Area Sport Fishing Reports
Yukon

May 30, 2024

Local conditions

• Spring has arrived in Interior Alaska and river breakup for the Yukon River occurred approximately a week ago. Rivers and streams within the Yukon River Area are running high and muddy and will continue to do so for another week or more as there is still ample snow in the higher elevations that will continue to melt with increasing ambient temperatures.
• The Steese, Dalton, and Taylor Highways are open for travel. Driving conditions on the Steese and Taylor Highways are rated as fair to good. Current Dalton Highway conditions are rated fair to difficult. Drivers should be careful of large potholes and washout sections. Current Alaska road conditions can be found at Alaska 511.

Freshwater Fishing

Arctic grayling

Arctic grayling are fairly ubiquitous throughout the Yukon River drainage.

• Nome Creek is a popular Arctic grayling sport fishery that can be accessed from the Steese Highway. In lower Nome Creek and other lower Beaver Creek tributaries, Arctic grayling are concluding late May spawning activities and post-spawning fish will soon migrate into upper tributary summer feeding areas, which will afford good sport fishing opportunities once streams clear. NOME CREEK IS RESTRICTED TO CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHING ONLY FOR ARCTIC GRAYLING.
• Birch Creek can also be accessed from the Steese Highway and is also referred to by its Gwitchin’ Athabascan name, the Ikhèenjik (Ih-hey-n-jik) River. Currently the road to access the Upper Birch Creek wayside (MP 94.1) is impassable with mud and deep ruts. Also, for those planning to float Birch Creek, be aware that during 2023 a potentially hazardous new river channel was discovered a few miles downriver from the Upper Birch Creek Wayside that required an approximately ¼ mile portage. Before visiting and/or floating from this wayside, call the Bureau of Land Management Fairbanks District office at 907-474-2200.
• Streams within the Fortymile River drainage that are accessible from the Taylor Highway will also afford good fishing opportunities once the water clears.
• Dalton Highway streams are further north and are running high and turbid with melting snow and the Arctic grayling are in the midst of spawning activities. The best fishing opportunities along the Dalton Highway are between July to mid-September.
• Popular gear used to capture Arctic grayling are shiny spoons when the streams are wide enough and colorful jigs for narrower streams and creeks. Mosquitos are just beginning to appear in the upper tributaries of Nome and Beaver Creeks, Ikhèenjik River, and Taylor Highway streams, and flies mimicking these pesty blood-suckers would also be enticing to a hungry Arctic grayling that did not feed during spawning activities.
• Watch our video How to Fish for Arctic grayling to learn what you will need to know to successfully target Arctic grayling.

Northern pike

Northern pike are also concluding spawning activities and, like Arctic grayling, are fairly ubiquitous throughout the Yukon River drainage.

• Good fishing for northern pike can be found in slower moving waters like the lower portion of the Ikhèenjik River that crosses at mile 147 of the Steese Highway.
• Other popular fishing locations for large Northern pike are at the mouths of major tributaries that drain into the mainstem Yukon River such as the Dall, Ray, Nowitna, and Innoko Rivers, and Hess Creek. The Yukon River is currently running high and muddy with lots of debris. Sport fishing conditions will improve for these voracious, visual predators once the water lowers and clears at the mouths of these tributaries.
• Popular lures that fishers have reported success in capturing northern pike include buzzbait, booyah, jitterbugs, shiny spoons, and shads. Northern pike have rows of sharp teeth, so be sure to bring pliers and a spreader in order to safely remove hooks, especially from larger fish.

Sheefish

• Sheefish that have overwintered in the lower Yukon River are migrating upstream to summer feeding areas and as the water in the Yukon River drops and clears, good fishing opportunities will be found at the mouths of major tributaries such as the Innoko, Koyukuk, Nowitna, and Porcupine Rivers. Large, shiny spoons such as crocodiles, pixies, and daredevils, as well as various shads that mimic juvenile prey, are popular lures for capturing sheefish

Salmon

King salmon

• Due to a preseason projection for a below-average king salmon run in the Yukon River, sport fisheries for king salmon is closed in the Yukon Management. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. In addition, when fishing for other species, anglers may not use bait in Yukon River tributaries.
• Because king salmon runs in the Yukon River continue to experience historically low runs, including those crossing the border into Canada where approximately 40-50% of the salmon spawn, a 7-year agreement has been enacted to close Canadian-origin Yukon River Chinook salmon to all fishing, including subsistence, commercial, personal use, and sport fishing during 2024-2030. This agreement applies only to Canadian-origin king salmon and if inseason stock assessment information indicates that king salmon escapement goals and subsistence needs will be met, sport fishing restrictions may be relaxed in Yukon River tributaries commensurate with run strengths.

Chum salmon

• For summer chum salmon, the preseason forecast is for a run of sufficient size to meet spawning run goals. However, given the recent closures due to poor run sizes, the fishery manager will be keeping a close eye on counts conducted at the Pilot Station sonar and if the ¼ point of the run shows that the run strength will be insufficient, then the sport fishery will be closed. Be sure to check the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements before fishing for chum salmon in the Yukon River.

Emergency orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip:

• Emergency Order 3-KS-Y-1-2024 closes the Yukon River drainage excluding the Tanana River drainage, to sport fishing for king salmon.

Catch-and-release techniques

• Because fish typically grow and reproduce more slowly at high latitudes and elevations, please use proper catch-and-release techniques to ensure the survival of the released fish such as:
  • Use lures with a single hook and crimp down the barb. Do not use bait.
  • Land the fish with a soft net and keep the fish in the water when removing the hook.
  • To release the fish, hold it gently facing into the current or in water without a current to gently cradle the fish and move it slowly back and forth until it swims away under its own power.

For More Information

For moe information, please call Yukon Area Management Biologist Lisa Stuby at 907-459-7202.