Southwest Alaska Fishing Booklet
The 2026 ADF&G Southwest regulation documents: files, species headings, area headings and printed pages.
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The 2026 Southwest regulation booklet in numbers
The numbers below come from the 2026 Southwest Alaska documents, which stay in force until ADF&G issues its 2027 summary; no 2027 booklet had appeared at the read date.
Printed Southwest limits give way to emergency orders, which ADF&G posts on its own page.
Rules as printed in the 2026 ADF&G Sport Fishing Regulations Summary (booklet). Effective until the 2027 summary is issued; emergency orders supersede the booklet (ADF&G emergency orders). Read November 14, 2026.
Photo of Seward: Brian, CC BY 2.0
The Southwest booklet broken into its source files
| Document | Kind | PDF pages |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Alaska regional regulations | regional | 2 |
| Licensing | licensing | 2 |
| Tackle | tackle | 1 |
| Definitions | definitions | 2 |
Rules as printed in the 2026 ADF&G Sport Fishing Regulations Summary (booklet). Effective until the 2027 summary is issued; emergency orders supersede the booklet (ADF&G emergency orders). Read November 14, 2026.
Where the Southwest booklet heads sections by fish
The right-hand column counts sections under the heading as printed, with repeats for separate areas or waters.
| Heading as printed | Sections |
|---|
Rules as printed in the 2026 ADF&G Sport Fishing Regulations Summary (booklet). Effective until the 2027 summary is issued; emergency orders supersede the booklet (ADF&G emergency orders). Read November 14, 2026.
A look at the Southwest area headings
| Heading as printed | Area | First rule lines | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLOSED WATERS/WATERS CLOSED TO SPORT FISHING | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Unless area regulations state otherwise: (a) waters within 300 feet of a fish weir or fish ladder are closed to sport fishing, unless marked differently by ADF&G markers, and (b) it is unlawful to cast, drift, or place a | page 6 |
| FELT-SOLED BOOTS PROHIBITED | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | The use of footgear with absorbent felt or similar fibrous materials on the soles is prohibited while sport or personal use fishing in fresh water. | page 6 |
| GAFFS PROHIBITED | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | A gaff may not be used to puncture any fish intended or required to be released. | page 6 |
| MOLESTING OF FISH | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Molesting or impeding spawning or the natural movement of fish contrary to lawful methods and means of sport fishing is prohibited. | page 6 |
| POSSESSION, TRANSPORT, OR MARKING OF LIVE FISH, EGGS, OR AQUATIC ORGANISMS | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | It is unlawful for a person to collect, transport, possess, propagate, export, mark in any way, or release into the waters or the lands of the state, any live fish, fish eggs, or aquatic organism, except in accordance wi | page 6 |
| SNAGGING IN FRESH WATER PROHIBITED | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | It is unlawful to intentionally snag or attempt to snag fish in fresh water. “Snag” means hooking a fish elsewhere than in its mouth. Any fish unintentionally hooked elsewhere than its mouth must be released immediately. | page 6 |
| USE OF EXPLOSIVES OR TOXICANTS | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | The use of any toxicants or explosives to catch any fish in the waters of Alaska is prohibited. However, a shaft tipped with an explosive charge (commonly known as a bangstick or powerhead) or a firearm may be used on bo | page 6 |
| WASTE OF FISH | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | The intentional waste or destruction of any sportcaught fish species is prohibited. | page 6 |
| FRESH WATER SPORT FISHING | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Fish MAY NOT be taken in freshwater using: Fixed or weighted hooks and lures (except standard manufactured ones); | page 6 |
| ICE FISHING GEAR | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Ice fishing is allowed with two closely attended lines, provided only one hook or artificial lure is used on each line. Additional gear may be used for northern pike and burbot as specified in statewide or area regulatio | page 6 |
| SNAGGING IN SALT WATER | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Snagging is allowed in saltwater, unless prohibited under area regulations. | page 6 |
| SPORT FISHING GEAR | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Unless area regulations state otherwise, sport fishing may only be done using: A closely attended single line, held in hand or attached to a fishing pole or rod, attached to no more than one plug; one spoon; one spinner | page 6 |
| SALE OF SPORT-CAUGHT FISH PROHIBITED | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | It is unlawful for anyone to buy, sell, or barter sportcaught fish or their parts. | page 6 |
| SPORT FISHING GEAR (SET LINES) FOR BURBOT | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Unless area regulations state otherwise, burbot may be taken using more than one line and hook in freshwaters where set lines are allowed for burbot provided: The total number of hooks does not exceed 15 or the daily bur | page 7 |
| SPORT FISHING GEAR FOR HERRING AND SMELT | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | In saltwater, herring and smelt may be taken using up to 15 or less unbaited, single or multiple hooks attached to a single line. | page 7 |
| SPORT FISHING GEAR FOR NORTHERN PIKE | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Northern pike may be taken by spear, unless prohibited under area regulations. | page 7 |
| SPORT FISHING GEAR FOR SQUID | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Squid may be taken using no more than two squid jigs attached to a single line. See page 39 for definition of a squid jig. Standard sport fishing gear can also be used to target squid, see page 6. | page 7 |
| USE OF ATTRACTOR (BEAD) | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | An attractor, including a bead, when used with an artificial fly, artificial lure, or bare hook, must be: Either fixed within 2 inches of the bare hook, fly, or lure, | page 7 |
| USE OF UNDERWATER SPEAR (SALTWATER) | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | In saltwater, a person may use a spear or speargun (not tipped with an explosive charge) to take fish while completely submerged or swimming on the surface, subject to applicable seasons, bag limits, and possession limit | page 7 |
| EVIDENCE OF SPECIES AND SIZE | Southwest Alaska regional regulations | Statewide retention requirements for rockfish, lingcod, and king salmon in all waters: You may fillet your catch, but all skin must remain attached to the fillets. | page 7 |
Rules as printed in the 2026 ADF&G Sport Fishing Regulations Summary, Southwest Alaska regional regulations, printed page 6 (booklet). Effective until the 2027 summary is issued; emergency orders supersede the booklet (ADF&G emergency orders). Read November 14, 2026.
Southwest booklet, answered
How big is the Southwest booklet?
Counted here: 4 documents, 0 species headings and 20 area or water entries from 2026.
Is the Southwest booklet the same as an ADF&G region?
No. Southwest is only a booklet name; ADF&G sport fish regions are Southeast, Southcentral and Interior.
Is this the current edition?
These Southwest rules are the 2026 ones, with no 2027 edition published and emergency orders able to override.
Is any next-year edition out to read?
None had been published when this was read, so no 2027 rule is printed here.
Do closures override the Southwest booklet?
Yes. The order controls, and the booklet is the fallback.
Do these rows link to ADF&G?
They do: the table’s Document column is a link to the agency file.
Are seasons printed with each row?
Not always; a few rows only direct you to a map page or another section.
Where are the other booklets?
See the Southeast booklet, Southcentral booklet and Northern booklet pages.