Area Sport Fishing Reports
Tanana

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 13, 2022

ADF&G News

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Freshwater Fishing

• Recent thundershowers have caused some rivers to rise and become murky, while others remain clear and low.
• The Richardson Highway is closed at mileposts 218-234 between Delta Junction and Paxson due to flash floods washing out the highway. Repairs will likely be completed after the weekend. Alternate routes to Glennallen, Chitina, and Valdez are the Alaska Highway and Tok Cut-Off as well as the Parks and Denali Highways or Parks and Glenn Highways, all of which may take you near other lakes streams to consider fishing.
• Due to the rains in the Alaska Range and the warm weather intensifying melt water from glaciers, the Tanana River is near bank-full and under a flood advisory.

Salmon

• Sport fishing for king and chum salmon in the Tanana River drainage has been closed by emergency order due to late, poor runs in the Yukon River drainage. Any king or chum salmon caught incidentally cannot be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Arctic grayling

• Arctic grayling are actively foraging during the short summer. Small spinners and a wide variety of dry flies usually produce good results attracting the interest of grayling.
• Arctic grayling are in the Delta Clearwater River near Delta Junction, and fishing is excellent. It should remain that way as the warm, sunny weather stimulates aquatic insect activity.
• The Tangle Lakes system and Delta River downsream of Tangle Lakes off the Denali Highway have excellent fishing and are largely smoke free.
• For helpful tips on fishing technique and tackle choice, be sure to watch the, "How to Fish for Arctic Grayling" video on the ADF&G Youtube channel. It was filmed on the upper Chena River and features spectacular underwater footage of grayling and their feeding habits.

Northern pike

• Water levels in Minto Flats have dropped and pike fishing is reported to be good but firefighters are still battling the Minto Lakes Fire and fire managers are asking anglers and boaters to avoid using the Murphy Dome Road boat launch due to firefighting activity on the Chatanika River and at the boat launch.
• The daily bag and possession limit for Minto Flats northern pike (including the Tolovana and Chatanika river drainages and Lakes) has been reduced by an emergency order from five to two fish a day, only one of which may be 30 inches or longer. The reduced bag limit will remain in effect for the duration of the pike fishing season from June 1 to October 14.

Lake trout

• The warm, sunny weather has warmed lakes surface temperatures, and lake trout may be found in deeper cooler water. Try fishing and trolling the along drop-offs.

Stocked Lakes

• After a couple weeks of hot weather, the outlook is for a bit cooler weather and rain. The cooler weather may improve fishing, especially for shore anglers.
• You can find up-to-date information on what lakes have recently been stocked on the Alaska Lake Database.

Emergency Orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip:

• Emergency Orders 3-KS-U-13-22 and 3-CS-U-12-22 closed sport fishing for king and chum salmon on Monday June 20 in all waters of the Tanana River drainage, including the Chena, Salcha, and Goodpaster Rivers. All king and chum salmon caught incidentally in the Tanana River drainage while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
• Emergency Order 3-NP-U-03-22 reduces the bag and possession limits to 2 northern pikes, only of which may be larger than 30 inches, in all lakes and flowing waters of the Minto Flats area, including the lower portions of the Tolovana and Chatanika drainages.
• Emergency Order 3-R-U-01-22 restricts Bear, Moose, and Polaris Lakes, Bathing Beauty Pond, Piledriver Slough, and Moose Creek to catch-and-release fishing for all fish species, and Kimberly Lake is closed to fishing.

Additional Tips

• Both the Delta and Fairbanks offices have fishing rods to loan out as part of the ADF&G Rod Loaner Program. All you need is a current sport fishing license (for resident anglers 18 and older and non-residents 16 or older) to borrow a rod. You’ll have to provide your own tackle but rods are free of charge.
• Be sure to follow the ADF&G Sport Fishing Interior Alaska Facebook page to get the most current information about fishing in the area.
• Check out ADF&G’s public use cabin reservation system to see about renting a free public use cabin on one of five different stocked lakes in the Delta Junction area, as well as George Lake.
• The Tanana Valley Fisheries Center in the Ruth Burnett Sport Fish Hatchery at 1150 Wilbur Street in Fairbanks is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop in to say hi and see what’s growing in the hatchery.
• Don’t forget to bring your 2022 sport fishing license. Help maximize social distancing by purchasing your sport fishing license at the ADF&G Online Store and printing it off from the comfort of your home. Also, be sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2022 Northern Sport Fishing Regulations Summary Booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

For More Information

Call the Fairbanks office at (907) 459-7228 or the Delta Junction office at (907) 895-4632.