Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Recent Emergency Orders & Press Releases for Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

On the Deshka River, the use of bait and multiple hooks (treble hooks or two single hooks) is allowed.
The annual limit was restored to 5 king salmon over 20 inches in length on the Deshka River and Little Susitna River on June 26. King salmon harvested in the Deshka River or Little Susitna rivers apply to the combined Cook Inlet annual limit of five fish.
Sport fishing gear and time restrictions implemented on the Little Susitna River in advance of the season have now been repealed and regulations listed in the regulatory summary booklet on page 46 are in effect, except bait will be allowed July 6 to July 13 by EO.
Parks Highway streams within Unit 2 of the Susitna River are now closed to king salmon fishing as written in regulation.
The remainder of the Susitna River drainage will continue to be managed conservatively during the king salmon season. All emergency restrictions currently in place for waters of the Susitna drainage open to king salmon fishing, with the exception of the Deshka River, remain through July 13.
The Eklutna Tailrace is excluded from all king salmon emergency order restrictions.

Fresh waters

Salmon

King salmon fishing on the Deshka River is fair. Weir counts have dropped off recently, but later season pulses of fish are not uncommon on this system. The best fishing is well upstream of the mouth, but be careful when navigating those shallow waters.
King fishing at the Little Su is expected to be fair to good this weekend. Bait fishing is allowed through July 13, the end of the king season. A few chum salmon are arriving. It’s likely a few early coho will be caught this week as well.
Deshka and Little Su weir counts are available online at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/FishCounts/ .
Lake Creek and some of the lower tributaries of the Yentna River are still producing some king salmon. Only four days of harvest (Friday-Monday) remain at Lake Creek.
Catch-and-release fishing for kings on the Talkeetna River should be good through the end of the season at the mouth and first two miles of Clear Creek.
King fishing at the Eklutna Tailrace has been fair to good over the past several days and is expected to be fair this next weekend. Bait fished under a slip bobber is a good technique for the Tailrace. The Tailrace is open year round to king fishing.
Early sockeye may start arriving at Jim Creek and Cottonwood Creek later in this week. Remember, Cottonwood Creek is only open 6a.m.-6p.m. Saturday and Sundays from its mouth upstream a distance of one mile.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

Stream fishing has been good for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and Arctic grayling from Willow up to and including the Talkeetna River.
Willow Creek has multiple access points off Willow Fishhook Road; single day float trips are popular.
For the adventurer, try a hike up the North or Middle forks of Montana Creek.
Freshwater tributaries of the Chulitna, such as Honolulu Creek should also provide good rainbow trout opportunity.

Northern Pike

Pike fishing can slow considerably with warmer water temperatures. Try top-water weedless lures and flies in the heavily vegetated bays and sloughs.
For road-accessible pike fishing try Horseshoe, Rainbow and Anderson lakes or the Nancy Lake Canoe System Lakes; specifically Frazier, Little Frazier, Taniana, 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 continues to be excellent this summer with over 80 Matsu lakes stocked.
Hot spots for rainbow trout include Lucile, Seymour, Finger, Kepler/Bradley, and Matanuska Lakes.
Grayling can be found in Finger, Florence, Ida, Kepler/Bradley, Knik, Meirs, Ravine, Reed, Long Lake (mile 86), and Lorraine Lakes.
Try fishing rainbows a little deeper this time of year as the warm weather continues.