Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 10, 2018

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• Anglers are reminded that flowing waters in the Palmer-Wasilla Zone are CLOSED to all fishing until June 15.
• Many flowing waters along the Parks Highway are catch-and-release only for rainbow trout until June 15.
• Anglers are advised that, in an effort to meet king salmon escapement goals in the Susitna River and Little Susitna River drainages, the following sport fishing restrictions are in effect May 1 – July 13:

Units 1-6 of the Susitna River drainage:

• Sport fishing for king salmon (of any size) is open to catch-and-release in the Deshka and Yentna rivers.
• Sport fishing for king salmon is closed in the remainder of the Susitna River drainage.
• Only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure is allowed in the Susitna River drainages. Single-hook means a fish hook with only one point. Treble hooks and more than one single-hook are prohibited.
• Fishing for other species, including trout, will be allowed seven days per week, this includes the waters within Unit 2 that are normally closed during the king salmon season.

Little Susitna drainage:

• Only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure is allowed in the Little Susitna River drainage. Single-hook means a fish hook with only one point. Treble hooks and more than one single-hook are prohibited.
• Fishing for king salmon is allowed; however, king salmon may only be retained on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in the Little Susitna River drainage. King salmon may not be retained on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and any king salmon caught on these days may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
• The annual limit of two king salmon 20 inches or longer is areawide. The total annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or longer taken from fresh waters of Cook Inlet remains at five, which only two may be from the Little Susitna River drainage.
• The Eklutna Tailrace is excluded from all king salmon emergency order restrictions.
• Anglers are reminded that on the little Susitna River, a person may not sport fish from a boat that is powered by use of a motor, unless the motor is a 4-stroke motor or direct fuel injection 2-stroke motor. Anglers may use a boat powered by a non-direct fuel injected 2-stroke motor to access areas to sport fish from the bank, but may not sport fish from the boat.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• It is early for king salmon in the Susitna and Little Su drainages. There is still lost of shelf ice on the Susitna River, but break-up should happen close to this weekend.
• The waters downstream of Burma Landing on the Little Susitna River and the mouth of the Deshka River are good places to catch an early king.
• The gate is now open to the Eklutna Tailrace; typically the first kings caught there are at the end of May.

 Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Rainbows overwintering in the Susitna River are starting to ascend Parks Highway streams. The mouths of the Parks Highway streams including Willow Creek and streams to the north are providing some good rainbow and grayling fishing with occasion Dolly Varden being caught.
• Reminder, Deception Creek is closed to all fishing until June 15.

Northern Pike

• 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.
• Pike are just now starting to spawn and may be found in shallow, grassy waters. Nancy Lake canoe system and Big Lake along the shore lines and near outlets may prove productive for spear fishing as the ice retreats.
• Pike can be a little sluggish while spawning, so try a variety of lures. Where bait is allowed, herring under a bobber can’t be beat. This is also a good time to try bow fishing for pike.
• For road-accessible pike fishing try the Nancy Lake Recreation Area lakes and Big, Prator, Memory lakes.

 Lake Fishing

• The stocking truck will be out this week! The first lakes to receive fish will be: Loberg, Kepler/Bradley, and Matanuska.
• Later this week: Echo, Memory, Bruce, Knik, Lucille, Reflections, Meirs, and Irene.
• Shore fishing Finger Lake was productive this past weekend and should continue to be good this week.
• You can see which lake has been stocked on our website at this link: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=SportStockingHatcheriesSearch.main

Personal Use

• Hooligan fishing is open and they should be available in the lower Susitna first and progressing into the lower Yentna, once ice is out.
• You must hold an Alaskan resident sport fishing license (or ADF&G senior license or ADF&G Disabled Veteran’s license) in order to use a dipnet to catch hooligan. You may take as many hooligan as you will use.