Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 24, 2022

Local Lakes

• Lake fishing has been excellent. The stocking truck has been busy moving fish just in time for the big holiday weekend. Lakes recently stocked include Knik, Matanuska, Slipper, Memory, Kashwitna, Irene, and Long (Mile 86).
• The Finger Lake boat ramp will be closed to all traffic from May 17 through May 26 for the ramp renovation project. For more information, please contact Alaska State Parks.
• Stay tuned to our stocking webpage for more information as additional Mat-Su lakes are stocked throughout this week.

Freshwater Fishing

• Anglers are reminded that flowing waters in the Palmer-Wasilla Zone are CLOSED to all fishing until
  June 15. Examples of some of these systems include Cottonwood Creek in its entirety (including access off Seward Meridian), Wasilla Creek, Fish Creek, and Meadow Creek.
• Many flowing waters along the Parks Highway are catch-and-release ONLY for rainbow trout until
  June 15.
• Deception Creek is closed to all fishing until June 15.

King Salmon

• The Eklutna Tailrace is open for those eager to wet a line for king salmon. This is the only area open to harvest at this time for kings. This is a stocked fishery; you can use bait and multiple hooks. Fishing from a boat downstream from the Tailrace will likely produce the first harvest as water is still low until the glacier melt backs up into the Tailrace.
• The Little Su weir has been installed; you can see daily fish counts online. The first few fish of the season have been counted through the weir. Single-hook artificial lures and catch-and-release restrictions remain in place. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more info.
• Deshka River catch-and-release fishing has produced a few fish at the mouth. This weir will be installed as soon as river waters are low enough to accommodate it. This fishery is restricted to catch-and-release and single-hook artificial lures only. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more info. Try size 3-5 Vibrax or similar type spinners or wiggle worts or Kwik fish.

Northern Pike

• Try Big Lake, Memory, or Prator lakes. Stick to the grassy areas where these fish spawn. This is a great time of year to try bowfishing. Try top-water lures or weedless leeches. Check out the April edition of Reel Times for info on bowfishing for northern pike.
• If you want a boat trip for pike try the side channel sloughs of the Deshka River, Fish Creek (Kroto Slough), or Moose and Indian creeks on the Yentna River.

Rainbow Trout

• Rainbow fishing will pick up near the mouths of the Parks Highway streams, such as Willow, Kashwitna, Sheep, Montana, and the Talkeetna once the water clears up. Try smolt patterns, leaches, flesh flies, apricot beads, and sculpins.

Hooligan

• Fishing should be good through the end of the month. These fish have progressed upstream and will soon spawn and die off. Fishing just down from Deshka Landing was productive over the weekend. Try fishing the Susitna at the mouth of Willow Creek or other Parks Highway streams if you are dipping from the road system on foot.
• You must hold an Alaskan resident sport fishing license to use a dipnet to catch hooligan. You may take as many hooligan as you will use. See page 16 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for hooligan 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-R-2-19-22 adds Leech, Summit, Zero, Kings, and Anderson lakes to the list of lakes stocked with hatchery fish. The bag and possession limit for rainbow trout in these lakes is five fish, of which only one may be 20 inches or greater in length. The bag and possession limit for Arctic grayling is five fish, with no size limit. This emergency order is effective for the 2022 season.
• Emergency Order 2-DV-2-13-22 prohibits the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in the Fish Creek (Big Lake) drainage. This emergency order is in effect through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, December 31, 2022.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-06-22 restricts fishing for king salmon in the Little Susitna River to catch-and-release only, and sport fishing gear is restricted to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure. This emergency order is effective from 6:00 a.m. Sunday, May 1, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-05-22 restricts fishing for king salmon in units 1-6 of the Susitna River to catch-and-release only. Sport fishing gear is restricted to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure in all waters of the Susitna River drainage. This emergency order is effective from 6:00 a.m. Sunday, May 1, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2022.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2022 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, advisory announcements, and the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Palmer Area Office at (907) 746-6300.