Tongass National Forest

Tongass Home » Districts & Offices » Yakutat Ranger District

Things to consider while visiting Yakutat

General information

• While the Forest Service enforces Alaska sport fishing regulations, the regulations themselves are established by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, which maintains a web page specific to Yakutat fishing regulations.
  
  
• None of the District rivers are immediately adjacent to Yakutat proper. Ground, air or water transportation will need to be arranged. The Situk, Dangerous, Ahrnklin, and Antlen rivers are accessible by road. Generally you will need a charter flight to reach the Italio, Akwe, and Old Italio rivers.
  
  
• Yakutat is a remote village that can only be reached by boat or plane. It has a small clinic and volunteer Emergency Medical Service. Please use safe practices during your trip. Also, please be aware that there is no pharmacy in Yakutat.
  
  
• Crowding can be an issue during peak fishing seasons on the Situk River.
  
  
• Be sure to check whether your target species is in season when planning your trip.
  
  
• Yakutat averages around 130 inches (330 cm) of rain per year; rain gear is usually a good item to pack for your visit.
  
  
• There are several species of biting insects in Yakutat. In addition to sometimes heavy mosquito swarms, we have punkies also known as "noseeums" and whitesocks - a biting black fly. Whitesocks are noted for commonly producing painful allergic reactions in some persons. We recommend protective clothing and/or repellent.
  

Bear information

There are a great number of brown (grizzly) and black bears in the Yakutat Ranger District. While these top level predators are usually fascinating to observe and not threatening to humans, there are occasional bad encounters between humans and bears. One condition that leads to bear aggression is mishandling of food and fish scraps. Please follow these practices:

• Be alert! When in the woods, especially when near salmon streams and rivers, look around frequently to detect bears.
  
  
• Don't fish when bears are in sight or when their presence is suspected. Move to a different fishing spot if needed; if you have a fish hooked, break the line. Keep all your caught fish in the water, not on the bank.
  
  
• Make noise. Almost all bears want to avoid encounters with humans. Let them know that you are there. Bears' sense of hearing is more acute than their eyesight.
  
  
• Cast all fish scraps into the deeper parts of the river. Scraps from cleaning fish attract bears. Bears that learn to associate humans with food become a threat and often must be killed for the safety of the public. This practice seems to be one of the most difficult for visitors to follow, perhaps because we have all been taught not to put litter in rivers. Keep in mind that the salmon naturally die in the river and the carcasses provide important nutrients to the river ecology.
  
  
• Don't leave food out and unattended in your camp, whether in the woods or along the ocean beaches.
  
  
• There is more complete bear safety information here.

 

 

USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest Accessibility Statement
Last Modified: November 20, 2007