By Allison Rein
Special to the Turnagain Times
The Russian River’s long been a favorite place to catch sockeye salmon, for both people and bears. People clean their fish before cooking, or preserving them, while bears aren’t so particular, and have found easy pickings on the parts people discard. Fish cleaning stations along the river have been removed and a campaign to discourage fish cleaning along the Russian is underway this summer.
Gutting entrails and gilling are allowed along the river. Anglers should be prepared to haul out whole fish, or clean the fish at the Russian/Kenai River confluence. At the confluence, the salmon carcasses should be chopped into small pieces and thrown into fast-moving water.
The recommended methods to process and dispose of fish carcasses are to clean the fish at home and dispose with your regular garbage, using bear-wise garbage handling practices (use bear resistant garbage containers and keep garbage in secure location until as close to pick-up time as possible), or use a professional processing facility.
Do not clean and dispose of fish carcasses in lakes or streams, roadside pullouts, campgrounds, trailheads or picnic areas, or at toilet facilities, drinking fountains or in bear resistant food lockers.
The Russian River is located in Cooper Landing, on the Sterling Highway.