Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 18, 2022

Local Lakes

• Lakes recently stocked with rainbow trout include Meirs, Lucile, Canoe, Echo, Leech, Anderson, and Knik. Try small pieces of shrimp under a bobber or small flies. These fish will hit aggressively on small spoons or spinners.
• The Finger Lake boat ramp will be closed to all traffic from May 17 through May 26 for the ramp renovation project. For more information, please contact Alaska State Parks.
• Stay tuned to our stocking webpage for more information as additional Mat-Su lakes are stocked throughout this week.

Freshwater Fishing

• Anglers are reminded that flowing waters in the Palmer-Wasilla Zone are CLOSED to all fishing until
  June 15. This includes Cottonwood Creek off Seward Meridian.
• Many flowing waters along the Parks Highway are catch-and-release ONLY for rainbow trout until
  June 15.
• Deception Creek is closed to all fishing until June 15.
• The Eklutna Tailrace is open for those eager to wet a line for king salmon. It is still early; typically, the first kings are caught near the end of May/early June.
• The Little Su weir has been installed; you can see daily fish counts online.

Northern Pike

• Try Big, Memory, or Prator lakes. Stick to the grassy areas where these fish spawn. This is a great time of year to try bowfishing. Try top-water lures or weedless leeches. Check out the April edition of Reel Times for info on bowfishing for northern pike.
• If you want a boat trip for pike try the side channel sloughs of the Deshka River, Fish Creek (Kroto Slough), or Moose and Indian creeks on the Yentna River.

Rainbow Trout

• Rainbow fishing will pick up near the mouths of the Parks Highway streams, such as Willow, Kashwitna, Sheep, Montana, and the Talkeetna once the water clears up. Try smolt patterns, leaches, flesh flies, apricot beads, and sculpins.

Hooligan

• The hooligan should be in the lower Susitna River, downstream of and around the Yentna confluence area. Look for gulls as they give away the location hooligan can be found along the sandbars. This fishery should be good through the end of the month. Access to this fishery is almost entirely by boat but try fishing the Susitna at the mouth of Willow Creek.
• You must hold an Alaskan resident sport fishing license to use a dipnet to catch hooligan. You may take as many hooligan as you will use. See page 16 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for hooligan regulations.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

• Emergency Order 2-R-2-19-22 adds Leech, Summit, Zero, Kings, and Anderson lakes to the list of lakes stocked with hatchery fish. The bag and possession limit for rainbow trout in these lakes is five fish, of which only one may be 20 inches or greater in length. The bag and possession limit for Arctic grayling is five fish, with no size limit. This emergency order is effective for the 2022 season.
• Emergency Order 2-DV-2-13-22 prohibits the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in the Fish Creek (Big Lake) drainage. This emergency order is in effect through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, December 31, 2022.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-06-22 restricts fishing for king salmon in the Little Susitna River to catch-and-release only, and sport fishing gear is restricted to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure. This emergency order is effective from 6:00 a.m. Sunday, May 1, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-05-22 restricts fishing for king salmon in units 1-6 of the Susitna River to catch-and-release only. Sport fishing gear is restricted to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure in all waters of the Susitna River drainage. This emergency order is effective from 6:00 a.m. Sunday, May 1, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2022.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

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