33-pound king salmon seized, man cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kenai North Beach

Type: Kenai River dipnet fishery violation

On 7/11/25 Soldotna Wildlife Troopers responded to a complaint of an individual retaining a king salmon on Kenai North Beach. Troopers located and contacted Michael Reed, 64, of Wasilla. Reed was found to have a 40-inch, 33-pound king salmon in his possession. Reed was issued a citation with a $270 fine, and his fish was seized and given to a charity.

Nets, proceeds seized in Cook Inlet dipnet case

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kenai

Type: Commercial dipnetting violation

On 7/18/24 Alaska Wildlife Troopers received a complaint of commercial dipnetters using illegal gear on the North Kenai Beach. Due to low king salmon abundance, commercial set gillnet fishing has been closed in the Kenai, Kasilof and East Forelands sections of Upper Cook Inlet. Commercial set gillnet permit holders have been allowed to use dipnets to commercial fish at their setnet sites. AWT responded and contacted permit holders Ted Crookston, 67, and Alan Crookston, 44, both of Utah. Investigation determined they were fishing with gear that met the legal definition of a set gillnet and not a dipnet. AWT seized the nets and proceeds from the illegally caught fish. Charges are pending in Kenai District Court.

Dipnetter sold Copper River salmon, troopers say

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: North Pole
Type: Selling personal use fish
On 3/13/13 William Wood, 53, of North Pole, was cited by Fairbanks Wildlife Troopers for selling 50 pounds of salmon he caught in the Cooper River personal use fishery with a dipnet. Arraignment set for 4/12/13 in Fairbanks District Court.

Kenai River dipnetter arrested, boat seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Soldotna
Type: False license application
On 7/24/10 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Robert Dodge, 44, of Oregon, at the Kenai City Dock. Dodge was participating in the Upper Cook Inlet personal use salmon fishery (dipnetting on the Kenai River), which is open to Alaska residents. Investigation revealed Dodge provided a false name during the initial contact. Information obtained during the investigation lead to the execution of a search warrant, at which time Dodge's 2005 ATEC boat was seized and an arrest warrant was obtained. On 9/4/10 the Anchorage Police Department executed the arrest warrant and remanded Dodge to the Anchorage jail on the following charges: making a false statement on a license application, prohibited conduct, criminal impersonation and making a false report. Dodge's bail is currently $2,500.

Judge Burgess ticketed on dipnetting violation

The Brig is confident the person named in the press release below is U.S District Judge Timothy Burgess of Anchorage. The judge's office was contacted twice to verify whether he had, in fact, received the citation. No reply was received. A copy of the citation, obtained by mail from the court clerk's office in Kenai, shows a middle initial of "M" for the accused. The judge's middle name is Mark. The judge was born in 1956, which is consistent with the age stated in the release. Further, a spokeswoman for the Alaska State Troopers said that according to records they checked, the person cited is Judge Burgess. On Aug. 2, Burgess signed a court paper indicating he was pleading no contest and enclosing the $110 penalty.

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sterling
Type: Fail to record salmon on personal use permit
On 7/21/10 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Timothy Burgess, 53, of Anchorage, at mile 84 of the Sterling Highway. Investigation revealed that Burgess had harvested five red salmon at the dipnet fisheries in the mouth of the Kenai River and failed to record them on his personal use permit. Burgess was issued a citation for failing to record the salmon on his personal use permit. Bail was set at $110.