We’ve recieved final word on the 2012 king salmon regulations. These regulations are driven by the chinook (king) salmon abundance index for Southeast Alaska which came in at 1.52, just slightly lower than 2011.
- The nonresident bag limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length; except during May 2012 when the bag limit is two king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;
- The nonresident annual limit is four king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
The annual limit is down from five in 2011 to four in 2012. The daily limits are the same. For more in depth details go to: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf/EONR/PDFs/2012/R1/2_EO-01-KS-R-02-12(d).pdf
As for the fishing, expect the usual – the best salt water king salmon fishing on the planet starting in early May and lasting well into August. Our experience is the abundance index has everything to do with the regulations and less to do with the catching. We’ve had great fishing under very low abundance indexes (2008 as a big example), so a minor drop in the index is no cause for conern regarding the king salmon action in 2012.