Area Sport Fishing Reports
Anchorage

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 30, 2017

Week of August 31 to September 6
Issued September 1, 2017

General Area Description: All waters draining into the east side of Knik arm south of, and including, the Eklutna River drainage, and all waters draining into the north and west sides of Turnagain Arm, and all waters draining into the south side of Turnagain Arm east of, and including, Ingram Creek.

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

• Ship Creek is only open to salmon fishing (except king salmon) from the mouth to a cable 100 feet below the Chugach Power Plant Dam. The remainder of the creek up to 300 feet above the Elmendorf Power Plant Dam, near the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, is CLOSED YEAR ROUND to ALL fishing.
• Per Emergency Order No. 2-SS-2-40-17: Effective at 5:00 p.m. Friday August 25, 2017 the bag limit for coho (silver) salmon in Ship Creek has been increased to 6 fish per day.
• Before you go fishing ALWAYS review the 2017 Sport Fishing Regulations and have a current 2017 sport fishing license - available for purchase at the ADF&G Online Store.
• Anglers can visit the ADF&G Hatcheries and Stocking webpage for more information regarding when and where fish are stocked. Most lakes in the Anchorage area have been stocked recently.
• Campbell Creek is open to fishing for coho salmon from the Dimond Boulevard Bridge up to Shelikof Street and also from Lake Otis Parkway Bridge to ADF&G markers near Piper Street. The area between Shelikof Street and Lake Otis Parkway Bridge is always CLOSED to ALL fishing. Above Piper Street, there is no salmon fishing allowed and there is no retention of rainbow trout/steelhead allowed. Besides coho salmon in select areas, no other salmon species may be targeted or retained anywhere on Campbell Creek. Check the 2017 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for specific details and a map of the open areas.
• Chester Creek opened to fishing for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden on June 15. NO SALMON FISHING IS ALLOWED ON CHESTER CREEK.
• Bird Creek opened to salmon fishing, EXCEPT king salmon, on July 14. Salmon limits (except king salmon) are three per day, three in possession, if 16 inches or greater. The bag limit for salmon less than 16 inches in length is ten per day, ten in possession.
• Symphony Lake opened to fishing on July 1. Arctic Grayling limits are five per day, five in possession; only one fish may be greater than 12 inches in length.

Stream Fishing

Salmon

• All waters in the Anchorage Management Area are currently CLOSED to king salmon fishing.
• FISH HANDLING REMINDER: if you catch a fish and don’t plan to keep it, you MUST release that fish carefully. Try to keep it in the water as best as you can. We want all fish to live after being released and proper care when taking hooks out and keeping a fish in the water is extremely important!
• Ship Creek: Coho salmon fishing continues to be steady into the end of August. Fresh fish are entering the fishery with every passing tide. Those anglers fishing roe under a slip bobber have been having great luck filling their stringers on the incoming and outgoing tides. Spinners have been producing well when the tide is high and the water is slack.
  The current coho bag limit from the mouth to the cable 100 feet below the Chugach Power Plant dam has been increased to 6 fish per day by Emergency Order. Possession limit remains at 6 per day.
• Bird Creek: Fishing is still good for coho salmon. Anglers drifting roe during the rising and falling tide, and then casting spinners during high tide, have reported continued success lately. The numbers of chum and pink salmon continue to decline, however they are still present in the fishery.
  The retention of king salmon on Bird Creek is NOT ALLOWED. Make sure you know how to identify your salmon before you hit the water. Please obey regulation and private property signs. Bird Creek is CLOSED to ALL salmon fishing above the regulation markers, located approximately 500 yards upstream from the mouth.
• Campbell Creek: Coho salmon fishing success continues to be variable and highly dependent on precipitation. The rainy days in our future will help push more fish up the creek. Coho can be found holding in deep pools and slow bends. Drifting roe under a float or slip bobber has been the technique of choice when fresh fish are either holding or on the move.
  Be aware that habitat restoration work has been conducted on Campbell Creek. Please obey all signs and stay on designated trails in these areas to reduce damaging the freshly restored areas. This restoration work is going to help improve fish habitat on the creek. Two new fishing platforms have been installed on the creek. One is located at the Dimond Street Bridge and one is at Arctic Blvd, two places known to hold coho.

Fishing tip: Brush up on your fish identification before you head out fishing by testing your knowledge with the new Pacific Salmon ID Quiz.

Trout/Dolly Varden

• Trout fishing should be good on Chester and Campbell creeks. Try fishing egg patterns behind spawning salmon. Small bright flies in silver and orange have also been working well for trout species.

Lake Fishing

• Anchorage area lakes have begun to shift into fall fishing mode. Stocked trout become more active as the lakes start to slowly cool and arctic char begin to move into shallower water. Black leeches and bead-head nymphs have been top producers for fly fishers. Small spinners work especially well during the fall.
• The WJH Sport Fish Hatchery has recently stocked Anchorage area lakes with catchable rainbow trout. Lakes to check out include: Cheney, Jewel, and Delong. Freshly stocked rainbow trout tend to stay in large schools and are not very picky when it comes to food. This is an excellent opportunity to get young kids out to fish as catching can be steady at times. As a reminder, the bag limit for rainbow trout in stocked waters is 5 per day and 5 in possession, only 1 fish may be 20 inches or longer.
• Symphony Lake opened July 1. Excellent grayling fishing can be found in the lake. Stripping small streamers and nymphs will be the most productive method for catching fish, as grayling will be looking to feed subsurface as water temperatures begin to drop. Try fishing the lake inlet for larger sized fish, just remember only one fish over 12 inches may be retained.

Fishing Tip: To improve your success in local stocked lakes review the lake bathymetric (bottom depth profile) map online. These maps can reveal structure and other locations where fish may likely be. Often a little walk or getting away from the pack will provide rewards.

Northern Pike

• There are very few opportunities for Northern Pike in Anchorage as they are not native to the region. ADF&G has taken steps to keep pike out of Anchorage lakes. Lower Fire Lake is the closest place to find Northern pike in the Anchorage Area. Try a mouse pattern for some fun action. If you catch a Northern Pike in the Anchorage area, please contact the ADF&G Sport Fish Division immediately at 267-2218.

**If you are successful and would like to report a catch please contact the Sport Fish Information Center at 267-2218.