Catching Alaska Sockeye!

From F&G website, private reports.

REPORT: To start off ALL ACTIVE Salmon run charts are updated with MONDAY counts except Kenai River early/late kings. I should have the numbers for the end of the Kenai early king run and first day of the Kenai July run by dinnertime. The Cook Inlet OTF Chart has posted YESTERDAY and TODAY's numbers as the boat is done fishing for the day. No EO commfishing scheduled unless bigger numbers show along the beach. Next normal scheduled opening is Thursday 7am - 7pm for the Kasilof District nets.

OK, SOCKEYE 101 IN SESSION:

I'm seeing a broad "trend" in sockeye runs this year throughout Southcentral/Gulf of Alaska/Copper regions. All for the good BTW. So here we go for those that enjoy reading some good news for a change.

COPPER River: Sockeye Count to date - 952,361. Longterm avg. to date - 538,793. Run is up 77% above the LT average by this date.

SITUK River Yakutat: Sockeye Count to date - 56,698. Longterm avg. to date - 21,276. Run is up 167% above the LT average by this date.

KARLUK River Kodiak: Sockeye count to date - 212,803. Longterm avg. to date - 137,420. Run is up 55% above the LT average by this date.

SALTRY COVE Creek Kodiak: Sockeye count to date - 11,807. Longterm avg. to date - 2963. Run is up 298% above the LT average by this date.

DOG SALMON River Kodiak: Sockeye count to date - 73,854. Longterm avg. to date - 68,000. Run is up 9% above the LT average by this date.

AYAKULIK River Kodiak: Sockeye count to date - 168,993. Longterm avg. to date - 139,742. Run is up 21% above the LT average by this date.

Afognak River, Karluk River, Dog Salmon River and Saltery Creek on Kodiak have all been EO'd to ten reds per day as upper escapement levels are predicted to be exceeded.

LOWER (Southern) COOK INLET Commercial Setnet Harvest: Sockeye catch to date - est.18,693. 2012 harvest to date - 3707. Ten yr. avg. harvest to date - 7518. Harvest is 149% above Ten year average and 404% above 2012 harvest to date.

KASILOF River: Sockeye count to date - 152,091. Longterm avg. to date - 81,453. Run is up 87% above the LT average by this date.

KENAI River: ONE DAY count. Sockeye count to date - 7506. Longterm avg. to date - 2610. Run is up 187% above 1st day LT average for this date.

It is trending in the direction of some very healthy runs returning to our Southcentral sockeye streams this year. If the trend continues above expectations for the Cook Inlet total sockeye return we could be looking at the potential for a record-breaker because ADFG forecasts are for a total return that is already in the upper end of biggest returns on record. Time will tell as they say but IMO I see some things in the crystal ball that are looking quite promising for a GANGBUSTER SOCKEYE SUMMER~! Dig out those fly rods, load up on 3 for $1 coho flies and sharpen all those hooks and put on some fresh line or leader. It looks like you will need it. And patch up those holes in your dipnet or replace the web. Oh and you'll probably need to buy a bigger or extra cooler. Good Luck flogging and dipping