Angling Regulations
This is a brief summary of fishing regulations which apply to Kluane National Park and Reserve. Complete National Park regulations may be obtained at park offices.
Open Season for fishing is year round.
Closed Waters
Fishing is prohibited in Sockeye Lake and the creek between Sockeye Lake and Louise Lake.
Traditional subsistence fishing may be carried out by local First Nations people in northern national parks.
Permits
Permits for annual and 1 day periods are available at the Kluane National Park and Reserve Visitor Centre in Haines Junction and at the Parks Canada office in Whitehorse. They may also be available from retail outlets near Kluane National Park and Reserve.
Anyone under 16 years of age does not require a fishing permit if accompanied by a person with a permit. Their catch of fish is included within the catch limit of the permit holder. Anglers under 16 may purchase a fishing permit and fish unaccompanied and would have their own catch limit.
You must purchase a national park fishing permit when angling in Canada’s national parks. Yukon fishing licenses are not valid.
When angling in Kluane National Park and Reserve, it is unlawful to:
- Fish without a valid National Park permit
- Fish by any method other than angling
- Fish from 2 hours after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise
- Use more than one rod and line
- Leave a fishing line unattended
- Use, or be in possession of a lead sinker or jig weighing less than 50 grams
- No person shall use or have in possession for use as bait, live or dead fish or any parts thereof
- Use a motor-powered boat on unauthorized waters
- Use a snowmobile other than on the ice surface of Kathleen Lake
- Sell, offer to sell, trade or barter fish caught within the park
- Waste or allow fish suitable for human consumption to spoil
- Fish while employed as a fish guide or boatman during hours of employment
The possession limit shall not exceed one day’s legal catch.
The fish belong to all of us. Please contact park staff if you witness any illegal fishing activity. Prompt action in reporting such incidents is important.
Sport Fishing Regulations
1. Kathleen Lake, Louise Lake and the River between the two Lakes:
a. Catch and possession:
- All trout and char species (except rainbow) 2
- Arctic grayling 4
- Kokanee salmon 0
- Whitefish 4
- Rainbow trout (catch and release only)
- All species of game fish in aggregate 6
b. Slot limits - anglers must release all fish between the following lengths:
- Lake trout: 65 - 100 cm (26" - 39") in length
- Arctic grayling: 40 - 48 cm (16" - 19") in length
- Only one fish of each species may be in your daily limit or possession over this slot length size.
c. Requires barbless hooks only.
2. Kathleen River:
The same as Kathleen Lake except:
- Requires the use of barbless single hooks only.
3. All Other Park Waters:
a. Catch and possession:
- Rainbow trout (catch and release only)
- All trout and char species 2
- Arctic grayling 4
- Whitefish 4
- Northern pike 4
- All species of game fish in aggregate 6
b. Maximum size limits for the following fish:
Catch and release of all fish over specified size:
- Lake trout: 65 cm (26") in length;
- Arctic grayling: 40 cm (16") in length;
- Northern pike: 75 cm (30") in length
c. Requires barbless hooks only.
Regulatory Objective
The overall regulatory objective is to manage and control the consumptive use of the park fishery but not to limit recreational angling opportunities for the park visitor. Lower possession limits and special conservation measures are implemented for Kluane National Park & Reserve waters while natural fish stocks are still relatively unimpaired and fishing is still good. To wait until fish stocks have declined and angling quality has deteriorated before implementing regulatory changes would undermine the Parks Canada mandate to leave these resources unimpaired for future generations.
Be bear aware, fish entrails attract bears. Dispose of them in a park garbage container or sink in backcountry water bodies. Puncturing the air bladder is important to ensure fish entrails sink.
Overnight backcountry visitors to the park are required to register their proposed trips at the Kluane Visitor Reception Centre in Haines Junction or the Tachäl Dhäl (Sheep Mountain) Visitor Reception Centre.
Help us maintain the park’s wilderness character. Please comply with national parks’ pack-in pack-out policy and use low impact camping practices.
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