Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

July 10, 2025

Freshwater Fishing

King Salmon

Reminder to anglers, all king salmon fishing (including jacks), as well as catch and release, is CLOSED except for the stocked fishery at the Eklutna Tailrace. Sport fishing gear is limited to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure with a gap between the point and shank of the hook of ½ inch or less. The Eklutna Tailrace is a stocked fishery where you can use bait and multiple hooks. Fishing has been fair to good. Try drifting bait under a bobber or a variety of lures in sizes 3-5. Kodiak customs, Vibrax, and Pixies work well.

Sockeye, pinks, and chums

• Some chums and pinks are making their way up the Susitna. Try the mouth of Deshka for pinks and perhaps an early coho salmon.
• Chum, sockeye, and a few pinks are beginning to show up on the lower Little Su and generally the first coho is caught sometime this week.
• Try the weekend only fishery at the mouth of Cottonwood Creek for some bright sockeye salmon. It’s open to fishing 5 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Fish Creek sockeye counts are posted on our webpage under Fish Counts. The sport fishery is closed by regulation on July 15 including weekends. Stay tuned in case the personal use fishery is opened by emergency order. The department must project more than 35,000 sockeye salmon prior to opening this dip net fishery. This fishery typically opens towards the end of July.
• The Susitna personal use dipnet fishery first opener will be Saturday July 12 on the lower Susitna River. This fishery runs 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays only from July 10 to July 31. 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. Access is by boat (18 miles) or plane only. Waters of the Susitna are dropping, providing more beach access in this fishery.
  • 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 31 through the ADF&G harvest reporting webpage.

Rainbow Trout

• Fishing for rainbows on the Parks Highway streams is good. Try Willow, Montana, Kashwitna, Little Willow, and Goose creeks. Fish wet flies like wooly buggers, leeches, sculpins and egg sucking leeches, soon beads will be the ticket. Grayling fishing has been good too. They like gold or yellow flies and lures, stick to small sizes. Try bead head nymphs, Elk Hair Caddis, Mayflies, or a good old Stone Fly.
• Willow Creek has multiple access points off Willow Fishhook Road. Montana Creek may be accessed at several locations off the Talkeetna Spur Road. Single day float trips are popular on Willow and Montana creeks.
• Further north, tributaries of the Chulitna, such as Honolulu Creek and Byers Creek should also provide good rainbow trout fishing opportunities.

Northern Pike

• For road-accessible pike fishing, try the Nancy Lake Recreation Area lakes, Big Lake, Long Lake near Willow, Memory, and Prator Lakes.
• Boat-accessible pike fishing can be found in the side sloughs of the Deshka River, Alexander Creek, Fish Creek (Kroto Slough), and Hewitt Lake.
• For fly-in pike fishing try Alexander Lake, Shell Lake, Eightmile Lake, Trapper Lake, Flathorn Lake, and Sucker Lake.

Local Lakes

Summit Lake in Hatcher Pass was recently stocked. This lake is in a beautiful spot and the road over the pass is open. Enjoy fishing and hiking while the summer weather is at its best. Other aesthetically pleasing lakes include the lakes up the Glenn HWY, Long Lake (Mile 86), Ravine, or Knob Lakes off the Alascom Road.

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-KS-2-06-25 Closes the Susitna River drainage to sport fishing for king salmon. In addition, sport fishing gear is limited to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure with a gap between the point and shank of the hook that is one-half inch or less in the Susitna River drainage (Units 1-6).
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-05-25 Closes the Little Susitna to sport fishing for king salmon and limits gear to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure with a gap of one-half inch or less when fishing for other species.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-11-25 Closes all waters of West Cook Inlet Management Area to sport fishing for king salmon.

Don't forget to purchase your 2025 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today. You can also purchase licenses through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2025 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.