Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Recent Emergency Orders & Press Releases for Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

Lake fishing is where all the action is right now in the Mat-Su area. Fishing has been excellent, and the stocking truck has been very busy. Stocked lakes are perfect places to take the kids fishing and teach them a lifelong sport.
Grayling are back! Recently stocked lakes include Canoe, Kepler/Bradley, Reed, Long (mile 86), Ravine, and Ida lakes. These fish are beauties and hit readily on bead headed fly patterns and gold spinning lures. The mosquito hatch is a popular fly, if you want to try dry flies.
Arctic Char have been stocked in Benka, Echo, Finger, Irene, Long Lake (mile 86), Marion, Matanuska, Prator, and Seventeenmile lakes.
If you are looking for rainbows, give Long Lake (mile 86), Ravine, Bruce, Willow, Kashwitna, Crystal, Rocky, or Slipper (Eska) lakes a try.

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.
It should be any day now that the first king salmon is caught at the Eklutna Tailrace. This is the only location open to the harvest of king salmon in the Mat-Su. Bait and multiple hooks are allowed in this stocked fishery.

Rainbow fishing is good near the mouths of Parks Highway streams, such as Willow, Kashwitna, Sheep, Montana, and the Talkeetna. Stoneflies and mosquitos are widespread on the rivers right now. Water clarity is good.

Road accessible lakes with northern pike include Anderson, Kings, Prator, Memory, Nancy Lake, Nancy Lake Canoe System and Big Lake. Try soft plastic lures like a black leach or nightcrawler. This is also a good time to try bow fishing for pike.
Deshka side sloughs would be worth the trip as well, fishing is good for pike.

The hooligan run is winding down quickly, a few more days and it’ll be over for the season, fishing has been slow this week.
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.

Please review the Emergency Orders and News Releases below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

Emergency Order 2-KS-2-05-19 closed king salmon fishing in the Susitna River drainage and only one, unbaited, single-hook artificial lure may be used while fishing for other species.
Emergency Order 2-KS-2-06-19 closed king salmon fishing in the Little Susitna River and only one, unbaited, single-hook artificial lure may be used while fishing for other species.
Emergency Order 2-NP-2-16-19 closed Alexander and Sucker lakes to sport fishing.
Emergency Order 2-KS-2-17-19 restricted Yentna Subsistence Fishery to Wednesdays and Fridays each week in June.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Palmer Area Office at (907) 746-6300.