USA 2018 USA 2018 West Coast King Salmon Sport fishing OutlookKing Salmon Sport fishing Outlook
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USA 2018 West Coast King Salmon Sport fishing Outlook


Submitted by:  Backcountry Press Outdoor News 
Posted on: 03/26/18


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In several parts of the country Chinook (king) salmon numbers on the west coast have declined dramaticaly to the point of canceling sport fishing for the great fish altogether in 2018.

It is for this reason that TBC Press has looked deeper into the 2018 Chinook (king) salmon recreational forcast Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington to give anglers an idea of what to expect this year
Alaska
In favor of protecting returning king salmon and increased fishing opportunities in the future, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following sport fishing regulation restrictions for Little Susitna River, Deshka and Yentna rivers, the Upper Cook Inlet including the entire Susitna River drainage. The EMERGENCY ORDER in these areas are as follows:

2018 King Salmon Sport Fishing Restrictions for Little Susitna River:
In favor of protecting returning king salmon and increased fishing opportunities in the future, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following sport fishing regulation restrictions which will be effective 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 1, through Friday, July 13, 2018, for the Little Susitna River drainage. For a complete description of these waters, anglers should refer to the 2018 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

Upper Cook Inlet including the entire Susitna River drainage
Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 1 closes commercial salmon fishing with set gillnets in all waters of the Northern District of Upper Cook Inlet for the 2018 directed king salmon fishery. The fishing dates affected by this closure are May 28, and June 4, 11, and 18.

The 2018 pre-season run forecast for Deshka River king salmon is approximately 12,800 fish. The forecast has an 80% prediction range of approximately 6,400–19,200. The Deshka River sustainable escapement goal (SEG) is 13,000–28,000. Based on the forecast, the actual run to the Deshka River is not large enough to achieve the SEG, even with no harvest. The outlook for all Northern Cook Inlet king salmon in 2018 is poor based on continued poor production experienced drainage wide in 2017, when 12 of 14 stocks monitored, including the Deshka River, did not achieve their goals, and 0 of the 7 Stocks of Concern were documented to have achieved their goal.

On Tuesday, March 13, 2018, the Division of Sport Fish released emergency order (EO) 2-KS-2- 10-18 closing the entire Susitna River drainage to the harvest of king salmon. Sport fishing for king salmon will only be allowed in the Deshka River and Yentna River system. These drainages will be restricted to catch-and-release only for king salmon; no harvest will be allowed.

Alaska has also closed or changed the King Salmon Fishing Tournaments for the 2018 season.


California
Drought, Poor Ocean Conditions Impact California Salmon Forecast for 2018. Commercial and sport anglers received mixed news recently regarding the status of Sacramento River fall Chinook and Klamath River fall Chinook – California’s two largest Chinook salmon populations. 

While adult returns of both stocks were well below minimum escapement goals in 2017, and projected abundance for both stocks is modest compared to historic averages, state and federal fishery scientists reported an increase in the number of jacks (two-year-old Chinook) that returned to spawn in 2017. 

The effects of the recent drought are still impacting California’s salmon populations. Outbound juvenile Chinook suffered unusually high mortality because of low flows and high water temperatures in both the Sacramento and Klamath watersheds in 2014 and 2015. Unsuitable river conditions, coupled with persistently poor ocean conditions during the same period, resulted in very low numbers of adult Chinook returning to spawn in both the Klamath and Sacramento River basins in 2017.

Over the next two months, the Pacific Fishery Management Council will use the 2018 fall Chinook ocean abundance forecasts, in addition to information on the status of endangered Sacramento River winter Chinook, to set ocean sport and commercial fishing season dates, commercial quotas and size and bag limits.

At the same time, fishery managers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be working to develop a suite of recommendations for the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) to consider on 2018 fishing seasons, size limits and bag limits for Chinook salmon river fishing in the Klamath/Trinity and Sacramento River basins. For more information, please visit the FGC Sport Fishing Regulations website at http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2018/index.aspx




USA 2018 West Coast King Salmon Sport fishing Outlookk