Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su
Archived Sport Fishing Report
July 24, 2019
Week of July 24 - July 30
Freshwater Fishing
- King salmon fishing closed July 13 for all northern and western Cook Inlet area water, except for the stocked fishery at the Eklutna Tailrace. Any king incidentally hooked must be immediately released and may not be removed from the water.
- Bait is now allowed in many - but not all - Susitna River tributaries. Check for exceptions to the general regulations before heading out.
- Anglers are reminded that bait is not allowed on the Little Susitna River until August 6, and the daily bag and possession limit for coho salmon is two fish.
- Cohos, chums, and pinks are being caught in the lower river near the Little Susitna Public Use Facility. Action for cohos should pick up throughout this week.
- Pinks are all over the Susitna right now. The mouths of the Parks Highway streams have been providing excellent fishing and cohos are being caught now too. This is the perfect time of year to get the kids fishing. There is lots of action right now.
- Coho fishing at the mouth of Deshka is fair, anglers are contending with the pinks to find them.
- Cottonwood and Wasilla Creeks had fair sockeye fishing last weekend and is expected to be good this weekend. These are weekend-only fisheries from 5:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Wasilla Creek is open to fishing for salmon other than kings from its mouth upstream to the Alaska Railroad bridge; and Cottonwood Creek from its mouth upstream one mile.
- On the west side of Cook Inlet, cohos are entering the Chuit and Theodore rivers. Once you take your limit of coho salmon in this area you must stop fishing for the day.
- Fish Creek sockeye counts are posted on our webpage under Fish Counts. These fish often make a sudden showing. Stay tuned in case the personal use fishery is opened by emergency order. ADF&G must project in excess of 35,000 sockeye salmon prior to opening this dipnet fishery.
- Fishing for rainbow trout on the Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north is excellent. Water levels are favorable for fishing and extremely clear. Fishing for Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling should be good.
Local Lakes
- There are over 80 lakes stocked in the Mat-Su valley. Providing quiet and un-crowded fishing opportunities. Visit the ADF&G stocking webpage to find out which lakes have recently been stocked.
Emergency Orders
Please review the Emergency Orders and News Releases below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.
- NEW! Emergency Order 2-RS-2-39-19 opened the Fish Creek personal use dipnet fishery effective 6:00 a.m. Friday, July 26 through 11:00 p.m. Wedneday, July 31, 2019. Dipnetting for salmon, except king salmon, will only be allowed 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day. Dipnetters may harvest salmon off the shore or a boat from the ADF&G markers located on both sides of the terminus of Fish Creek, upstream to ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately one-quarter mile upstream from Knik-Goose Bay Road. The additional area opened last year, 2018, along the beach to the north and south of the terminus is not open to dipnetting in 2019.
- Emergency Order 2-NP-2-16-19 closed Alexander and Sucker lakes to sport fishing.
For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Palmer Area Office at (907) 746-6300.