Alaska Department of Fish and Game - Official

28/10/2026

Anglers and paddlers have easier shore access at Gertrude Lake and Long Lake, thanks to two new fishing docks installed in 2023.

ADF&G teamed up with Alaska State Parks and the Coast Guard on the project. The ADF&G Boating and Angler Access Program covered key materials, the Coast Guard sling-loaded the dock sections into place, local ADF&G staff installed the docks, and State Parks built the access platform and ramp.

At Lake Gertrude, the dock sits at a day-use picnic site and has quickly become a go-to spot for launching kayaks and rafts or fishing over one of the lake’s deeper holes. Rainbow trout have been stocked here every year since 1953.

At Long Lake, the dock sits in front of a public-use cabin, with easy fishing for stocked rainbows and a convenient place to launch your boat, kayak, or raft.

Both sites are managed by Alaska State Parks. For questions about either of these sites, please contact State Parks directly.

Great partnerships, better access, and more ways to enjoy these lakes.

Have you fished or paddled either lake? Tell us your favorite spot in the comments below.

Have questions about fishing? Check out the comments.

27/10/2026

Exciting news about wood bison in Alaska!

26/10/2026

Moose and Jack-O-Lanterns don’t mix.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) wants to remind you to remove your pumpkins. These are tempting treats for moose which can cause scary encounters at your doorstep.
Many people celebrate fall holidays with decorations and outdoor displays, including pumpkins. Pumpkins are a treat for moose and can draw them to houses and keep them in neighborhoods, increasing the potential of dangerous encounters. Pumpkins are not a natural food source for moose, and can cause problems in their digestive tracts, harming them rather than helping them.

Help keep your family and neighbors safe by keeping wildlife wild. Put away or dispose of pumpkins in an appropriate manner so that moose can’t eat them. Remember, feeding wildlife is illegal whether it’s intentional or negligent.

If you encounter aggressive moose around your home, in areas frequented by the public, or witness feeding or evidence of feeding, contact the Anchorage ADF&G office at (907) 267-2257 Ext #2, the Alaska Wildlife Troopers at (907) 352-5401, or report online at the ADF&G website (see in comments).

26/10/2026

Born in a remote Alaska cabin and weighed on a fishing scale. That's how Israel Payton's story begins.

Today, Israel serves as director of ADF&G's Division of Sport Fish, but his journey to that position is anything but ordinary.

In the latest episode of The Fish Count, we talk about growing up in the Alaska bush, his family's fight to establish a subsistence fishery, his years on the Alaska Board of Fisheries and what the future might hold for Alaska's king salmon.

We also get into some fishing stories, including his annual "Trout Week" tradition on the Kenai River.

It's a great conversation about Alaska, fishing and a lifetime spent connected to our natural resources.

Listen to the latest episode of The Fish Count on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Links in comments.

22/10/2026

Please look out for moose! 🫎 Slow down and flash your hazard lights if you see them near the road. 💡 🚘 💡

22/10/2026

Keep an eye on your mailbox! If you purchased an Alaska sport fishing license in 2026, you may be selected to receive this year’s Alaska Sport Fishing Survey.

Your responses help us understand where Alaskans fish and how many fish are caught and kept, helping us manage and improve our sport fisheries.

Check the comments for more information about the survey!

21/10/2026

Looking for easy saltwater access on the north end of Ketchikan? Knudson Cove Boat Launch Ramp has you covered.

About 14 miles north of downtown, this popular two-lane ramp and moorage float is located next to Knudson Cove Marina. You’ll find a restroom, fish cleaning tables, and garbage receptacles nearby.

The ADF&G Sport Fish Boating and Angler Access Program, in cooperation with the City of Ketchikan, gave the ramp a major upgrade. Both ramp lanes were replaced for safer low-tide launching and less trailer wear, the harbor was dredged so you can launch even at extreme low tides, and new boarding floats and a stairway from the upper parking lot make getting to and from the water easier.

The City of Ketchikan operates and maintains the facility through a cooperative agreement with ADF&G Sport Fish.

Have you launched from Knudson Cove? Tell us in the comments!

21/10/2026

Alaska's Wild Wonders: Waterfowl

Did you know that waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans) have a nail on their beak? That they don’t have teeth? That they all have webbed feet? That some nest in holes in trees? That sea ducks can drink ocean water and filter out the salt?

Read about all of this and more in the latest issue of Alaska’s Wild Wonders, the ADF&G student magazine, which dives into the world of waterfowl. More than just interesting facts about waterfowl and the ways that scientists that study them, this issue features the amazing artwork of Kim McNett. Her artwork does more than make the pages beautiful – it invites readers to go out into the field themselves, watch waterfowl and make observations, and record them visually in a nature journal. And, it doesn’t just have to be students – anyone could and should read Wild Wonders and try their hand at nature journaling. 🦆

Educators can subscribe to and get a FREE class set of Alaska’s Wild Wonders in the mail each fall (subscribe now for the fall of 2027!). If you missed subscribing in time to get the waterfowl issue, get in touch with regional educators – they have extra copies, first come first serve until they run out. Check out the issue webpage for lots of related resources to complement the issue – vocabulary, classroom activities, learning standards, further reading, links to related resources, and more.

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=educators.wildwonders

📷: © ADF&G
Photographers: Tasha DiMarzio, Jen Curl

🎨: © Kim McNett

21/10/2026

Less than two weeks left to enter our 2027 Sport Fishing Photo Contest!

We’ve gotten some great photos so far, and we’d love to see even more from Northern, Southwest and Southeast Alaska!

Here’s a look at just a few of the submissions we’ve received so far. Got a favorite fishing photo of your own? We’d love to see it!

Check out the comments for a link to the contest rules and information on how to submit your photos.

17/10/2026