Archived Sport Fishing Report

January 03, 2014

Winter Fishing Report: (Mat-Su)
Date: 1-1 through 1-15

Regulation Reminders
• Jan 1, 2014 marks the start of a new licensing year. Remember to buy one prior to heading out on your next adventure.
• 2013 Sport Fish regulation booklets are valid through April 15, 2014.

Stocked Lakes
• Fishing has been good to excellent in stocked lakes.
• Find information on ADF&G’s stocked lakes here: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=SportStockingHatcheriesSearch.main
• Reports earlier this week indicate variable ice thickness including reports of anglers breaking through the ice. Use extreme caution and be aware of over-flow and thin ice locations such as Big Lake and Matanuska Lakes right now. ADF&G does not monitor ice thickness and fishing is at your own risk.

Places to Take a Kid Fishing (easily accessible locations)
• Finger Lake – wide variety of fish; high catch rates
• Knik Lake – recently stocked with landlocked king salmon

Un-stocked Lakes
• Nancy Lake offers road accessible pike fishing. Alexander, Figure Eight, Flathorn, and Trapper lakes offer snowmachine accessible pike fishing.
• Big Lake offers arctic char, rainbow trout, and northern pike.

Hot Spots
• Finger Lake- catchable kings, rainbow trout
• Lake Lucile – Rainbow trout, coho salmon
• Knik Lake – catchable kings
• Echo Lake – Rainbow trout, char
• Memory Lake - pike

Fish Facts
Northern pike tend to be quite dormant during the month of January, and will not venture as far in order to feed. To target this fish more successfully in the cold months, think: drill, drill, drill. Even if you punch holes 20-30 feet from your original spot of choice, you almost have to present your bait or lure directly in front of them to get their attention.