Thousands of rainbow smelts arrived in Bethel on the evening of May 21 on their annual migration up the Kuskokwim River to spawn. But for some smelts, the last stop on their journey was a dipnet, as dozens of residents showed up at Bethel’s seawall with the long-handled nets to fill their buckets with the diminutive, iridescent fish.
The smelt run marks the beginning of the summer fishing season. It’s a reminder for residents of lower Kuskokwim communities that the arrival of salmon is just around the corner.
Stay up to date with fishing openings and restrictions this summer with KYUK's 2025 Fishing Season Openers page.
