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Smelt arrive in Bethel, marking the beginning of the summer fishing season on the Kuskokwim River

KYUK | By Elyssa Loughlin
Published May 24, 2022 at 9:28 AM AKDT
John Evan of Tuntutuliak was in town for an appointment, but now he is smelting for the first time. "I like to dry them," Evan said. Bethel, Alaska on May 23, 2022.
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John Evan of Tuntutuliak was in town for an appointment, but now he is smelting for the first time. "I like to dry them," Evan said. Bethel, Alaska on May 23, 2022.
Elyssa Loughlin
Ethan Sparck shows off his smelt late in the evening. A small crowd gathered at the seawall for the smelts' arrival in Bethel on May 23, 2022.
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Ethan Sparck shows off his smelt late in the evening. A small crowd gathered at the seawall for the smelts' arrival in Bethel on May 23, 2022.
Elyssa Loughlin
A small crowd gathered at the seawall for the smelts' arrival in Bethel on May 23, 2022.
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A small crowd gathered at the seawall for the smelts' arrival in Bethel on May 23, 2022.
Elyssa Loughlin
Sara Christensen and George Black dipnet for smelt at 11:30 p.m. "We wanted to get them out of the way," Christensen said of her late night fishing. Bethel Alaska on May 23, 2022.
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Sara Christensen and George Black dipnet for smelt at 11:30 p.m. "We wanted to get them out of the way," Christensen said of her late night fishing. Bethel Alaska on May 23, 2022.
Elyssa Loughlin
Alice Evan bought a cooler and dipnet from the AC store to harvest smelt. "We missed them in Tuntutuliak because we were egg hunting."
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Alice Evan bought a cooler and dipnet from the AC store to harvest smelt. "We missed them in Tuntutuliak because we were egg hunting."
Elyssa Loughlin
Young fishermen stay out past their bedtime for a late night smelting adventure on May 23, 2022 in Bethel, Alaska.
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Young fishermen stay out past their bedtime for a late night smelting adventure on May 23, 2022 in Bethel, Alaska.
Elyssa Loughlin
Alice Evan bought a cooler and dipnet from the AC store to harvest smelt. "We missed them in Tuntutuliak because we were egg hunting."
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Alice Evan bought a cooler and dipnet from the AC store to harvest smelt. "We missed them in Tuntutuliak because we were egg hunting."
Elyssa Loughlin
Zach Rudner dips for smelt just before midnight on May 23, 2022 in Bethel, Alaska.
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Zach Rudner dips for smelt just before midnight on May 23, 2022 in Bethel, Alaska.
Elyssa Loughlin
Terese Schomogyi, Angel Yi, Eleanor Oser, and Zach Rudner pose with their smelt at the seawall. They said that they were looking forward to going home for a midnight snack of fried smelt. Bethel, Alaska on May 23, 2022.
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Terese Schomogyi, Angel Yi, Eleanor Oser, and Zach Rudner pose with their smelt at the seawall. They said that they were looking forward to going home for a midnight snack of fried smelt. Bethel, Alaska on May 23, 2022.
Elyssa Loughlin
A small crowd gathered at the seawall for the smelts' arrival late Monday night in Bethel on May 23, 2022.
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A small crowd gathered at the seawall for the smelts' arrival late Monday night in Bethel on May 23, 2022.
Elyssa Loughlin

Smelt arrived in Bethel late Monday evening, on May 23. Around 10 p.m. a small crowd gathered at the seawall to harvest the small, silver fish with dip nets.

Smelt run past Bethel for about three days. They are the first anadromous fish to head up the Kuskokwim River each season, returning from the Bering Sea to their freshwater spawning grounds.

Their arrival marks the beginning of the summer fishing season on the Kuskokwim River.
Hunting & Fishing
Elyssa Loughlin
Elyssa (she/her) was the Wellness Programming Producer from 2020-2022.
See stories by Elyssa Loughlin