Nome Roadside Fishing Guide CONTENTS Sport Fishing Along the Nome Road System..................................................1 Fishes of the Nome Area.................................................................................3 Bob Blodgett Nome-Teller Highway...............................................................8 Nome-Taylor Road.........................................................................................10 Nome-Council Road......................................................................................12 Management..................................................................................................14 Map..............................................................................................................Back cover PLEASE NOTE: Before Sport fishing in Nome area waters, please be sure to consult the current year’s “Region III: Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim & Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River Fishing Regulations Summary.” You will find fishing regulations for the Nome area in the “Northwestern Drainages” section of the regulation booklet. REMEMBER: Just because a fish is listed as present in a particular Nome area waterway in this booklet does not mean it is legal to fish for that species. ALWAYS CONSULT CUrrENT REGULATIONS SPORT FISHING ALONG THE NOME ROAD SYSTEM Nome’s road system is unique Refer to the section in this Sitnasuak Native Corporation and the in rural Alaska and affords access publication, “Fisheries of the Nome Alaska Gold Company own much to a number of rivers that provide Area,” for seasonal availability of of the land near Nome. In addition, excellent opportunities to catch a sport fish in Nome area streams. various village corporations own most variety of fish species. The Nome of the land near their villages and area is known for its large Arctic You may wish to pursue other there are many private mining claims grayling and the multitude of waters outdoor recreational activities in in the area. The State of Alaska owns available to the road bound angler. the Nome area. Hikers, campers, the water and the floodplain of rivers backpackers, wildlife watchers, up to the ordinary high water mark and birders will find many prime and these areas are for public use. locations along Nome’s road system. Opportunities to view spawning The ability to legally access waters salmon and other wildlife such as in the Nome area without trespassing muskox, reindeer, moose, bear, and is complex and beyond the scope of a great diversity of birds may be this booklet. To date, trespass for found along Nome area roadways. the purpose of accessing state fish Check with the Alaska Department and wildlife resources has not been of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the a problem, but users of the land Bureau of Land Management, and the are doing so at the courtesy of the Nome Visitor’s Bureau about areas landowners. The roads are open seasonally and of interest and information on recent in some years are not passable over wildlife sightings. Please respect private land. Do not their entire length until July. The litter. Pack out everything you pack Alaska Department of Transportation ACCESS in. Clean up after others. The way and Public Facilities in Nome, phone you treat the land may influence your (907) 443-3444, can provide a Much of the land adjacent to rivers ability to use it in the future. summary of current road conditions. and streams is privately owned. The 1 VEHICLES IN STREAMS traditional ford locations, contact Alaska Commercial Store, the Nome ADF&G at (907) 459-7284. ADF&G office, and online at: It is illegal to drive a motorized http://www.ADF&G.alaska.gov/ land vehicle (4X4 truck, ATV, etc.) SEASON AND BAG LIMITS in a salmon spawning stream. This index.cfm?ADF&G=fishingSportFish includes all the streams on the Nome Currently, sport fishing is open ingInfo.eonr year round. Seasons and bag limits road system. There are, however, a For changes to regulations or for are subject to change, so check the number of “traditional fords” in the current emergency orders that may be current regulations before you start Nome area where it is legal to cross in effect, check with ADF&G or visit: a stream with a vehicle. An example sport fishing. of a legal ford is the Niukluk River http://www.ADF&G.alaska.gov/index. Regulations and fishing licenses are at Council. For a complete list of cfm?ADF&G=SportByAreaInterior. available at Eagle Quality Center, the main 2 FISHES OF THE NOME AREA and Pilgrim rivers, but even here the accessible waters. run sizes are only a few hundred fish. Adults usually ascend streams Adults ascend rivers in June to in early to mid-July and spawn in spawn in July or early August. August. Young fish emerge from the Femailes may contain 8,000 eggs. Young fish emerge from the streambed the following June and usually remain in freshwater CHINOOK SALMON (also called for two years before traveling to “king salmon”) Oncorhynchus sea. They spend three to five years tshawytscha occur in small number at sea before returning to spawn. in many Seward Peninsula rivers with streambed the following June and largest runs in southern Norton Sound CHUM SALMON (also called travel directly to salt water where they streams. The only rivers with runs “dog salmon”) Oncorhynchus keta, remain for three to five years before of Chinook that are accessible from are common in almost all Norton returning to their home river to spawn. the road system are the Fish, Niukluk Sound drainages including most road 3 FISHES OF THE NOME AREA PINK SALMON (also called CONTINUED... “humpies”) Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, are the most common salmon in road accessible waters. They spawn in SOCKEYE SALMON (also called almost all Seward Peninsula streams. “red salmon”) Oncorhynchus nerka, They are the smallest salmon, occur on the Seward Peninsula in averaging two to four pounds in sizable numbers only in the Pilgrim Seward Peninsula waters. and Sinuk rivers, where they spawn in Salmon Lake and Glacial Lake. Stronger runs occur in even numbered years when runs can be COHO SALMON (also called eight to ten times larger than runs in “silver salmon”) Oncorhynchus odd numbered years. Pink salmon kisutch, spawn in most Seward enter streams from late June through Peninsula waters. Adult coho enter July and spawn in July or August. Nome area streams from late July Young fish emerge from the streambed through mid-September with runs the following spring and travel directly peaking during the latter half of to sea where they remain until the next August. Spawning occurs from mid- They ascend to the lakes during year when they return to spawn. The September with runs peaking during late June through early August and entire life cycle is completed in two the latter half of August. Spawning spawn during July and August. Young years. occurs from mid-September through fish emerge the following spring and October. Young coho emerge from the usually spend one or two years rearing streambed the following spring and in the lake before migrating to sea. remain in freshwater to rear for one or They remain at sea for two to three two years. They move to salt water in years before returning to their home the spring where they remain for only river or lake to spawn. Small numbers one year before returning as adults to of sockeye occur in most Seward spawn at three to four years of age. Peninsula rivers. 4 FISHES OF THE NOME AREA In the Nome area, Arctic grayling to their home river to spawn. Some grow rapidly until becoming mature may remain in a river all summer (not CONTINUED... and may reach 17 inches in length traveling to sea) during the year in by age seven or eight. Nome area which they will spawn, but most spend ArcTIC GRAYLING Thymallus grayling may live for 30 years and some time at sea each year. Unlike arcticus, occur in most Seward reach a large size. Because most Pacific salmon, Dolly Varden do not Peninsula rivers. They are a freshwater populations are composed of a high species although they are sometimes proportion of old, large fish, they found in brackish water lagoons. can easily be over-fished, and do not Grayling spawn in the spring and recover quickly. This is why the bag young emerge from the streambed limits restrict the harvest of large after two to four weeks, depending (spawning-sized) grayling in all easily on water temperature. Fish live in accessible waters. the stream for five to seven years before maturing to spawn for the DOLLY VARDEN Salvelinus malma (often confused with Arctic char), are locally called “trout” and die after spawning and can survive to occur in most Seward Peninsula spawn several times. Prespawning rivers. They spawn in September or Dolly Varden usually enter fresh water October and young fish emerge from during late July or early August while the streambed the following spring. nonspawners may return to fresh Young fish rear in freshwater from two water any time from late August to to five years before first migrating to mid-November. sea at about six inches in length. They make annual spring migrations to feed first time and usually spawn annually in salt water, and return to fresh water thereafter. Arctic grayling feed each fall where they remain until the primarily on drifting stream insects following spring. Dolly Varden make and sometimes eat small fish, eggs of two to four annual migrations between other fish, and even small mammals. fresh and salt water before returning 5 FISHES OF THE NOME AREA CONTINUED... NORTHERN PIKE Esox lucius occur in the Lower Pilgrim and Kuzitrin rivers, other drainages of Imuruk Basin, and in the Fish River. Pike are freshwater residents that sometimes enter slightly brackish water. They are usually found in slower moving waters and backwater sloughs of rivers or in lakes. Northern pike spawn in the spring in shallow weedy margins of sloughs and for more than 20 years. lakes. Young pike are free swimming within two weeks and feed on insects BURBOT Lota lota occur in many until they are large enough to eat small Seward Peninsula waters.