Summer Becoming an OutdoorsWoman Program announced

Women with an interest in the Alaska Outdoors should take a look at ADFG's Becoming an OutdoorsWoman program. This summer's course will be at the Lost Lake Boy Scout camp near Fairbanks from June 9-11, 2006. From the ADFG website:

The “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” program began in 1991 as an experiment to determine whether providing an educational opportunity would be enough to welcome women outdoors.

That first workshop filled to capacity. It would have filled two or three times.

Since 1991, the workshop has expanded to 44 states and eight Canadian provinces, with many states offering multiple opportunities. Women are interested in learning outdoor skills. When the opportunity is offered, they line up for the chance to be involved.

The name of the “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” program comes from an effort to create the type of atmosphere in which women learn best—supportive and nonthreatening. Participation, however, is not limited to women.

Shrimp information leaflet

Speaking of shrimp, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has published a leaflet on taking the tasty little crustaceans from Prince William Sound waters. The downloadable PDF document is available from the ADFG website.

Lynn Canal shrimping closed through June 30

The Department of Fish and Game announced recently that sport shrimping would be closed in a portion of Lynn Canal north of Juneau through 30 June 2006. Residents qualified for subsistence fishing may continue to catch shrimp in the area. The action has been taken because of declining shrimp stocks.

Recent Threads on the Alaska Fishing Forum

• malverts would like to know some reputable charters in the Seward area.
  
• Ripface needs suggestions for areas to fish BIG pike.
  
• utahfishinhawk needs a new fishing reel and wants to know what Alaskans suggest.
  
• Sockeye Sam wants to know about fishing in the King Salmon area.
  
• Frank from NM needs recommendations on rod length for his first trip to Alaska.
  
• mt al would like suggestions on where to take his 10 year old daughter fishing / hunting.
  
• gokorn1 wants to know how to open holes in the ice that have already been drilled.
  
• DarrisC is moving to Alaska and would like to know where he can use his boat for halibut, ling cod, and rockfish.
  
• GLAK has read about folks using vacuum savers and would like some recommendations.
  
• Dr. Fish wants to know the basics about POW lake fishing with flies in mid April.
  
• Alaska Gray would like to know what a good nylon string is for halibut.
  

Great Alaska Sportsmans Show

The Great Alaska Sportsmans Show has provided us a printed schedule of events for the 2006 show. This is in a PDF, so you can print it and take it with you.

Hot Threads on the Alaska Fishing Forum

• Frank from NM needs to know what the best line is to spool the reels with for his trip this August.
  
• Doug from Anchorage inquires about PWS shark fishing.
  
• Adventures went pike spearing and wants to share the experience.
  
• Chris_Stout is volunteering fishing trips aboard his boat in exchange for a few dollars saved on gas and parking.
  
• fox_racer2005 is making his first trip to Alaska; has never fished for salmon before, and would like to know everything possible about silver salmon fishing.
  
• buzby would like to know how long it takes to get to Knight Island from Whittier.
  

Alaska Fly Fishers auction today

Women's Flyfishing reports in its newsletter that the Alaska Fly Fishers Annual Auction will be today Friday, March 10th at 7:00 p.m. at the Millennium Hotel. Silent auction and appetizers begin at 5:00 p.m.

Some great bargins here, Pudge says. You don't have to be a member to attend and to bid.

Red salmon bag limits reduced in Iliamna area

Because of a low pre-season forecast, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is reducing the bag limit for red salmon from five fish to two fish per day in all waters of the Kvichak River / Lake Iliamna drainage, in compliance with the “Kvichak River Sockeye Salmon Management Plan.” The bag limit reduction applies to the waters of the Kvichak, Newhalen, and Tazimina rivers and their tributaries, and lakes Clark, Sixmile, Iliamna, and all other tributaries into these lakes.
The Sport Fish Division also closed fishing in some waters to eliminate the potential for conflict between sport and subsistence fishing.

Boards Question State Fish & Wildlife Enforcement

Concern has been building in Alaska that a Department of Public Safety reorganization early in the Murkowski administration has reduced effective fish and wildlife law enforcement. The reorganization eliminated the Division of Fish and Wildlife Protection, replacing it with the Alaska Bureau of Wildlife Enforcement. Last fall, the Alaska Boards of Fisheries and Game wrote Commissioner Tandeske expressing their concern and requesting statistics.

For the complete letter text see Alaska Hunting News & Tips: Boards Question State Fish & Wildlife Enforcement:

Southcentral Alaska fishing guidebooks

Today I came across a large number of ADF&G publications relating to fishing in Southcentral Alaska. They cover a wide range of information: regional overviews, area guides, run timing, and species specific information. Here are a few examples:

Southcentral Alaska Northern Pike (1212 K) - A mini "roadside guide" covering lifecycle, access, and regulations. Terminal Tackle in Southcentral Alaska (6 K) - Popular salmon fishing tackle suggestions. Kenai Peninsula Run Timing (102 K) Sport Fishing Opportunities on Kodiak Island (839 K) - Descriptions of all the popular sport fisheries on Kodiak Island. Recreational Fishing in the Kenai River (307 K) - Run timing, maps, fishing techniques, access, and regulations.
Kenai Peninsula Razor Clams (351 K) - Distribution, beach access, how to dig, and regulations.

If you are planning a fishing trip to SC Alaska, you may find some of these pretty helpful.