Area Sport Fishing Reports
Anchorage

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 19, 2020

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by following and reviewing the current State of Alaska Health Mandates in effect. This includes practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing and wearing a face covering when fishing and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store as indicated in Health Alert 010.

* The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted two proposals establishing new sport fish regulations for the Anchorage Management Area at its Anchorage February 2020 meeting. Please see the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet for a complete summary of the Anchorage sport fisheries regulations.

Emergency Orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

  • Emergency Order 2-SS-2-51-20 increases the bag and possession limit for coho salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, to six fish in Ship Creek drainage from its mouth upstream to a cable 100 feet downstream of the Chugach Power Plant Dam effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, August 20, 2020.

Freshwater Fishing

Hooligan

  • Dipnetting for hooligan is closed.

Rainbow Trout/Dolly Varden/Arctic Char

  • Fishing for Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden on many parts of the Campbell Creek and Chester Creek drainages has been good lately. Anglers can have success for local trout by casting small spinners and spoons through deep pools or drifting egg imitation fly patterns and beads behind spawning salmon.

Salmon

  • Ship Creek is currently open to salmon fishing, except kings, from the mouth to a cable 100 feet below the Chugach Power Plant Dam. The remainder of the creek, including 300 feet above the Elmendorf Power Plant Dam, near the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, is CLOSED YEAR-ROUND to ALL fishing.
    • Effective July 14, Ship Creek can now be fished 24 hours a day, but king salmon may NOT be retained. Please immediately release king salmon, while not removing them from the water.
    • Coho salmon continue to enter the fishery with every tide. Anglers using bait on the incoming and outgoing tides, and spinners or spoons at high slack have been having good success in this fishery. Try drifting salmon roe under a bobber or behind a spin-n-glow. Lots of pink salmon are in the creek as well.
    • Please make sure to keep any unwanted salmon in the water until you can safely remove the hook and release them. If you remove a coho salmon from the water it counts as part of your bag limit even if you release it.
  • Bird Creek (lower portion) opened to fishing (except king salmon) on July 14. Both bait and spinners are good for catching coho salmon in this system.
    • Coho catches are picking up and lots of pinks are still getting picked up.
    • Bird Creek is highly tidally influenced, super muddy, and there is private land prior to and after the ADF&G markers! The private land starts approximately 100 yards before the ADF&G markers on both sides of the creek. In order to access upstream of the private property sign, anglers must remain in the streambed. Access in this section of the creek is limited to the streambed only and the surrounding land is private. Above the ADF&G marker is closed to salmon fishing. Please be respectful of the private property in this area.
  • Chester Creek is closed to salmon fishing.
  • Portions of Campbell Creek opened to coho salmon fishing on July 14. No other salmon species may be targeted or retained on Campbell Creek.
    • Coho salmon fishing picked up with the recent rain.
    • If you accidently hook a king salmon, please keep it in the water and release it immediately. King salmon may NOT be retained.

Map of Campbell Creek openings

Saltwater Fishing

Hooligan

  • Dipnetting for hooligan is closed.

Local Lakes

  • Anchorage Bowl lakes continue to fish well! Not familiar with all the stocked lakes? Check out our handy brochure with locations, access, and other valuable information on our Anchorage area lakes.
    • Try casting small spinners or fishing a single egg or worm under a bobber in the mornings or evenings.
    • Check out the stocking webpage to find out where fish have been stocked.
  • Symphony Lake is currently open to fishing. This is a fantastic destination for a day hike or an overnight trip to catch some Arctic grayling. Small hardware, like spinners and spoons, and both dry and wet flies work well for these fish.
  • If you are looking for Arctic grayling fishing that is a little closer to home, try checking out some of our stocked grayling lakes. They might be on the smaller side, but they are such a treat for the kids to catch. Launch a canoe or raft into Taku/Campbell or Delong lakes in Anchorage or Alder Pond in Portage Valley. Small nymphs have been working well to catch these fish.
  • Sand Lake is one of the larger Anchorage lakes, containing a variety of fish species present in it. Try fishing the edges of the weed beds and underwater drop offs for rainbow trout and Arctic char. With limited shore access, a canoe or kayak provides anglers a great opportunity to fully explore this lake.
  • Lakes on JBER have been stocked catchable rainbow trout. Just a reminder, you need to register with iSportsman and check with base personnel prior to fishing on JBER.
  • Northern pike are not native to Anchorage area lakes but there are some in Lower Fire Lake. If you catch a pike in any Anchorage area lake, please do not release it.

Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2020 sport fishing license through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Area Office at (907) 267-2218.

Archives

Anchorage Area Archives for:
Sep 11, 2020 Sep 02, 2020 Aug 26, 2020 Aug 19, 2020 Aug 12, 2020 Aug 05, 2020 Jul 30, 2020 Jul 22, 2020
Jul 15, 2020 Jul 08, 2020 Jun 30, 2020 Jun 24, 2020 Jun 16, 2020 Jun 10, 2020 Jun 03, 2020 May 28, 2020
May 20, 2020 May 13, 2020 May 06, 2020 Apr 29, 2020 Apr 08, 2020