Area Sport Fishing Reports
Tanana
Archived Sport Fishing Report
June 29, 2023
ADF&G News
ADF&G is mobile. You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon, halibut), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today.
The Fairbanks and Delta ADF&G offices offer a free fishing rod loaner program. Each office has rods suitable for fishing stocked lakes and resident species such as Arctic grayling, northern pike and salmon. Resident anglers, 18 and older, and non-resident anglers, 16 and older, must have a current Alaska sport fishing license to sign out a rod. This is a first-come, first-served program and fishing rods cannot be reserved. For more information, check out the Rod Loaner Program webpage or call the Fairbanks ADF&G office at 907-459-7228 or the Delta Junction office 907-895-4632.
Sport Fishing
- The special youth fishery in the lower Chena River, downstream of the Chena River flood control project, will continue for 2 more weekends. Weather and water levels are expected to be exquisite for participants over the holiday weekend. Only anglers who are 15 years of age or younger may fish for and retain 1 Arctic grayling of any size per day July 1-2, and July 8-9. All anglers may fish for and retain 1 Arctic grayling in the lower Chena River between June 1 and March 31 except during the youth-only fishery.
- Most local rivers are clear and river fishing will be very good as Arctic grayling are set up in their summer feeding habitats. Try casting a white or a black jig upstream, and let it bounce downstream just off the bottom, being careful to reel the slack out of the line as it moves. This is a classic technique for fishing for Arctic grayling in flowing water. Learn other techniques like this by watching the video, How to Fish for Arctic Grayling, on the ADF&G Youtube channel.
- Lake trout fishing has been excellent as all alpine lakes are ice free, and lake trout are actively feeding. Try fishing the outer edge of weed beds or trolling lures off shelves.
- Fishing in the stocked lakes of Interior Alaska has been great. Try fishing small pieces of shrimp under a bobber, flashy spoons, or spinners to entice fish to bite. As mayfly, caddisfly and midge hatches are occurring regularly, the fish are happy to take a fly. Check out the Alaska Lake Database to learn about all of the stocked lakes in your area.
- Many stocked lakes also have great camp sites and a few have ADF&G cabins that can be reserved for free. For more information, go to the ADF&G public-use cabin webpage.
- Northern pike fishing in waters that are open to fishing can be productive at this time of year. Try big, flashy spoons to attract their attention. Minto Flats remains inundated with water although it is incrementally dropping.
- Bait is currently not allowed in any tributaries of the Tanana River due to the closure of the king salmon fishery this summer. However, bait may be used in the mainstem of the Tanana River. Burbot fishing downstream from the mouths of tributaries in the Tanana remains good this time of year, though it will slow down as temperature and water levels rise. Try fishing bait on the bottom of the river in back eddy areas and slow-moving waters in the mainstem of the Tanana River.
Emergency Orders
Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety, and consult the 2023 Northern Sport Fishing Regulations Summary Booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out:
- Emergency orders 3-KS-U-6-23 and 3-CS-U-7-23 issued March 29th closed the sport fishery for king and chum salmon in all flowing waters of the Tanana River drainage effective April 5th. In addition, the use of bait is prohibited in all Tanana River tributaries through September 30.
- Emergency order 3-R-U-08-23 issued April 24 restricts Kimberly Lake to catch-and-release fishing only for all fish species due to PFAS contamination. Any fish caught while sport fishing in Kimberly Lake must be released immediately.
- Emergency order 3-NP-U-10-23 issued May 1 reduces the bag and possession limit for northern pike in all lakes and flowing waters of the Minto Flats area to two fish, only one of which may be 30 inches or longer, effective from June 1 – October 14.
Additional info
- Be sure to follow the ADF&G Sport Fishing Interior Alaska Facebook and Instagram pages to get the most current information about fishing in the area.
- 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.
For More Information
Call the Fairbanks office at (907) 459-7228 or the Delta Junction office at (907) 895-4632.