Section 5.57.123. Special provisions for the seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means for the Upper Section of the Kenai River Drainage Area.

Unless otherwise specified by an emergency order issued under AS 16.05.060, the following are special provisions and localized exceptions to the general seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means set out in 5 AAC 57.120 and 5 AAC 75 for the Upper Section of the Kenai River Drainage Area:  
		(1) Kenai Lake from the Sterling Highway Bridge at the outlet, upstream to ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately one-quarter mile upstream, is open to sport fishing only from June 11 - May 1;  
		(2) in Kenai Lake within one-quarter mile of the Sterling Highway Bridge at the outlet  
			(A) only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used;  
			(B) the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is one fish less than 16 inches in length; rainbow/steelhead trout 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; rainbow/steelhead trout caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed;  
		(3) in all flowing waters of the Kenai Lake drainage, the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is one fish less than 16 inches in length; rainbow/steelhead trout 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; rainbow/steelhead trout caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed;  
		(4) from January 1 - December 31,  
			(A) waters of the Kenai Lake drainage are closed to fishing for salmon;  
			(B) in stocked lakes of the Kenai Lake drainage, including Jerome, Carter, Vagt, Long, Rainbow, and Meridian Lakes, the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is five fish, of which only one may be 20 inches or greater in length;  
			(C) in the flowing waters of the Kenai Lake drainage, including waters of Kenai Lake within one-quarter mile radius of all inlet streams, only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used;  
		(5) in waters of Kenai Lake within a one-quarter mile radius of all inlet streams, the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is one fish less than 16 inches in length; rainbow/steelhead trout 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; rainbow/steelhead trout caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed;  
		(6) Crescent Creek drainage, as follows:  
			(A) open to sport fishing from June 11 - May 1;  
			(B) in flowing waters, only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used;  
			(C) in Crescent Lake, from June 11 - May 1, the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is two fish, of which only one may be 20 inches or greater in length;  
			(D) from June 11 - May 1, the Crescent Creek drainage, except Crescent Lake, is open to sport fishing for rainbow/steelhead trout; the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is one fish less than 16 inches in length; rainbow/steelhead trout 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; rainbow/steelhead trout caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately, and returned to the water unharmed;  
			(E) the bag and possession limit for Arctic grayling is two fish, with no size limit;  
		(7) Quartz Creek drainage, excluding Crescent Creek, as follows:  
			(A) only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used;  
			(B) closed to sport fishing for salmon;  
			(C) open to sport fishing for finfish other than salmon, from its mouth to the upstream side of the Sterling Highway Bridge, from June 11 - May 1;  
			(D) from June 11 - September 14, and from November 1 - May 1, upstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge, including Devils Creek, Johns Creek, Jerome Creek, Summit Creek, and Slate Creek, is open to sport fishing for finfish other than salmon;  
			(E) the bag and possession limit for Arctic char/Dolly Varden is one fish less than 16 inches in length; Arctic char/Dolly Varden 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; Arctic char/Dolly Varden caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed;  
			(F) the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is one fish less than 16 inches in length; rainbow/steelhead trout 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; rainbow/steelhead trout caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed;  
		(8) Snow River drainage, as follows:  
			(A) only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used;  
			(B) closed to sport fishing for salmon;  
			(C) the South Fork of the Snow River is open to sport fishing for finfish other than salmon from June 11 - September 14, and from November 1 - May 1;  
			(D) the remainder of the Snow River drainage, not specified in (C) of this paragraph, is open to sport fishing for finfish other than salmon from June 11 - May 1;  
			(E) the bag and possession limit for Arctic char/Dolly Varden is one fish less than 16 inches in length; Arctic char/Dolly Varden 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; Arctic char/Dolly Varden caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed;  
			(F) the bag and possession limit for rainbow/steelhead trout is one fish less than 16 inches in length; rainbow/steelhead trout 16 inches or greater in length may not be retained; rainbow/steelhead trout caught that are 16 inches or greater in length must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.  

Authorities

16.05.060;16.05.251

Notes

Reference

5 AAC 57.120
5 AAC 57.160

Authority

AS 16.05.060 AS 16.05.251

History

Eff. 10/1/2006, Register 179; am 6/12/2011, Register 198; am 5/18/2014, Register 210