One of the big issues is that "phantom" interception is occurring year round in so-called AK "winter king" fisheries... with virtually no sampling to determine stock of origin. Due to the statewide king crash of the past decade, recent efforts have been made to step up the sampling rigor... not so much out of a concern about how many BC/PNW-origin fish are being taken, but rather to see how many Cook Inlet-origin fish are being taken.

Example... right now, folks are paying hundreds of dollars to go charter fishing for dinker 10 pound and smaller "winter kings" in Homer with really no accounting for whose fish are getting low-holed.

When Cook Inlet spawners are potentially present (April 1 thru Sept 30) an annual limit of 5 chinook is enforced. But during the "off season" of Oct 1 thru Mar 31, a generous bag of 2 kings of any size daily with NO ANNUAL LIMIT just sort of reinforces this idea that it's OK for Alaskans to target these "winter" fish since they are NOT impacting stocks of local Cook Inlet origin spawners. Who cares.... take all you want all winter.... ain't hurting local stocks a bit. (Sorry, Rudy, just telling it like it is)