Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

September 03, 2014

Northern Cook Inlet area

Fall Fishing Report
Issued September 3, 2014

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• The bag and possession limit for coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length was increased from two to three fish per day and in possession in the Little Susitna River from its mouth upstream to the Parks Highways bridge. The coho salmon bag limit is in combination with current limits for pink, chum and sockeye salmon; three salmon, other than king salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, can be taken per day and in possession.
• By emergency order Fish Creek has been liberalized to fishing 7 days per week. Sport fishing in Cottonwood and Wasilla creeks remains open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Anglers are reminded that sport fishing is only allowed in all of these waters from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. The bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon, 16 inches or greater in length remains at three per day and in possession, of which all three may be coho salmon, in the waters of Fish Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Wasilla Creek.
• Jim Creek, including all waters downstream to the Knik River and continuing downstream on the Knik River to within 100 yards of its confluence with Bodenburg Creek is closed to sport fishing for any species on Mondays and Tuesdays. Mud and Leaf lakes are closed to all fishing.
• Only catch and release fishing for rainbow trout and grayling is allowed year-round on Montana Creek. On Willow Creek, rainbow trout are catch-and-release only downstream of the Parks Highway.
• Keep in mind that single-hook, no bait restrictions are in place for many of the flowing waters.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• The best success for coho salmon this time of year comes from the Talkeetna River and nearby streams, such as Sunshine and Rabideux creeks.
• Willow Creek, Montana Creek and the Eklutna Power Plant Tailrace also usually see late silvers trickling in through mid-September.
• In early September, silvers can be found in the tributaries and sloughs of the Yentna and Skwentna rivers. Most anglers try at Moose, Indian, Bottle, or Hewitt creeks. Expect slow fishing conditions.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Rainbow trout fishing should be good to excellent well into freeze up. Look for trout with the spawning coho during the last two weeks in September. When the waters do drop, target trout in deeper holes and near or below the mouths of streams draining into the Susitna. Flesh flies and sculpin patterns work well in late fall.

Northern Pike

• Pike fishing will continue to improve until freeze up.
• Road accessible lakes include Nancy, South Rolly, Tanaina, and Memory Lakes.
• Try Alexander and Trapper Lakes for fly-outs.
• Pike are also to be found in Sucker, Donkey and Eightmile lakes.
• River fishing is good in the sloughs of the Yentna and Susitna Rivers.

Lake Fishing

• With the cooler temperatures of fall approaching, Mat-Su Valley lakes provide excellent fishing as fish become much more active, and feed in shallower water.
• In the Palmer/Wasilla area, Lorraine, Carpenter, Knik, Lucille, Kepler, Rocky, and Echo lakes are stocked with rainbow trout.
• Lakes stocked with landlocked salmon are Matanuska, Finger, Beverly, Loberg and Klaire.
• Arctic char are stocked in Benka, Finger, Irene, Long, Lynne, Marion, Matanuska, Prator, and Seventeenmile lakes.
• Along the Glenn Highway northeast of Palmer, Seventeenmile, Slipper, Long, Ravine, Weiner, Knob and North Knob lakes all have rainbow trout.
• If it's Arctic grayling you're looking for, try Bruce, Canoe, Reed, Finger, Florence, Knik, Meirs, Lorraine and Kepler/Bradley lakes.