Area Sport Fishing Reports
Tanana

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 03, 2021

* Just a reminder to all anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing as well as when shopping for fishing supplies from your local store, and by wearing a face covering when social distancing is not possible.

Sport Fishing

Freshwater Fishing

  • Most area rivers remain clear and low due to the lack of rain in the interior, additionally and many trails are dry and easily traversed.
  • Northern pike fishing has been good in interior lakes. Most lakes are exhibiting increased aquatic plant growth with the warmer temperatures in the Interior. Try top-water lures such as mice, frogs, ducklings, or weedless spoons if you are fishing near vegetated areas. In deeper cooler waters, try fishing spoons such as Daredevils, Krocodiles, Little Cleo, or Pot Gold.
    • Water levels in Minto Flats have remained steady, but lake levels remain somewhat high. Pike fishing has been good, but there may still be limited to no dry land available for onshore use and/or camping. Topwater action has been good for small and medium-sized pike around the shallower areas, but with continued elevated water levels, targeting bigger pike may be easier using lures like large spoons or heavier swimbaits that run farther down in the water column.
  • Arctic graylings are surface-feeding on insects and readily strike a dry fly or one submerged just below the surface. In flowing waters, target grayling hiding behind bigger rocks waiting to strike on drifting insects or the edge of seams coming off the thalweg. Try small spinners, jigs, or silver, copper, or brightly colored small spoons.
  • Lake Trout fishing has been good. The hot summer days have most lakers hanging in the deeper cooler water. Try casting or trolling heavier weighted spoons or swim shads that get you closer to the cooler water near the bottom of the lake.

Lake Fishing

  • Lake fishing has been reported as excellent, especially in lakes where catchable rainbow trout were stocked. Try fishing deeper sections of the lake to get to the fish hanging in cooler water. Many of our stocked lakes have bathymetric maps located on the Alaska Lake Database. Check it out to see where these deep spots are!
  • For the fly fishers try sinking flies such as dragon and damsel nymphs, or leech patterns.
  • For the reel fishers Drift small pieces of shrimp under a bobber or use lures such as Super Dupers and Swedish Pimples to entice a bite.
  • Looking for an adventure? Try hitting one of our more remote stocked lakes such as Forrest Lake, Hidden Lake, 14 Mile Lake, Craig Lake, or Bluff Cabin Lake. Generally, these lakes see less fishing pressure, and the Department stocks them with fingerling, which can grow to large fish. You can find access routes listed in the Tanana Valley Stocked Lakes Fishing Guide.

Salmon

By emergency order, the Tanana River drainage was closed to sport fishing for chum salmon, effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 1, 2021.

By emergency order, the Tanana River drainage was closed to sport fishing for king salmon, effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, June 24, 2021.

This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king and chum salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. All king and chum salmon caught incidentally while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. The 2021 Yukon River drainage king and chum salmon runs are weak. A conservative management approach is being taken to protect the 2021 king and chum salmon run. Subsistence and personal use fishing have been closed within the Yukon River drainage (including the Tanana River drainage).

King and chum salmon counting towers and sonar projects on the Chena and Salcha Rivers are currently operational, and unlike last summer the weather is cooperating and allowing physical counts to occur as well as the sonar to operate.

Emergency Orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip:

  • Emergency Order 3-CS-U-02-21 closes all waters of the Tanana River drainage to sport fishing for chum salmon. All chum salmon caught incidentally in the Tanana River drainage while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
  • Emergency Order 3-KS-U-05-21 closes all waters of the Tanana River drainage to sport fishing for king salmon. All king salmon caught incidentally in the Tanana River drainage while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
  • Emergency Order 3-NP-U-01-21 reduces the Minto Flats northern pike bag and possession limit.
  • Emergency Order 3-R-U-02-21 restricts Piledriver Slough and Moose Creek to catch-and-release fishing for all fish species.

Don't forget to bring your 2021 sport fishing license. Help maximize social distancing by purchasing your sport fishing license at the ADF&G Online Store. You can print your license from the comfort of your home. Also, be sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2021 Northern Sport Fishing Regulations Summary Booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

Interactive Fishing Location Maps

NEW! Check out the #wefishak page on the ADF&G website for the new gofishak interactive map to discover popular fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat and angler access tips!

For More Information

Call the Fairbanks office at (907) 459-7200 or the Delta Junction office at (907) 895-4632 with any questions.

Archives

Tanana Area Archives for:
Sep 02, 2021 Aug 26, 2021 Aug 19, 2021 Aug 12, 2021 Aug 03, 2021 Jul 28, 2021 Jul 22, 2021 Jul 15, 2021
Jul 08, 2021 Jun 30, 2021 Jun 23, 2021 Jun 17, 2021 Jun 10, 2021 Jun 03, 2021 May 27, 2021

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