Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 29, 2017

Week of August 30 to September 5

Emergency Orders and Regulation Reminders

• Starting September 1, the Parks Highway streams and many other Mat-Su and West Cook Inlet waters go to no bait and single-hook only; therefore, review the 2017 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet before going fishing.
• By Emergency Order No. 2-SS-2-39-17, bait is allowed once again on the Little Susitna River through September 30, 2017. The bag and possession limit remains at three salmon, of which only two may be a coho salmon.
• By Emergency Order No. 2-SS-2-38-17, the daily bag and possession for salmon was increased to four fish, except king salmon, in Wasilla and Cottonwood creeks. All four salmon may be coho. In addition, the two-day weekend only fishery was extended to include Monday; therefore, fishing is allowed Saturdays through Mondays from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• By Emergency Order No. 2-SS-2-37-17, the daily bag limit and possession limit for salmon was increased to four per day and eight in possession, except king salmon, in the Susitna River drainage (Units 1-6) through September 30, 2017. All four salmon may be coho; however, no more than three per day and six in possession may be pink, chum, and sockeye salmon in combination.
• By Emergency Order No. 2-SS-2-36-17, Fish Creek is open to fishing for salmon seven days per week, 5:00 a.m. to10:00 p.m. The bag and possession limit for salmon is four fish, except king salmon, of which all four may be a coho salmon.
• Jim Creek is closed to sport fishing for all species on Mondays and Tuesdays. Fishing is only allowed between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• Talkeetna River, Montana Creek, Kashwitna River, Willow Creek, and Little Willow Creek are good places to fish for coho salmon this week. Also try Sunshine and Rabideux creeks.
• Jim Creek has a late run of coho through September and fishing there is fair.
• Wasilla, Fish, and Cottonwood creeks should be fair to good for coho salmon.
• Fishing for coho salmon on the Little Susitna is good throughout the river downstream of the Parks Highway Bridge. Now is a nice time of year for a float trip.
• In early September, fair to good coho fishing can be found in the tributaries and sloughs of the Yentna and Skwentna rivers. Try fishing at Moose, Indian, Eightmile, Bottle, or Hewitt creeks.
• Fair to good coho fishing should continue through mid-September in West Cook Inlet streams such as the Kustatan, Theodore, and the Chuit rivers.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Rainbow trout fishing on area streams is expected to be good to excellent through the weekend. These streams should also produce fair catches of Arctic grayling and Dolly Varden.

Northern Pike

• Pike can be taken using spears, bow and arrow (the arrow must be attached to the bow by a line), bait, spinning, and fly-fishing gear. Try top-water weedless lures, spoons, and flies in the heavily vegetated bays and sloughs, or herring suspended under a bobber.
• For road-accessible pike fishing, try Nancy Lake, Big Lake, Anderson Lake, or lakes in the Nancy Lake Canoe System, such as Phoebe, Little No Luck, South Rolly, Ardaw, Echo, Candlestick, and Red Shirt lakes.
• For fly-in fishing try Alexander, Trapper, Eight-mile. and Sucker lakes.

Lake Fishing

• With the cooler temperatures of fall approaching, lake fishing should improve. Fish become more active, and feed in shallower water. Lake fishing can provide that feeling of solitude you may be longing for after a long summer of combat fishing. Now would be a great time to dust off the float tube and hit the lakes.
• If you would like to fish several lakes in one day, try Loberg, Meirs, Echo, Matanuska, Canoe, and Irene.
• Further north on the Parks Highway, for a day of rainbows try Visnaw, Seymour, and Lalen lakes.
• Instead of waiting in line for fair traffic, try taking the kids fishing at Matanuska, or Kepler-Bradley lakes. You can also access Klaire and Victor lakes from the Kepler-Bradley Lakes State Recreation Area.