Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 15, 2022

Local Lakes

  • Lake fishing has been excellent! If you want fishing with all the views head up the Glenn Highway. Try Knob, North Knob, and Trail lakes off the Alascom road near Eureka. Ravine, Bonnie, Weiner, and Long lakes (mile 86) are also very nice.
  • If you are headed north on the Parks Highway, give X and Y lakes near Talkeetna a try.
  • Local Palmer/ Wasilla lakes with good fishing include Lucile, Echo, Matanuska, Canoe, Irene, Memory, and Finger lakes.

Freshwater Fishing

King Salmon

  • King salmon returns Cook Inlet wide have been poor. Watch closely for Emergency Orders before you go fishing. Check them out below.
  • Reminder to anglers, that king salmon stamps are required any time you are king salmon fishing including catch-and-release.
  • King salmon fishing in the Susitna drainage (Units 1-6) is restricted to catch-and-release only (including jacks), single-hook, artificial lure only, and open during the days and times listed in the regulation summary. Please call our office if you have any questions regarding king salmon fishing regulations. You may not remove a king salmon from the water.
  • The Eklutna Tailrace is the only area open to harvest in the Northern Cook Inlet management area. This is a stocked fishery; you can use bait and multiple hooks. Fishing at this site is expected to improve going into the weekend as soon as flows from the power plant are restored following a period of maintenance. This fishery will continue to build in mid to late June.
  • A Youth-Only king salmon fishery (15 years or younger) will take place this Saturday, June 18 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Eklutna Tailrace. The area open to youth only is from the mouth of the Tailrace to the pedestrian bridge. Please be respectful to our youth in this area during this time and leave this designated area open for the kids. The remainder of the tailrace is open for all anglers.
  • The Little Su is starting to drop and water clarity is improving. Fishing is slowly picking up downstream of the Little Susitna Public Use Facility.
  • Catch-and-release king fishing at the mouth of Deshka has been good recently. Early morning is best with the warm sunny days.
  • Parks Highway streams are open to catch-and-release fishing for king salmon by Emergency Order through June 20 and then become weekend only.
  • Kings are now in at Lake Creek, and fishing has been improving as water levels on the Yentna are dropping.

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.
    • 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.
    • For fly-in pike fishing try Alexander, Shell, Eightmile, Trapper, Flathorn, and Sucker lakes.

Rainbow Trout

  • The Palmer-Wasilla Zone flowing waters and Deception Creek are now open to fishing for rainbows.
  • This is a good time of year to float the Parks-Highway streams. Water levels are dropping, and clarity is improving. Willow Creek has multiple access points off Willow Fishhook Road. Montana Creek can be accessed at several locations off the Talkeetna Spur Road. There are several campgrounds on both rivers, make it a fun Father’s Day weekend.

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! 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.

Archives

Mat-Su Area Archives for:
Aug 31, 2022 Aug 25, 2022 Aug 16, 2022 Aug 11, 2022 Jul 27, 2022 Jul 20, 2022 Jul 13, 2022 Jul 06, 2022
Jun 29, 2022 Jun 22, 2022 Jun 15, 2022 Jun 08, 2022 Jun 01, 2022 May 24, 2022 May 18, 2022 May 11, 2022
May 03, 2022