Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 28, 2020

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by following and reviewing the current State of Alaska Health Mandates in effect. This includes practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing and wearing a face covering when fishing and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store as indicated in Health Alert 010.

* The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted several proposals establishing new sport fish regulations for the Northern and Western Cook Inlet Area at its Anchorage February 2020 meeting. Please see the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet for a complete summary of the Northern and Western Cook Inlet sport and personal use fisheries regulations.

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-RS-2-39-20 opened the Fish Creek personal used dipnet fishery from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day effective through 11:00 p.m. Friday, July 31, 2020.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-2-37-20 closed the waters of Anderson Creek on the Susitna River to dipnetting approximately 50 feet upstream and 300 feet downstream of the mouth effective through 11:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, 2020.
• Emergency Order 2-R-2-24-20 added three new lakes - Leech, Summit, and Zero - to the stocking program in the Northern Cook Inlet management area effective June 20, 2020. The bag and possession limit for rainbow trout in these stocked lakes is five fish, of which only one fish may be 20 inches or greater in length. For Arctic grayling, the bag and possession limit is five fish, no size limit.
• Emergency Order 2-NP-2-14-20 closed Alexander Lake and Sucker Lake to sport fishing through 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 31, 2020.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• The Fish Creek dipnet fishery is open 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day through Friday, July 31. Try fishing the incoming tides and please be considerate of private property postings. Please take head of the 30-foot tides, strong tidal currents, and the mud.
• A Youth-Only Fishery will occur at Fish Creek starting the day after the dipnet fishery ends, this next Saturday and Sunday, August 1-2.This Youth-Only Fishery is open from ADF&G markers at the mouth of Fish Creek upstream to ADF&G markers ¼ mile upstream from Knik-Goose Bay Road 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and open to anglers 15 years of age or younger for all salmon species except kings. General regulations and limits apply.
• The new personal use dipnet fishery will have its last opener on Wednesday, July 29 on the lower Susitna River. This fishery runs 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 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. This fishery is part of the Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit.
• Bait is now allowed in many - but not all - Susitna River tributaries. Check for exceptions to the general regulations before heading out.
• Anglers are reminded that bait is not allowed on the Little Susitna River until August 6, and the daily bag and possession limit for coho salmon is two fish.
• Pinks, chums, and a few cohos are now showing along the Parks highway streams all the way up to the Talkeetna River. Pink and chum fishing is good; coho fishing is slow but will improve into next week.
• Pinks are in heavy on the Deshka with some coho showing as well.
• Cottonwood and Wasilla creeks are open to fishing for salmon (other than kings) this Saturday and Sunday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Both sockeye and coho salmon should be available at Cottonwood Creek this weekend.
• After August 1, Jim Creek will close to all sport fishing Mondays and Tuesdays. Fishing is only allowed between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm Wednesdays through Sundays.
• West Cook Inlet coho fishing is improving, once you take your limit of coho in this area you must stop fishing for the day.

Rainbows

• This is prime time for rainbow trout fishing! Parks highway stream fishing has been very good. As the kings continue to spawn, beads are working great as well as flesh flies and egg sucking leeches.
• If you can get out to float for a few days, there are many good places to fish remote like Lake Creek, Clear Creek, or the lower Talachulitna River.

Northern Pike

• Roadside, try Nancy, Big, Horseshoe, and Rainbow lakes. Fly-in, try Trapper, Shell, and Eight-mile lakes. Try top-water weedless lures, leaches, and flies fished in heavily vegetated areas.

Local Lakes

• The Glenn Highway lakes offer beautiful views and good fishing in July. Try Long Lake (mile 86), Ravine, Weiner, and Knob lakes.
• If you head towards Talkeetna try Christiansen, Benka, South Friend, and X and Y lakes.
• For camping and stocked lake fishing check out Finger, Matanuska, South Rolly, and Rocky lakes.

Don’t forget to bring your 2020 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2020 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2020 Southcentral 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.