HOW to Dipnet

The basics are easy: use a long-handled dip net to scoop fish from the river. Your first trip is likely be safer, more productive and enjoyable if you go with someone who has made the trip before.

SHORE FISHING

There are several strategies to fish from shore. The flats near the bridge take entirely different techniques than the swift, deep water in the canyon.

Most people who fish the flats select a dipnet with a large hoop and 15’ to 20+’ handle. Wearing waders, you walk into the water, slide the dipnet out into the water, and walk downstream as the net is pushed downstream. When you feel a fish in the net, rotate the handle to collapse the net so the fish can’t turn around and swim out. Pull the net from the water and retrieve your fish! A helper who can take care of the fish will let you get back to fishing that much sooner. Because you can walk down the beach with your net, you can fish a large section of the bank.

Fishing in Woods Canyon, which typically has fast water, is done in two main styles - sweeping with the downstream current or holding your net in an eddy.

Fishing in the canyon requires you to have good, solid footing. If you’re precariously perched, as is often the case, you should have a harness and strong rope tied to the bank in case you fall in the water. You should have fishing buddies with you to help get back to the bank if you do fall in. Every single year people fall in while dipnetting the Copper River and don’t come out alive (Hey! You wanted adventure, right?). It is safe as long as you don’t overestimate your own abilities and underestimate the river’s indifference.

To “sweep” in the canyon, find a fishy looking spot with the water flowing downstream. The water is likely to be flowing fairly quick. Hoist your net out, upstream, and let it drop into the water. The current will push it downstream. Hopefully, before the net swings to the end of its arc, you’ll feel a bump indicating a fish is in the net. Pull the net towards you and out of the water. Don’t try lifting it straight out of the water, a relatively slow procedure, else the fish is likely to turn around and swim out. Sweeping is pretty energy intensive as you must repeatedly drop the net upstream, spend a few seconds hoping a fish swims in, pulling the net out of the water, swinging the net back upstream and repeating the process over and over.

“Eddy” fishing is usually much easier than sweeping. Again, find a “fishy” looking spot where the river water is eddying back upstream. This water pattern typically moves more slowly than the mainstream current. If the water is slow enough, you may be able to hold your dipnet in one place, particularly if you can find a rock on the bottom to rest the hoop of your net against. Another technique is to tie light line to the neck of the hoop where it attaches to the pole, tie the other end of the line to a rock or tree upstream of eddy current (just the right length!), stick the net in the water and let the line help hold things in place. You can make small adjustments to the length of your line by rolling up or releasing line around the neck of the net.

However you fish, when you feel a fish hit the net, pull it straight back to close the net beg and then out of the water. Lifting the net straight up is slow and could allow the fish to turn and swim out. Once the fish is ashore, most people like to give it a head bonk to stun it. You can use an expensive fish bonking club, a stick cut to length, or a beach rock. You don’t want to hit and bruise the body of the fish but give it a hit on top of the head behind the eyes. Now is the time to cut the tips off the tail - required by law to identify personal use fish from commercial caught fish. Kitchen or trauma shears will safely and easily do this job; a knife somewhat less so. Take a good inch or two off the top and bottom, not just little nicks. You probably don’t want to take too much off, though, as it makes picking the fish up by the tail difficult. Put the fish on a stringer and then reach inside the gill plates with a knife, scissors or your finger to cut/break some gills.This will bleed out the fish making for better eating fillets. If you do this at the stringer it prevents you from bloodying up your fishing site. Many people put 5 or fewer fish on a short stringer, then attach that to a longer line, like a dog tie out chain, that is affixed to the shore on both ends and then space the short stringers to where they do not tangle in the current.

CHARTER FISHING

There are several charter businesses working in Chitina that can either drop you off on shore or take you out to fish from their boat. Costs vary and reservations are recommended, possibly even required. The Chitina Dipnetters Association does not provide charter services nor do we represent or recommend any of the charter companies! This list of charter services is for your information only.

• Hem and Copper River Charters is located at O’Brien Creek. Mark, Sam, and their crews provide drop-off/pick-up service in Woods Canyon. They can take you out for the day and periodically check your progress. They show you proven techniques for fishing for your particular drop-off site. They can also drop you off for an overnight trip and pick you up the next morning. Use of their cleaning tables is included in the charter cost. There is usually a staff person on hand to help clean your catch for an extra cost. Reservations are recommended, see their website. (https://www.hemandcopperrivercharters.com/)
• AK eXpeditions main office is located in Chitina near the DOT rest area and outhouses. Mark and his crews take you out to fish from their boats, departing from the bridge just a mile or so away. Reservations are recommended. Filleting, vacuum sealing, flash freezing and flake ice sales are offered. (https://ak-x.com/)
• Copper River Wild LLC provides in-boat fishing, leaving from O’Brien Creek. They have a fish cleaning service and tables for the do-it-yourself types.

BOAT FISHING

While dipnetting from a boat can be very rewarding, we strongly discourage first time dipnetters and those without extensive experience navigating swift-moving Alaskan rivers from putting their own boats in the Copper River. If you’re experienced running Alaskan rivers with the size and diversity of the Copper River and have a large enough boat to manage it, talk to other people who have dipnetted from their boats and understand the challenges. The Copper River swallows a few boats every year, even those with experienced skippers.

Previous Next