Amid a massive sockeye run on the Kuskokwim River, there will be at least two more opportunities to deploy gillnets. The announcement came on Thursday’s episode of “Fish Talk” on KYUK, and the openers are:
- A 24-hour set net opener from Friday, July 7 at 5 p.m. to Saturday, July 8 at 5 p.m.
- A 6-hour set and drift net opener on Tuesday, July 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In the Aniak Box (upstream boundary of the YDNWR), no gillnets, but limited rod and reel salmon fishing opens on July 7 at 12:01 a.m.
Details for the Aniak Box opener: Chinook salmon under 20 inches (as measured from the mid eye to the tail fork) may be retained with no bag or possession limits
Chinook salmon exceeding 20 inches (as measured from the mid eye to the tail fork) may be retained with a 2 per day, 2 in possession limit.
Sockeye and pink salmon may be retained with no bag or possession limits.
Chum and coho salmon may not be retained, and must be returned to the water alive and unharmed.
Set nets in these Kusko openings are restricted to 6-inch or less mesh and may not exceed 75 feet in length and 45 meshes in depth. Nets may not be operated more than 100 feet from the ordinary high-water mark, must be attached to the bank, and substantially fished perpendicular to shore.
Gillnets are restricted to 6-inch or less mesh and may not exceed 45 meshes in depth and 50 fathoms (300-feet) in aggregate (total set and drift gillnet) length below the Johnson River and 25 fathoms (150 feet) in aggregate (total set and drift gillnet) length above the Johnson River. Federally qualified subsistence users may retain all salmon during these periods.
