Nome Roadside Fishing Guide Contents

Home , Brackish water, Fish River (Alaska), Grand Central River, Kougarok River, Nome River, Penny River

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. They are fish. Pike are predators that primarily predators that feed almost exclusively eat other fish but have been known to on other fish. Burbot spawn during eat muskrats, voles, and small ducks. the late winter and are usually found in Pike can grow to over 20 pounds in the lower reaches of rivers, however, Little is known about the population Seward Peninsula waters and may live they are sometimes seen curled status or biology of burbot on the around rocks in fairly rapid area. Seward Peninsula.

6 L e a s t c i s c o , Coregonus They feed on small clams and snails, sardinella, is a relatively small can reach about 24 inches in length, whitefish that occurs in Imuruk and are occasionally caught while Basin drainages, Salmon Lake, Safety sport fishing. The general life history Sound, and the Fish River system. of humpback whitefish is similar to that of least cisco.

Broad whitefish, Coregonus for Arctic grayling. Round whitefish nasus, are present in the same waters as spawn in late fall. least cisco, can reach a larger size, and are prized as a food fish in some areas. Bering cisco, Coregonus Broad whitefish are seldom caught laurettae, are anadromous fish that while sport fishing. The general life travel to the sea for several years and Least cisco feed on plankton and are sometime found in brackish water spawn in the middle reaches of rivers lagoons. Bering cisco are not known during late fall. Young emerge in the to spawn in any rivers on the Seward spring and drift to the lower reaches of Peninsula and the fish that occur rivers where they spend most of their here may be part of the anadromous lives in sloughs and lakes.

H u m p b a c k w h i t e f i s h , history of broad whitefish is similar to Coregonus pidscian, are present in that of humpback whitefish. Pilgrim, Kuzitrin, and Fish rivers. Round whitefish, Prosopium cylindraceum, are present in most Seward Peninsula rivers. They inhabit the same habitats as Arctic population that spawns in the Yukon grayling. Round whitefish feed River. primarily on small, aquatic insects that are sometimes caught while fishing

7 Bob Blodgett Nome-Teller Highway

The Bob Blodgett Nome- also accessible from the Glacier Creek round. A few burbot also inhabit the Road. Boat access is available to the Snake River. Teller Highway, also known as the Nome-Teller Road or the Teller lower river from a launch area near enny iver Road, begins in Nome and roughly the Nome Port facility. Chum, pink, P R : The Penny River is a small clear parallels the southern coastline of coho as well as a small run of sockeye water stream that is crossed by the the Seward Peninsula for 72 miles salmon can be found seasonally in the Nome-Teller Road via a bridge to Teller. It crosses a number of Snake River. Arctic grayling are year at mile 13.2. The river supports rivers that drain the south side of the round residents that inhabit the entire small spawning populations of Dolly Kigluaik Mountains and enter directly drainage, but the overall population is not large. The grayling population Varden, chum, pink, and coho salmon. into the Bering Sea. is managed to maintain the spawning There is a healthy population of stock, and because the population is small resident Dolly Varden in this Snake River: small, there are restrictive bag limits. stream. Fishing success varies with The Nome-Teller Road crosses the Check the fishing regulations. Dolly run timing. Chum salmon fishing is Snake River via a bridge at mile 7.9 Varden are usually available during closed in the Penny River. from which the river is accessible by early spring and during the fall, foot, raft, or canoe. The upper river is although some may be present year

8 Bob Blodgett Nome- crossed by a bridge at 26.7 mile. In Tisuk River: addition to resident Arctic grayling, the Teller Hwy Continued... The Tisuk River is crossed at mile 48 river contains spawning populations of the Nome-Teller Road and contains of Dolly Varden, Chinook, chum, small populations of anadromous Cripple River: pink, sockeye, and coho salmon. The Dolly Varden, chum, pink, and coho The Cripple River is crossed by a river is navigable by jet boat from the salmon. A healthy population of small bridge at mile 20.3 and is somewhat bridge downstream, and accessible by resident Dolly Varden inhabit this larger than the Penny River. It contains foot upstream and downstream of the river system. Access is by foot from the same species. Fishing for Dolly bridge. The Sinuk River produces the road near the bridge. Varden is usually good in the fall, and large Arctic grayling. pink salmon fishing can be good along Bluestone River: its lower reaches. Arctic grayling Feather River: The Bluestone River is crossed have not been documented in this The Feather River is crossed by at mile 58.1 by the Nome-Teller river, buy may be present in very the Nome-Teller Road at mile 37.4. Road, and parallels the road for some small numbers. Chum salmon fishing This narrow, clear stream contains distance. Although populations are is closed in the Cripple River. small populations of Arctic grayling, small, species present include Arctic anadromous and small resident Dolly grayling, Dolly Varden, chum, pink, inuk iver S R : Varden, and chum, pink, and coho and coho salmon. Access is by foot The Sinuk River is the largest river salmon. Access is by foot from a from the bridge. along the Nome-Teller Road, and is pullout near the bridge.

9 The Nome Taylor Road

The Nome-Taylor A few Chinook and sockeye spawn annually in the Nome Road, also known as the Kougarok Road, begins in River. Arctic grayling are Nome via either the Beam currently depressed and the Road or the Anvil Mountain river is closed to fishing for Bypass. Both meet near this species. Dexter about eight miles rand entral from Nome and continue G C north along the Nome River River: upstream to its source. The Grand Central River The road then crosses a is located 35 miles north low pass to Salmon Lake. of Nome on the Kougarok A campground courtesy Road. It flows for about ten of the Bureau of Land miles from its headwaters to Salmon Lake and is Management is located at ome iver N R : accessible by foot from a pullout the outlet of Salmon Lake at the The Nome River is crossed by a near the bridge about one mile from source of the Pilgrim River. The road bridge at mile 13 and is accessible at the lake. Anadromous Dolly Varden parallels the Upper Pilgrim River, Osborn Creek, Dexter, and at many spawn in this river and Arctic grayling which is visible at various distances locations along the 20 mile distance are sometimes present. Coho and from the road. After crossing the paralleled by the road. Because of the sockeye salmon also spawn in the Pilgrim River at mile 65, it continues good access, this is one of the most Grand Central River, but fishing for about three miles to the Kuzitrin heavily fished rivers in the Nome for salmon is prohibited. The river River. The road extends another 18 area. It contains a small population supports a population of small resident miles and crosses the Kougarok River of resident Arctic grayling, and Dolly Varden in its headwaters. which is the limit of travel for two anadromous populations of Dolly wheel drive vehicles. Varden, chum, pink, and coho salmon.

10 The Nome-Taylor Road from the outlet of Salmon Lake to the same size as the Pilgrim River but is road crossing. Boats may be launched very shallow and contains the same Continued... just downstream from the bridge, and species. Northern pike are present the river is navigable from the bridge upstream and downstream from the Salmon Lake: The Kougarok Road parallels downstream to Imruk Basin (about bridge. Northern pike are present Salmon Lake’s northwestern shore 34 river miles). The Lower Pilgrim upstream and downstream from the for about 8 miles with small spur River has numerous sloughs and lakes bridge, and large numbers of whitefish roads providing lake access. The that provide fishing for northern pike. and longnose suckers reside in this best access is at the lake outlet, the Access is also possible by foot slower moving river. source of the Pilgrim River, where upstream and downstream from the Kougarok River: the Bureau of Land Management bridge. Fish species present in the Past the bridge over the Kuzitrin maintains a campground picnic area. Pilgrim River include year-round River, the Kougarok Road parallels the The lake contains Arctic grayling, resident Arctic grayling, whitefish, Kougarok River eventually crossing it anadromous Dolly Varden, least cisco, burbot, and northern pike, anadromous via a bridge at mile 86. This is the round whitefish, and a few burbot. Dolly Varden, Chinook, sockeye, functional limit of travel on this road, Sockeye salmon spawn in the lake, chum, pink, and coho salmon. Fishing although 4-wheel drive vehicles may however, sport fishing for all salmon varies with the run timing of various travel farther. The Kougarok River is prohibited in Salmon Lake. species. Sockeye abundance has contains populations of resident increased in recent years, however Arctic grayling and anadromous Dolly Pilgrim River: the abundance of Arctic graying is The Kougarok Road parallels the Varden. This river may be floated relatively low, and a more restrictive from the bridge downstream to the Pilgrim River for 19 miles from bag limit of two per day with only Salmon Lake to the bridge at mile Kuzitrin River road crossing, but the one over 15 inches is in place on the river is shallow and slow moving. 65. The road is usually some distance Pilgrim River. from the river, and access is available only in a few locations. You can Kuzitrin River: access the source of the river at the The Kuzitrin River is crossed by the BLM campground at the outlet of road at mile 68 and is navigable by jet Salmon Lake. Rafts or canoes may be boat both upstream and downstream launched for a float of the upper river from the bridge. The river is about the

11 The Nome-Council Road

The Nome-Council Road, east of the Nome River mouth. Fishing also known as the Council Road, near the mouth of the river is primarily begins at Nome and stretches for for anadromous salmon and Dolly about 73 miles to the old mining Varden, although starry flounder town of Council located on the north can also be taken there. A pull out bank of the Niukluk River. The road near the bridge provides access to parallels about 35 miles of Norton the immediate vicinity, and a small Sound coastline along the beach road about 1/8-mile past the bridge berm separating Safety Sound from provides access to a popular upriver the sea. The road then turns inland pool. This gated road also leads to the along the Solomon River and follows VOR aircraft navigational aid and is the East Fork of the Solomon River sometimes closed. The Nome River over Skookum Pass down into the is closed to sport fishing for Arctic Fox River drainage before ending on grayling. the south bank of the Niukluk River at Council. Safety Sound and Bonanza Channel: Nome River Mouth: The road crosses the outlet of Safety The Nome-Council Road crosses Sound at mile 22 and continues along the Nome River just upstream from the barrier spit for another 11 miles the lagoon about three miles east of before turning inland and crossing Nome. There is access to the mouth Bonanza Channel. Pink salmon and of the river about one half miles west Dolly Varden are sometimes taken of the bridge, and also through Fort near the outlet of Safety Sound and Davis, a historic military outpost along the inland side of the spit. located on the Bering Sea coast just Burbot and whitefish also occur here.

12 The Nome-Council Road chum, pink, and coho salmon which Council and the river is navigable are seasonally available to anglers. by jet boat in both directions. In Continued... A few residents Arctic grayling addition, the Niukluk River provides are present, but grayling fishing is access to the Fish River, which may be In the fall this is a popular fishing prohibited because of the very small traveled for many miles and provides area for saffron cod. Boats may populations. access to fishing in its mainstem as be launched in Safety Sound and well as its many tributary streams. Bonanza Channel to access the ox iver The Fish River also provides access Bonanza, Flambeau, and Eldorado F R : As the Nome-Council Road to the village of White Mountain rivers. descends Skookum Pass, it crosses the about 15 miles downstream from the Fox River after following it for about mouth of the Niukluk. Fish species ten miles. This small tributary to the present in the rivers include resident Fish River offers the opportunity to Arctic grayling, burbot, whitefish, catch Arctic grayling and chum, pink, and northern pike, and anadromous and coho salmon. Dolly Varden, Chinook, chum, pink, and coho salmon. Bear River: Just a few miles from Council, the road crosses the Bear River, a tributary to the Niukluk River. This small creek contains Arctic grayling and some salmon in its lower reaches. Solomon River: Niukluk River: The Nome-Council Road parallels The Nome-Council Road ends the Solomon River between miles on the south bank of the Niukluk 35and 50 before ascending Skookum River at the historic mining Pass along the river’s East Fork. The town of Council. Boats may be Solomon River contains populations launched from a gravel bar at of anadromous Dolly Varden and

13 Management

Sport fisheries in Alaska are by the Alaska Board of Fisheries. bag limit adjustments to reduce primarily managed with daily bag and harvest, gear restriction such as “no possession limits. A daily bag limit Escapement goals have not yet bait” regulation to reduce efficiency is the number of a given species that been established and approved for all of the fishery, or catch and release can be harvested in a calendar day. A species and rivers in the Nome area. (C & R) fishing only. A “no bait” possession limit is the number of a In cases where there is not a formal regulation usually accompanies a C & given species that can be possessed escapement goal, the Department uses R regulation in order to minimize the in an unpreserved state. A fish is an average of historic escapements mortality rate of fish that are released. considered “preserved” if, in a given as target numbers. Salmon are state of preservation, it is fit for human counted at towers and weirs on the consumptions after a 15-day period major spawning streams throughout and does not include unfrozen fish Norton Sound. These numbers temporarily stored in coolers that are compared to historical passage contain ice, dry ice, or fish that is and to the escapement goal for that lightly salted. species on a daily basis as the runs progress. If it appears that a goal in a Salmon: Salmon populations particular stream will not be met, the are managed to achieve a given Department has the ability to adjust level of spawners in each stream. harvests from various fisheries by The number of salmon that escape emergency order. commercial, sport, and subsistence Subsistence fisheries are given fisheries to spawn in rivers is called priority in Alaska, so sport and “escapement.” Escapement goals by commercial fishing are restricted species and river are calculated by the before restriction in subsistence Department using historic spawner, fishing are imposed. Sport fishing harvest, and return data, and reviewed restrictions may include season ore

14 Arctic grayling: different harvest regulations for per year. The result is that it takes Arctic grayling populations are different streams. Thus far, this many years for fish to reach 20 inches managed to maintain a given number approach to management is working in length. Once reaching maturity of spawning-size fish (over 15 in the Nome area. grayling experience very low levels inches) in each river. Mark-recapture of annual natural mortality. They Arctic grayling are resident in techniques have been used to estimate may live for 30 years and are typically Nome area streams and this area the number and size composition of sustained with low levels of annual produces large grayling, but they Arctic grayling in the major streams recruitment of small fish. near Nome since the Such populations early 1990s. The results cannot tolerate high of several estimates from levels of exploitations, each river were used and when overharvested to establish a baseline it takes many years for a population in terms of population to recover. abundance and size that the Department would An example of this like to maintain in each is the Nome River stream. grayling population that was reduced prior to Streams are currently our first mark-recapture assessed every five estimates in 1990 to 1991. or six years and the Knowledge of the low results are compared to number of fish in the river this baseline. Should resulted in a complete closure to abundance fall below the desired level do not reach large sizes quickly. Arctic grayling fishing. Continuing for a given stream, the Department However, grayling in this area grow studies have found that the population will amend the bag limit for that rapidly and reach maturity at 16 or had not recovered as of 2010. It stream to reduce harvests until the 17 inches in seven to eight years. will likely take many years for the population recovers to baseline levels. After reaching maturity, growth population to rebuild to a level where The results of this work has been slows averaging only about 1/4 inch fishing will be allowed.

15 Catch and Release: Most anglers are concerned about quickly a fish is landed, the greater its Some fisheries are managed with the fish populations and the effects of chances of surviving when released, catch & release (C&R) regulations. their angling practices on those fish especially if the water is warm. In other fisheries, anglers choose landed and released. Most scientific C&R is sometimes used as a to practice C&R fishing. In some studies of C&R on trout, grayling, management measure when harvest fisheries the practice of C&R has and char have found that almost all must be minimized to preserve the improved catch rates and the average of those fish released will survive. opportunity to fish in a particular size of fish. Nevertheless, C&R can result in fish dying if they are hooked in the gills water. In most Alaskan situations Most Arctic grayling populations or stomach as is sometimes the case C&R is a voluntary measure that in the Nome area have sustained a while fishing with bait. anglers take as they move away from limited harvest over the years. Anglers harvest as the primary motivation

wishing to harvest a legal bag limit Extensive or rough handling for fishing. Those that do harvest, of Arctic grayling may either fish decreases the chance of a fish surviving sometimes practice C&R during their for a short time and harvest the first and the longer that a fish is held out angling experience. In either case, fish captured, or selectively harvest of the water, the poorer its chances anglers should be aware of methods fish from their catch by practicing of survival. Fish become more that minimize the impact of C&R on C&R. Other anglers may choose not stressed and exhausted when water the fish they release. to harvest any fish, but practice C&R. temperatures are high. The more

16 This brochure was produced by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game Division of Sport Fish, Region III (Includes the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim and Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River areas)

Regional Office: Nome Field Office: Alaska Department of Fish & Game 103 Front Street 1300 College Rd. Pouch 1148 Fairbanks, AK 99701 Nome, Alaska 99762

Reach us on the web at: http://www.ADF&G.alaska.gov/index.cfm?ADF&G=SportByAreaInterior.main

Nome area fishing regulations are posted on the web and can be viewed by clicking the link for “Regulations” on the above website. Emergency orders are also posted and updated daily on our website.

ADF&G administers all programs and activities in compliance with state and federal civil rights and equal opportunity laws. Obtain the full ADF&G and Americans with Disabilities Act and Office of Equal Opportunity statement online at www.ADF&G.state.ak.us or from the ADF&G Public Communications Section at 907-465-6166.