Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 05, 2015

Northern Cook Inlet area

Week of August 5 to August 11

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

  • Beginning August 6, the bag and possession limit for silver salmon is increased by emergency order from 2 to 3 fish in waters of the Little Susitna open to salmon fishing. The coho salmon bag limit is in combination with the current limit for pinks, chum, and sockeye salmon; 3 per day and in possession.
  • Anglers may also use bait while fishing on the Little Susitna River by regulation beginning August 6.
  • Fish Creek opens to rod-and-reel sport fishing on Saturday, August 8th, and then it’s a weekend-only fishery (Saturdays and Sundays) from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. each day. Wasilla and Cottonwood creeks are also 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.
  • 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 beginning August 10.
  • 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

  • Fishing for pinks and chums on the Parks Highway streams remains good with some limits of coho being taken. Coho are now being taken in the Talkeetna area.
  • Fishing at the Eklutna Tailrace is fair to good at times. Most people are using bait, but lures and flies are also producing fish.
  • Little Su coho fishing is above average. Use caution when boating on the Little Su as waters are low, especially up-stream of the Little Susitna Public Use Facility.
  • Coho fishing has been fair at the Deshka River. Watch for rain, as the Deshka will be a good place to fish on a rainy day.
  • Coho fishing should be good in Wasilla Creek/Rabbit Slough, Cottonwood Creek and Fish Creek this weekend.
  • Coho fishing on Yentna River tributaries is picking up and should be good this week. Aside from Lake Creek, be sure to try other Yentna tributaries and sloughs such as Moose and Indian Creeks.
  • On the west side of Cook Inlet, coho fishing should be good this week.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

  • Fishing for rainbow trout on Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north to and including Talkeetna is excellent. Stream levels are low and clear.
  • Try fishing egg and flesh fly patterns as rainbow trout are now targeting king eggs and beginning to feed on king carcasses; don’t forget the occasional leech or sculpin pattern.

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

  • For an aesthetically pleasing cooler fishing day, try the alpine lakes off the Glenn Highway. Excellent rainbow fishing in Ravine, Long Lake (mile 86), Weiner, Knob and North Knob Lakes.
  • For Grayling try Lorraine, Florence, Weiner, or Canoe Lakes.
  • If you’d like a 4-Wheel adventure, head to Wishbone or Ruby Lakes.

Archives

Mat-Su Area Archives for:
Sep 01, 2015 Aug 21, 2015 Aug 13, 2015 Aug 05, 2015 Jul 30, 2015 Jul 22, 2015 Jul 08, 2015 Jul 02, 2015
Jun 23, 2015 Jun 18, 2015 Jun 11, 2015 Jun 03, 2015 May 27, 2015 May 20, 2015 May 12, 2015 May 06, 2015
Apr 30, 2015 Apr 27, 2015 Apr 15, 2015 Jan 05, 2015