With unprecedented restrictions on fishing for king salmon, the Haines Sportsman’s Association has turned to coho.
Group president Charlie DeWitt said the board is in the early stages of planning for a new coho derby, which would most likely run from late September to early October.
The association has been forced to cancel its annual king salmon derby for the last three years to protect a depressed number of fish returning to the Chilkat River. Low returns also canceled the derby in 2008 and in multiple years during the 1990s.

“If the fish stocks weren’t there, we weren’t going to do the derby,” DeWitt said.
The king salmon derby, established more than 30 years ago, was the association’s biggest fundraiser. Funds went to youth activities and scholarships.
“We need to do something as a revenue producer, or we can’t keep up with scholarships,” said Shane Horton at the association’s April 11 board meeting.
Sportfish area management biologist Rich Chapell said there should be an average coho salmon run coming in this fall that should be able to support a normal harvest.
“I don’t imagine (the derby) having that dramatic of an effect on total catch,” Chapell said.
Sport fishermen catch up to 2,000 coho per year, compared to an escapement range of 50,000-70,000 to the Chilkat River.
“If each fisherman is fishing within bag limits (two per day on the Chilkoot River and three per day on Chilkat River), then there shouldn’t be any problem,” Chapell said.
He said bag limits were conservative. Bag limits elsewhere in Southeast are six coho salmon per day in fresh water and saltwater.
DeWitt said he’s seen local interest in coho sport fishing decline. “When there was nothing else to do, fishing was a big factor. I don’t think people think it’s that much fun anymore, but maybe (at the derby) we could have a little fun.”