Chitina History

• The town of Chitina was a prosperous copper mining center in the early days of the gold rush. It is named for the Chitina River, a tributary of the Copper River that empties into it, directly across from the town of Chitina.
  
  

Chitina Fishing

• The ADF&G has closed the Chitina River to any fishing. Chitina fishing gets its name from the subdistrict that allows it, which extends from the McCarthy Bridge, north of Chitina, south to the mouth of the Haley Creek on the Copper River.
  
  

Dip-Net Fishing

• Dip-net fishing is the only method allowed in the subdistrict. Fishermen use 10- to 20-foot pole dip nets. Swift currents and murky waters make the fish invisible. Fishermen put in the net and wait for the fish to hit it.
  
  

Popularity

• The challenges of swift currents and murky waters bring fishing enthusiasts to Chitina every year. Thousands of anglers come every year to dip-net fish for migrating salmon.