Area Sport Fishing Reports
Upper Copper/Upper Susitna
Archived Sport Fishing Report
July 07, 2016
Weekly Fishing Report
PERSONAL USE
Copper River Chitina Subdistrict Personal Use Dip Net Salmon will remain open through 11:59 pm Sunday July 17th. This fishery remains closed to the retention of king salmon. King salmon incidentally taken may not be retained and must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed. The river remains high and fishing is relatively slow. Passage by Miles Lake sonar is above daily projections which should provide a steady dtream of fish through the fishery. Assume three weeks for these fish to reach the Chitina Subdistrict. Additional info can also be obtained from Chitina Dipnetters Association website.
SOCKEYE SALMON
The best bet for hooking sockeye is on the Gulkana as of late. The Gulkana River is experiencing the second largest run of sockeye salmon since 2002. The Klutina River has proven to take more time and patience, but the fish are there! Fish with caution when fishing from the shore with the recent high water the river banks could be undercut. Expect fishing to pick up in late July in both the Klutina and Gulkana rivers.
KING SALMON FISHING
Under Emergency Order (EO), all Upper Copper River King Salmon fisheries are closed for the remainder of the season. Kings may not be targeted in any waters of the Copper River Drainage. This EO also prohibits the use of bait, anglers are restricted to unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures in all flowing waters of the Upper Copper River drainage.
LAKE TROUT
Lake trout may still be concentrated around the mouth of Summit Lake feeding on out migrating salmon smolt. The larger lakes which include Lake Louise, Susitna, Tyone, Paxson, Summit, and Crosswind Lakes should continue to produce good catches of fish throughout the summer. As summer temperatures raise though, anglers targeting lake trout may need to switch to deeper trolling gear.
STOCKED LAKES
All area stocked lakes are stocked and fish should be growing well with our warm temperatues. Try Old Road and Round lakes, off the Lake Louise Road. Catchable Arctic Char were released in Gergie Lake just south of Lake Louise Rd. For the best rainbow trout fishing head out the McCarthy Road to Strelna, Silver, and Sculpin lakes which offer the best opportunity to catch more and a possibility to catch larger fish. Silver Lake has walk in access only, and fishing has been great. Peanut and Tolsona Mountain Lakes are also excellent lakes for rainbow trout, but an ATV is helpful to access them. These two lakes are not readily accessible to the road system and have been stocked in past years and receive little pressure.
ARCTIC GRAYLING
Grayling fishing around Glennallen and Sourdough has slowed as they move into smaller tributaries to spawn. Small flies either wet or dry are worth a try. Many of the small lakes on the Lake Louise and Nabesna roads contain grayling populations. Long Lake and Jack Lake are good bets for grayling. Also, grayling should be in Mendeltna creek. Larger rivers like the Gulkana and Little Nelchina also contain grayling.