The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that John Hedberg Lake has been added to the stocking program in the Northern Kenai Peninsula Management Area. John Hedberg Lake is located at approximately milepost 23 of the Kenai Spur Highway in Nikiski and will be stocked with 700 rainbow trout catchable sized fish on September 2, 2021, at approximately 2:30 p.m. Beginning in 2022, this lake will be stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout fingerling yearly. Details for John Hedberg Lake can be found on the ADF&G Alaska Lake Database.
The bag and possession limit for rainbow trout in this stocked lake is five fish, of which only one fish may be 20 inches or greater in length. The annual limit for rainbow trout 20 inches or longer is two. If you retain a fish greater than 20 inches, you must immediately record that harvest on your harvest card or sport fishing license.
The stocking program provides alternative opportunities for anglers that might otherwise direct their efforts toward native fish that are vulnerable to overfishing. As sport fishing effort continues to increase in the Northern Kenai Peninsula, hatchery fish are becoming a more important to satisfy recreational demands.
For additional information, please review pages 67 and 89 of the 2021 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet or contact the ADF&G Soldotna office at (907) 262-9368.