Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

August 18, 2021

Fall Fishing Report

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

Local Lakes

• With the cooler temperatures of fall approaching, Mat-Su Valley lakes provide excellent fishing as fish become much more active, and feed in shallower water.
• In the Palmer/Wasilla area, lakes stocked with rainbow trout are Lorraine, Carpenter, Knik, Lucille, Kepler, Rocky, and Echo lakes.
• Lakes stocked with landlocked salmon are Matanuska, Finger, Beverly, Loberg, and Klaire.
• Arctic Char are stocked in Benka, Finger, Irene, Long, Lynne, Marion, Matanuska, Prator, and Seventeenmile lakes.
• Along the Glenn Highway northeast of Palmer, Seventeenmile, Slipper, Long, Ravine, Weiner, Knob and North Knob lakes all have rainbow trout.
• Chinook catchables will be stocked in late October just prior to freezing for ice fishing.
• Wishbone, X, and Long lakes (Matanuska Lakes Complex) have special catch-and-release, single-hook restrictions and are close to all fishing November 1-April 30.

Freshwater Fishing

Starting September 1, the Parks Highway streams and many other Mat-Su and West Cook Inlet waters go to no bait and single-hook only. Please check your regulation book before going fishing.

Salmon

• Fish Creek is a weekend-only sport fishery. Fishing is only allowed on Saturdays and Sundays and only from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for the rest of the season.
• The Little Su continues to provide good fishing as of mid-August, this fishery should be good for another week or two.
• The best success for coho salmon this time of year comes from the Talkeetna River and nearby streams such as Sunshine and Rabideux creeks.
• Willow, Montana, and Eklutna Tailrace usually see late coho salmon trickling in. Fishing has been good.
• In early September, coho can be found in the tributaries and sloughs of the Yentna and Skwentna rivers. Most anglers try at Moose, Indian, Bottle, or Hewitt creeks. Expect slow fishing conditions.
• Wasilla Creek (Rabbit Slough) is a weekend-only fishery, from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., where some late-season coho may be found.
• Jim Creek is known for some late-season coho and worth a shot.
• Pinks are almost done and there are still chums to be caught from the Little Su north along the Parks Highway streams.

Rainbow Trout

• Rainbow trout fishing should be good to excellent well into freeze up. Look for trout with the spawning coho during the last two weeks in September. When the waters do drop, target trout in deeper holes and near or below the mouths of streams draining into the Susitna. Flesh flies, beads, and sculpin patterns work well in late fall.

Northern Pike

• Pike fishing will be good until freeze up. Try the Deshka side-sloughs, Memory or Prator lakes off the road system, or fly out to Sucker or Alexander lakes.

Burbot

• Until the big freeze in October, this is the perfect time to target burbot as they start the fall migration. Good places to target them are the mouths of the Parks Highway Streams, particularly the streams north of, and including the Kashwitna River.

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-2-56-21 opens Larson Creek and within a one-quarter mile radius of its confluence with the Talkeetna River to sport fishing for all salmon, except king salmon through December 31, 2021. The bag and possession limit is three salmon, of which no more than two per day, and two in possession may be coho salmon.
• Emergency Order 2-R-2-03-21 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.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2021 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2021 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 2021 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.