Continuation of Alaska's high quality sport fishing will depend upon more anglers choosing to practice catch and release. Even though you will be fishing in a wild and remote area, nature has its limits. Research has indicated that a 15" grayling may be 15-20 years old. To keep the catch rates high, we have elected to require catch and release fishing for all Arctic Grayling on our trips. For salmon, all females are to be released. Male Coho and Chum may be kept in accordance with catch limits currently in effect. We require all King salmon to be released.
The Grayling in the systems you will be fishing, are wild. Grayling are tough when it comes to surviving an Alaskan winter, but do not do well within a hatchery, plant-in-stream environment.
Our goal is to maximize your fishing opportunity while assuring the health of the stocks of these wild grayling. This increases the possible number of fish available for you to catch. Additionally, they do not freeze well at all. Grayling meat turns to mush when frozen then thawed. Another reason to go with catch and release.

Many sport fishing guides and lodges in Alaska now practice or require catch and release fishing for Rainbow trout, Steelhead and even Pike. Most now are bringing Grayling into their catch and release practices.

Wise management (both officially and via self-management) dictates that grayling will survive sustained catch and release practices. This is why we are able to offer fishing trips where you will catch the maximum number of fish possible, yet return them to the stream to fight another day.

For salmon we promote catch and release. However if you do wish to keep your limit of salmon, you may keep the male Chum and male Coho salmon. The females deposit their eggs in only one redd (nest). A male may service up to several redds. All the salmon in our fishing area, Kings, Silvers and Chums, die after they spawn; following their return to the freshwater streams they were hatched in. We require all King salmon to be released.

Current "best practices" for releasing a fish

• Used pinched barb or barbless hooks
• Land the fish quickly
• Keep the fish in the water
• Avoid touching the gills
• Wet your hands before handling the fish
• Handle the fish gently
• Back the hook out gently
• Cut the line if the fish is deeply hooked
• Support the fish facing into the current until it swims away

Click here for a video from Orvis on catch and release.

Click here for a video on how to catch an Arctic Grayling.