While still closed to king salmon fishing, on July 16, the Anchor River partially opened to Dolly Varden and coho, pink, chum, and sockeye salmon fishing, below the 2-mile regulatory markers. Steelhead and rainbow trout are still off limits and should not be removed from the water, according to regulation reminders posted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game near the Anchor River.
Gear restrictions are currently in place until Aug. 1, stipulating that anglers must only use “one unbaited, single hook, artificial lure” while fishing on the river. Additionally, fishing is currently only open downstream of regulatory markers placed by ADFG staff.
On Aug. 1, the river will open to the entire drainage area and allow for bait and multiple hooks to be used “downstream of the regulatory markers,” until Sept. 1, when the whole river will return to the use of only one unbaited hook with an artificial lure. The river will close to fishing for the winter on Oct. 31.
Currently, anglers can keep two Dolly Varden a day. For non-king salmon 16 inches or longer, anglers can retain three per day, with a maximum of two being coho salmon. For those less than 16 inches, anglers can retain 10 non-kings per day.
