventure, be sure you have your 2024 sport fishing license and king stamp. Visit our online store if you need to purchase one. Or download the ADF&G mobile app and you can store your licenses, tags and permits in your mobile device.

We’ll see you on the water.

Steelhead Snorkeling Surveys in Southeast Alaska

If you’ve ever found yourself in Southeast Alaska during the spring, you may have witnessed the rare sight of people in dry suits snorkeling down a stream. To some who witness this it comes as a bit of a shock seeing the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s (ADF&G) local sport fish crew working their way along the current, past logs, rocks, and other obstacles. However, many long-time steelhead anglers welcome the sight of ADF&G conducting their annual steelhead index surveys.

What are steelhead? If you have had the pleasure of catching one it might look familiar to you if you have handled many rainbow trout. A steelhead is a rainbow trout that migrates to the ocean and returns to spawn like salmon. Fish with this life cycle are called anadromous, yet unlike the salmon, which return to freshwater once to spawn and then die; steelhead have evolved to spawn in freshwater and then return to the ocean. Some individuals may do this several times within their life.

ADF&G staff conduct snorkel surveys in a selection of streams to monitor the abundance of steelhead in Southeast Alaska. These surveys occur weekly from mid-April to mid-May in 10 different streams throughout Southeast Alaska. These streams were chosen to represent steelhead populations that are popular sport fisheries as well as those that are rarely visited by anglers. By snorkeling these streams in the same way several times each spring, year after year, we can follow the general trend of the population in Southeast Alaska.

The steelhead themselves are amazing to witness in their underwater world. They have a ghost-like quality that allows them to seemingly appear and disappear at will. Their scale color and pattern are the perfect camouflage for these elusive fish. This is certainly even more true when trying to spot them from above, even with polarized sunglasses. Underwater they are easier to see, still snorkelers are often surprised at how close they can be to a steelhead without seeing them until they reveal themselves by their movement through the water.

Snorkeling streams in early spring might sound fun to some but there are certain dangers involved. The streams in the Tongass National Forest are swollen with snow melt and the water temperatures are just above freezing. It’s perfect for steelhead, but cold enough that you can feel it through the dry suit and several layers of clothing. Water levels can rise dramatically with rain and what can start off as a small stream can suddenly become a raging river. We purposely pick the days with the best water clarity and favorable water levels. Bear awareness is certainly a consideration, though we tend to encounter fewer around the streams that time of year compared to salmon surveys.

Snorkeling surveys for steelhead in Southeast Alaska have been conducted for nearly thirty years. We are fortunate to have an abundance of cold water and excellent habitat that provides for a robust population. While Southeast Alaska has hundreds of streams that support populations of steelhead, most of these are relatively small populations in the low hundreds of returning adults. This is great if you like to fish small streams away from crowds, but it is a challenge for fisheries management. The management strategy employed in Southeast Alaska limits harvest to those fish greater than 36 inches. This size limit protects the vast majority of steelhead from harvest but allows anglers the opportunity to harvest that once in a lifetime catch. This longtime ongoing research helps us monitor the health of this resource in the least intrusive and efficient way possible. With continued monitoring and low impact fishing we hope to sustain these beautiful fish for the next generation to enjoy as well.

If interested in seeing how things look underwater, check out this video that ADFG produced on steelhead snorkeling.

Operation Lake Trout

Surgically implanting radio transmitters in lake trout in the Tangle Lakes area is a way biologists track movement of these fish. It’s interesting work and the results help managers understand more about the behaviors of lake trout in the Tangle Lakes.

You can read all about the process in an article that appears in the April issue of Fish and Wildlife News.

Enjoy

Southcentral Alaska Fishing Report Hotlines

Fishing season is upon us! With the warming temperatures and melting snow comes the urge to get outside and go fishing, but where should you go, what is fishing well? If you are struggling to find information on what is happening in different areas of Southcentral Alaska, look no further than our Fishing Hotlines!

The freshest fishing information is compiled into 10 different hotlines you can call at your convenience. All hotlines are available to call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Biologists and sport fish information staff compile information from surveys, public accounts, and their own personal fishing experiences to create fishing reports for the following areas:

• Anchorage: 907-267-2502
• Bristol Bay: 907-842-7347
• Homer & Kachemak Bay: 907-235-6930
• North Gulf Coast (Seward): 907-267-2503
• Palmer & Mat-Su: 907-746-6300
• Prince William Sound: 907-267-2504
• Soldotna & Kenai: 907-262-2737

The hotlines also include specific fishing information for hooligan, and dip-net fisheries:

• Hooligan Report: 907-267-2505
• Kenai & Kasilof Dipnet & Gillnet Report: 907-267-2512
• Chitina Dipnet Report: 907-822-5224

Don’t run to the phones just yet! Reports will start being updated with information after May 1st, other than our Hooligan Hotline which was updated for the first time April 18th. No Hooligan have been reported in 20 Mile River, Susitna River, or Seward streams at this time. We estimate they will start arriving in catchable sizes the first week of May! The fishing hotlines are also summarized as a fishing report, available weekly online.

Hotlines and online fishing reports are not a summary of regulations. Be sure to obtain the latest 2024 Sport Fishing Regulation Summary Booklet, available at vendors, our offices or online and check the website for Emergency Orders. You are responsible for knowing the latest regulations and sport fishing emergency orders before going fishing.

If you have trouble with the hotlines or questions, contact us at 907-267-2218.

Getting your fishing gear ready for open water

Prepare reels and spools

Your reel is one of the most important pieces of fishing equipment. A clean and well-maintained reel can mean the difference of you landing your trophy catch or losing it. If you don’t properly maintain your reel, over time debris or rust can inhibit proper function of the reel.

Now is the time to make sure your reels are cleaned and ready for some open water fishing.

Cleaning a fishing reel is quite easy. Check out our video called, “How to Clean a Spinning Reel” for a quick tutorial on how to make sure your reel is ready for action.

Change old fishing line

When and how often to change your fishing line can depend largely on the type of line you’re using and how often you fish. If you fish multiple times per year, then you might want to swap fishing line out at least one, if not two times per year. However, if you only fish a couple times per year, you may be able to get away with only changing your fishing line every other year. But keep in mind, some lower quality fishing lines will degrade quite rapidly – even in storage.

There are key differences in the three types of fishing line most commonly used by anglers – monofilament, fluorocarbon and braided line. Whatever type of line you use, it’s recommended that you thoroughly inspect the line prior to each fishing trip to ensure the line is up to the fight.

You can learn a lot about the condition of your fishing line just by looking at looking at it on the reel. If you’re using mono, flouro or braided line and the line on the spool appears off color, soiled, frayed or generally just not in good condition, it’s likely time to change it out.

Always check the first five or six feet of your line for any obvious abrasions. You can do this by pinching the line between the thumb and forefinger of one hand and pulling the line gently with the other hand. If the line feels frayed or if you feel any abrasions, it could be time to remove the section of your line, or time to replace the entire spool.

Organize your tackle box

Tackle boxes or bags can become rather disorganized the more they are used. Here are some things you can do now that will help you keep your gear organized this season.

• Open your tackle box or bag and check your hooks, lures and plugs. Replace damaged or bent hooks and any rusty components on lures.
• Clip off knot tags on lures or swivels.
• When you go through your tackle supplies, make sure everything is organized in a way to make it easy for you to find what you’re looking for in the field. This will depend on the type of fishing you plan to do.
• Use a label maker to label trays or boxes. This makes it easy for you to quickly identify the type of gear in each compartment. This also helps you organize things in storage.
• Keep track of what you’re missing and purchase any needed fishing items now. This will help avoid having to make any last-minute purchases, which might delay you getting to the water.

Preparing other fishing gear

• Did your waders or hip boots have a leak at the end of last season? The leak probably didn’t repair itself over the winter. Grab a repair kit and fix the leak now before using them again.
• Clean and lubricate scissors, pliers or other tools used.
• Sharpen knives.
• If you own a boat, be sure to complete the regular maintenance and have necessary servicing done now. Inspect trailer and tires. Restock and organize safety, boating and fishing supplies.
• Be sure to renew your boat registration and be sure to purchase your 2024 sport fishing license before heading out to the water.

Meet Our Staff – Taylor Cubbage

We asked Taylor Cubbage, who works as a Fisheries Biologist in Anchorage, to tell us a little about herself and her role at ADF&G.

What are the general duties of your position?

As a sport fish biologist for the Anchorage, Prince William Sound (PWS), and North Gulf Coast (NGC) areas of Alaska, the best way to describe my duties is to say that no day is the same! Our office not only monitors and manages our fisheries, but also conducts research and hosts aquatic education events. Multiply those three subjects by three management areas and what results is an amazing diversity of duties for only three biologists (myself, assistant area management biologist Donnie Arthur, and area management biologist Brittany Blain-Roth) and a summer technician.

After working in my role for a year now, I finally have a handle on my general duties for the calendar year. We prepare for the summer field season in April by dusting the snow off our research vessel, organizing field gear, brushing up on safety trainings, and reviewing project protocols and sampling goals. Our first fieldwork starts off with dipnetting for Hooligan in mid-April to update the Hooligan Hotline. I visit many of our area boat launches to update regulation signage, such as the new 2024 rockfish bag limit and retention rules for PWS and NGC. If the weather cooperates in May, we launch our research vessel in PWS to monitor the sport shrimp fishery and begin sampling for our black rockfish deepwater release study.

In June, we educate the public at Potter Marsh Discovery Day, teach kids the art of fishing at Outdoor Youth Days, and provide bait and tips to catch a big King Salmon at the Ship Creek Youth Day. July is King Salmon survey season where we walk the streams in the Anchorage Bowl to count spawning fish; from Eagle River down to Bird Creek and everything in between. In August, I assisted the Alaska Freshwater Fish Inventory crew searching for new populations of anadromous fish via helicopter surveys. We say goodbye to our summer technician and begin foot surveys for spawning Coho Salmon in September. October involves preparing for Salmon in the Classroom by supplying teachers with Coho Salmon eggs to teach their students about the salmon life cycle. This past winter I served as the William Jack Hernandez Sportfish Hatchery visitor center guide. In February, I helped prepare for the Jewel Lake Ice fishing event (see previous Reel Times Newsletter for a highlight!) where we taught over 2800 Anchorage School District kids how to ice fish for stocked King Salmon. And finally, March is the month for meetings where we update ADF&G colleagues on the previous summer’s management, research, and outreach activities and share our plans for the upcoming field season.

What do you love most about your job?

Working hands on in the field to conserve our fishery resources is incredibly rewarding but wouldn’t be sustainable if I didn’t have such amazing co-workers. The collaboration between our management team and other branches of ADF&G, including the sportfish information desk, communications, and hatchery staff, keeps team morale high and me with a year-round position. For example, my job as a fisheries biologist is only funded for the field season of April through October, but my supervisors reached out to other offices and found an opportunity for me to work at the hatchery giving tours for the winter. These connections are critical during our busy summer field season. I can always count on the sportfish information desk staff to lend one of their interns for a King Salmon foot survey on Ship Creek, and we in the management office are happy to man the ADF&G table at the Great Alaskan Sportsman’s Show every spring.

What are some of your favorite things to do in your spare time?

Like many ADF&G employees, I would not be in this position if I didn’t get outside and appreciate Alaska’s amazing resources, from hiking trails and floating rivers to enjoying the state’s diverse fishing, hunting, and foraging opportunities. Skiing into public use cabins, canoeing spring-fed rivers, ice fishing for ancient lake trout, banding feathery spring migrants, harvesting berries, mushrooms, and grouse, catching grayling on the fly; the list goes on. All the inspiration from being outside fuels a lot of artwork in the winter months. I enjoy painting, drawing, carving, and sculpting art projects often with fishy undertones that convey my appreciation for Alaska and its resources.

What is your favorite fishing memory?

I have many favorite fishing memories, but what comes to mind is a fish species that encapsulated several moments during my 2023 summer: the Dolly Varden char. Across the diversity of ecosystems I experienced during my first summer with ADF&G, Dolly Varden almost always made an appearance and in the most unsuspecting places. For example, our crew was searching for Coastal Cutthroat Trout in a steep stream full of waterfalls on Culross Island in PWS. I saw the flash of a fish and cast a beadhead nymph into a pool, and out came a beautifully dark grey fish with orange spots and fins – not our target Cutthroat Trout but a beautiful Dolly and the first I had ever caught. The next time I encountered Dollies was on a sampling trip in the Copper River Valley. We arrived at a small, brand-new stream that had just formed at the head of the Kennicott glacier near McCarthy, Alaska. I figured no fish would be in this warm, algae filled creek that required swimming up a cascade of waterfalls, and yet it was filled with Dollies! They ranged in color from bright silver to dark brown as the fish transitioned from glacial Kennicott Lake into the clear, warm creek. My most recent memory was in mid-September; a friend and I hiked the Ptarmigan Creek trail all the way to the lake on a sunny day. On the way we saw numerous spawning Sockeye Salmon in the creek, so I knew Dollies would likely be around feeding on the salmon eggs. I gave my friend a spinning rod and watched her catch her first fish in Alaska, a bright silvery Dolly Varden.

I also look back very fondly on my last Kenai River king, and the really fun, but sometimes very wet, trips in Prince William Sound for shrimp and rockfish.

What is a fun or unusual fact about you that people might not know?

I have my open water scuba certification but haven’t used it since I took the class in 2018.

Field to Plate - Recipe of the Month

Wild Alaska Salmon with Tortellini in Cream Sauce

Enjoy this holiday-inspired recipe for Wild Alaska Salmon with Tortellini in Cream Sauce from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Enjoy!

If you have any questions about the Reel Times newsletter, please contact Ryan Ragan at ryan.ragan@alaska.gov