Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 18, 2016

 Northern Cook Inlet area

Week of August 17 to August 23
Issued August 18, 2016

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• Use of bait remains prohibited by EO on the Little Susitna River.
• Jim Creek is closed to salmon fishing beginning Saturday, August 20, by EO. The area closed includes Jim Creek and all waters downstream to the Knik River and continuing downstream on the Knik River to within 100 yards of its confluence with Bodenburg Creek.
• By Emergency Order, the bag and possession limit for coho (silver) salmon 16 inches or greater in length has been increased to three fish in those waters of Fish Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Wasilla Creek open to salmon fishing. Mondays were added to the weekend-only fisheries of Cottonwood and Wasilla Creeks, allowing fishing to occur on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, and Fish Creek is liberalized to 7 days per week. Anglers are reminded that sport fishing is only allowed in these waters from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and that the coho salmon limit is combined with the bag and possession limit of sockeye, chum, and pink salmon.
• A youth-only fishery at the Eklutna Tailrace from the confluence with the Knik River, up-stream to the pedestrian bridge, will be open to anglers age 15 and younger on Saturday, August 20th from 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. This is an excellent opportunity to take a youngster fishing and fishing is expected to be good.
• 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 coho salmon on the Parks Highway streams is sporadic. Some limits are being taken, but plan to put in some time. For highway accessible spots try the mouths of Willow, Kashwitna, Caswell, sheep, and Montana creeks. For boat accessible spots fish the mouth of Little Willow, Bull Frog Slough, and Clear Creek on the Talkeetna River.
• Fishing for coho at the Eklutna Tailrace is fair. Early morning fishing is best.
• Little Su coho fishing continues to be below average.
• Some limits of coho are being taken on the Deshka River. Try fishing with bait under a bobber and plan to move around to locate fish.
• Coho fishing is expected to be fair to good in Fish Creek and Wasilla Creek/Rabbit Slough this next weekend. Remember Wasilla and Cottonwood creeks are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays – Mondays and Fish Creek open 7 days per week through the rest of the season.
• Yentna River sloughs such as Moose and Indian creeks are good places to fish for coho. Lake Creek mouth should be fair to good this week. For floatplane access, land in Bulchitna Lake and hike a short distance to fish lower Lake Creek.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Fishing for rainbow trout on the Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north and including the Talkeetna River is excellent. Fishing for Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling should be good.
• Try fishing egg and flesh fly patterns as rainbow trout are now targeting king eggs and feeding on king carcasses; don’t forget the occasional leech or sculpin pattern.

Northern Pike

• Pike fishing has been good in the Nancy Lake canoe system lakes; try using a weedless mouse or frog lure through the weedy areas. Fishing is best when water temperatures are lowest, such as early in the morning or late in the day.
• For road-accessible pike fishing, try just about any lake in the Nancy Lake canoe system, plus Memory and Prator lakes.
•  Fly-in fishing for pike can be excellent. Try Alexander, Trapper, Hewitt, Whiskey, Vern, and Donkey lakes.
• 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.

Lake Fishing

• It’s a beautiful time of year for Lake fishing. Cooler temperatures have fish coming in shallow early in the morning and late in the evening.
• Combine blueberry picking and rainbow trout fishing with some of our alpine lakes up the Glenn Hwy: Knob and North Knob lakes, Ravine, Weiner, and Long Lake (mile 86).