Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Recent Emergency Orders & Press Releases for Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

Bait is allowed starting July 14 in many – but not all – Susitna River tributaries. Check for exceptions to the general regulations before heading out.
Bodenburg Creek, including all waters of the Knik River within a 100-yd radius of the mouth of the creek is closed year–round to fishing for salmon.
A youth-only fishery for ages 15 and under will occur Saturday and Sunday, August 3-4.
Fish Creek opens to fishing for all anglers on August 10 - the week after the youth-only fishery. Then it’s a weekend-only fishery from 6 am-6pm each day.
Anglers are reminded that bait is not allowed on the Little Susitna River until August 6th, and the daily bag and possession limit for silver (or “coho”) salmon is two fish.
Wasilla and Cottonwood creeks are weekend-only fisheries, from 6:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Wasilla Creek is open to fishing for salmon, other than king salmon, from its mouth upstream to the Alaska Railroad bridge; and Cottonwood Creek from its mouth upstream one mile. Motorized watercraft capable of producing more than 42 pounds of thrust or 3 horsepower may not be used on Wasilla Creek on Saturdays and Sundays, July 15 - August 15.
Coho salmon 16 inches or longer once removed from fresh water must be retained and become part of the bag limit of the person who originally hooked the fish. A person may not remove a coho salmon 16 inches or longer from the water before releasing it.

Coho are slowly arriving to Northern Cook Inlet Streams.
Little Su coho fishing should improve into the weekend. Coho catch rates are building.
Jim Creek sockeye and coho fishing is slow but should pick up by the weekend; water is very high right now.
Fishing at the Eklutna Tailrace has been slow. Fishing is best early mornings with bait. This run will improve into August.
Fishing has been slow but is starting to pick up on the weekend fisheries at Cottonwood Creek and Wasilla Creek.
Expect fair fishing at the mouth of Deshka this week.
Fishing for pinks and chums on the Parks Highway streams is good with the occasional coho catch. Typically, this coho fishery peaks within the next two weeks.
Coho fishing is expected to be fair to good on Yentna River tributaries. Lake Creek is producing a few coho; be sure to try other Yentna tributaries and sloughs such as Moose and Indian Creeks.
On the west side of Cook Inlet, coho are entering the Chuit and Theodore rivers, also try Polly Creek or the Kustatan River Once limits of coho salmon are taken in these waters, anglers must stop fishing for the day.

Fishing for rainbow trout on the Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north is excellent. Fishing for Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling should be good. Parks Highway streams are low and clear.
This is a good time of year for a float trip for trout; for a remote float trip, try Deshka from Oilwell Road down to the mouth (vehicle drop-off and boat pick-up) or the Talachulitna from Judd Lake to mouth (air drop-off and pick-up). For one day floats closer to town, try Sheep and Willow Creeks from the Parks Highway down to the mouth.

Pike can be taken using spears, bow-and-arrow (the arrow must be attached to the bow by a line) bait, spinning tackle, and fly-fishing gear. Try top-water, weedless lures and flies in heavily vegetated bays and sloughs. Herring suspended under a bobber is a surefire bet.
Anglers may retain as many pike as they catch — there is no bag or possession limit.
For road-accessible pike fishing, try Nancy Lake and other lakes of the Nancy Lake Recreation Area, Long Lake near Willow, Memory and Prator lakes.
Boat-accessible pike fishing can be found in the side sloughs of the Deshka River, Alexander Creek, Fish Creek (Kroto Slough) and in Hewitt Lake.
For fly-in pike fishing try Alexander, Eightmile, Trapper, Flathorn and Sucker lakes.

Lake fishing remains hot the hatchery truck has been working overtime stocking some really nice fish.
Recently stocked lakes with Arctic char include: Irene, Carpenter, Matanuska, Lynne, Prator, Long Lake (mile 86), Finger, and Marion.
More rainbow catchables were recently stocked in Knik, Rocky, Weiner, Long Lake (mile 86) and Seventeenmile Lakes.
Kid friendly locations include Kepler/Bradley, Finger, Matanuska, South Rolly, and Lucille Lakes.