Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 30, 2015

Northern Cook Inlet area

Week of July 29 to August 4

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• Fish Creek is open to dipnetting for salmon (except kings) until 11:00 p.m., Friday, July 31. Dipnetting is only allowed between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Remember to carry your dip net permit, clip your fish’s fins, and mark them on your permit before concealing from view or transporting them from your fishing site. Plan on packing your fish out, respect private property, and please don’t use 4-wheelers on the stream bank, or to cross Fish Creek.
• A youth only fishery on Fish Creek will open on Saturday and Sunday, August 1-2 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. The fishery allows anglers age 15 and younger to fish for all species, except king salmon, in waters between ADF&G markers at the mouth of Fish Creek and markers ¼-mile upstream of Knik-Goose Bay Road. The daily bag limit is three salmon; only two per day may be silver salmon. The weekend-only fishery for anglers of all ages will commence on August 9.
• 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 Bodenberg Creek will close to sport fishing on Mondays and Tuesdays after August 9th.
• Bait is now allowed in many – but not all – Susitna River tributaries. Check for exceptions to the general regulations before heading out.
• Anglers are reminded that bait is not allowed on the Little Susitna River until August 6, and the daily bag and possession limit for silver salmon is two fish.
• Wasilla Creek and Cottonwood Creek 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 may not be used on Wasilla Creek on Saturday 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.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Recent rains have muddied some waters making fishing fair. Waters are forecast to drop throughout this week. Chums are strong in numbers along Parks Highway streams north to Talkeetna, with some silver salmon mixed in. Try the mouths and lower sections of Willow, Little Willow, Kashwitna, Sheep, Caswell, and Montana creeks.
• Fishing is expected to be good this next weekend for red and silver salmon on Cottonwood Creek. Also try Jim Creek.
• Expect some silvers at the mouths of Deshka River and Alexander Creek. To date, about 700 silvers have crossed the Deshka weir.
• Silver and chum fishing is good to excellent at the Little Susitna and silvers are becoming more regular at the Eklutna Tailrace.
• Silver fishing should improve in Wasilla Creek / Rabbit Slough this weekend.
• On the west side of Cook Inlet, silvers are entering the Chuit and Theodore rivers. Once you take your limit of silver salmon in this area you must stop fishing for the day.
• Take a child fishing at the youth only fishery at Fish Creek this Saturday and Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. Only youth 15 and under are allowed to fish, which includes hooking the fish; however, adults may assist youth in casting and landing fish. Silver fishing is expected to be good.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Fishing for rainbow trout on Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north is fair due to recent high water, but expected to become excellent once more as waters drop during this week.

Northern Pike

• Pike can be taken using spears, bow-and-arrow (the arrow must be attached to the bow by a line) bait, spin, and fly-fishing. Try top-water weedless lures and flies in the heavily vegetated bays and sloughs. Herring suspended under a bobber is a sure-fire bet.
• Anglers may retain as many pike as they catch — there is no bag or possession limit. In the freshwaters of West Cook Inlet and Susitna River drainage, anglers are not allowed to release live pike back into the water.
• For road-accessible pike fishing try Horseshoe, Rainbow and Anderson lakes or the Nancy Lake Canoe System Lakes; specifically Frazier, Little Frazier, Tainiana, Ardaw, Milo, Lynx, and Nancy lakes.
• Pike are also present in the lakes, ponds and sloughs of the Susitna River drainage. Boat-accessible locations for pike fishing include the Deshka River, Fish Creek, Flathorn Lake, Hewitt Lake, Fish Creek (Kroto Slough), Moose Creek (Yentna River), and Alexander Creek.
• For fly-in fishing try Alexander, Trapper, Shell, Eight-mile and Sucker lakes.

Lake Fishing

• Lake fishing has been consistently excellent and provide great opportunity when local streams are high and muddy due to recent rains.
• Over 80 lakes are stocked in the Mat-Su with plenty of options for great fishing. Contact ADF&G or visit our website for information on driving directions, access and lake depths.