Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 20, 2022

ADF&G News

• ADF&G is mobile. You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon, halibut), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today.

Local Lakes

• For a scenic view, try Summit Lake in Hatcher Pass for catchable rainbow trout.
• Try fishing a lake off the beaten path. Try X, Y, or North and South Friend lakes near Talkeetna. In the Meadow Lakes/Big Lake area, try Loon, Kalmbach, Beverly, and Seymour lakes. North of Palmer off the Glenn, fish Bonnie, Ravine, Weiner, and Knob lakes. Four-wheeler into Ruby Lake near Kings River or Goober Lake on the divide between the Matanuska and Nelchina rivers.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• The Fish Creek dipnet fishery is open each day beginning Thursday, July 21 through Sunday, July 31 from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Try fishing the incoming tides and please be considerate of private property postings. Please take heed of the 30-foot tides, strong tidal currents, and the mud. See the emergency order below for more info.
  • This fishery is part of the Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit. An Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit is required in addition to a sport fishing license. Only Alaska residents may participate in this fishery. Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit harvest and participation must be reported online no later than August 15 through the ADF&G harvest reporting webpage.
  • See page 15 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for more info on this Personal Use fishery.
• The Susitna personal use dipnet fishery is underway through the end of July on the lower Susitna River. This fishery runs 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Wednesdays. The designated area for fishing is between regulatory markers posted approximately one mile downstream of Susitna Station (just below the Yentna River mouth) down to markers posted just below the Alexander Creek cut-off/northern tip of Bell Island. Boaters new to the Susitna are urged to use caution when navigating to this fishery, which is only accessible by boat or plane. The Susitna is currently high from recent rains.
  • This fishery is part of the Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit. An Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit is required in addition to a sport fishing license. Only Alaska residents may participate in this fishery. Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit harvest and participation must be reported online no later than August 15 through the ADF&G harvest reporting webpage.
  • See page 15 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for more info on this Personal Use fishery.
• Many streams in the Matsu Valley are running high and dirty due to recent rains. Water levels can be monitored at NOAA’s National Weather Service webpage.
• Some systems not as likely to be affected by recent heavy rains include Cottonwood and Jim Creek in the Knik Arm area and Larson Creek of the Talkeetna. Try fishing for sockeye salmon at these locations this week and remember Cottonwood is weekend only.
• 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. Currently this river is high and muddy, but fishing success should pick up for chums, pinks, and coho once the highwater conditions subside.
• Fish counts and water stage is posted on our Fish Count webpage.

Northern Pike

• Anglers may retain as many pike as they catch - there is no bag or possession limit. In freshwaters of West Cook Inlet, Knik, the Susitna River drainage, anglers are not allowed to release live pike back into the water.
• Roadside fishing, try Nancy, Big, Horseshoe, and Rainbow lakes. Fly-in to Trapper, Shell, Alexander, or Sucker lakes.
• Pike fishing in Big Lake has been good. Try fishing off the islands.

Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Rainbow trout fishing will return to good once highwater levels subside on Parks Highway streams. This is a good time for egg patterns, egg sucking leaches, and beads. Also try sculpins, leeches, mice, and dolly llamas.

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-RS-2-56-22 opens Fish Creek to dipnetting 6:00 a.m. Thursday, July 21 through
  11:00 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022. Dipnetting for salmon, except king salmon, will be allowed only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 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.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-2-48-22 closes dipnetting in the vicinity of Anderson Creek of the lower Susitna River effective 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 13 through 11:00 p.m. Saturday, July 30, 2022. The area closed to dipnetting is identified by ADF&G markers located approximately 50 feet upstream and 300 feet downstream of the mouth of Anderson Creek. In addition, dipnetting is not allowed in Anderson Creek.
• 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, 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.

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 order, advisory announcements, and the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

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