Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

May 11, 2021

* 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

• The hatchery staff will stock the first lakes in the Mat-Su this week! For a list of lakes stocked so far this season visit our stocking webpage.
• Rainbow fishing is super fun this time of year. Try small pieces of shrimp under a bobber for kids, or small flies like mosquitos. If you want to cast and retrieve, use small spoons or spinners.
• Local lakes in Palmer and Wasilla are almost all ice-free. Some of the lakes in the Nancy Lake Recreation Area still have ice, but it won’t last much longer.

Freshwater Fishing

• Anglers are reminded that flowing waters in the Palmer-Wasilla Zone are CLOSED to all fishing until
  June 15.
• 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.
• The Eklutna Tailrace is open for those eager to wet a line for king salmon. It is still early; typically, the first kings are caught near the end of May/early June.
• The Little Su weir has been installed, and counts will soon be available online. It is early.
• Rainbow Trout
  • Rainbow fishing will pick up near the mouths of Parks Highway streams, such as Willow, try using wholly buggers, leeches, flesh flies, and sculpins.
• Northern Pike
  • Try Big Lake, Memory, or Prator lakes, and as the ice comes off Nancy Lake along with the grassy areas. This is also a good time to try bow fishing for pike.
  • Northern pike may be found in shallow, grassy waters when they are spawning. At this time, many pike has finished spawning and are beginning to feed aggressively while still in the shallows. Try top-water lures or weedless leeches.
  • 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.
• Hooligan
  • The hooligan should be in the lower Susitna River, downstream of and around the Yentna confluence area. Look for gulls as they are a dead giveaway for locating hooligan along sandbars. This fishery should be good through the end of the month.
  • You must hold an Alaskan resident sport fishing license in order to dipnet for hooligan. You may take as many hooligan as you will use.

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-KS-2-14-21 allows catch-and-release fishing only in Units 1-6. In addition, sport fishing gear is restricted to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure in all waters of the Susitna River drainage. In addition, fishing time is reduced in Unit 2 of the Susitna River to allow catch-and-release fishing for king salmon from Saturday, May 1 through Monday, June 14, 2021, and then only on Sunday an0d Monday for three consecutive weeks starting Sunday, June 20 (June 20 - 21, June 27 - 28, and July 4 - 5). This emergency order is in effect through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, 2021.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-06-21 allows catch-and-release fishing only for king salmon in the Little Susitna River and limits sport fishing gear to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, 2021.
• 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, 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 for before you head out.

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