Area Sport Fishing Reports
Tanana

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 06, 2023

Sport Fishing

• Most area rivers are clear and low except for the glacial rivers such as the Tanana River which is high and rising as warm weather intensifies melt water from glaciers.
• This is the last weekend for the Chena River special youth fishery in the lower Chena River, downstream of the Moose Creek Dam and Chena River Flood Control Project. Weather and water levels are expected to be excellent for anglers. Only anglers 15 years of age or younger may fish for and retain one Arctic grayling of any size per day July 1-2, and July 8-9. All anglers may fish for and retain one Arctic grayling in the lower Chena River between June 1 and March 31 except during the youth only fishery.
• Arctic grayling are actively foraging during the short summer and warmer temperatures over the last week have stimulated aquatic insect activity. Small spinners and any number of dry flies usually produce good results attracting the interest of grayling. Learn other grayling fishing techniques 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. Current bathymetric maps can be found on the Alaska Lake Database.
• Fishing for rainbow trout in stocked lakes has been excellent with the warmer water temperatures stimulating aquatic insect activity. Try fishing small pieces of shrimp under a bobber, flashy spoons, or spinners to entice fish to bite. Check out the Tanana River Drainage Stocked Lakes Fishing Guide to find access and stocking information for different lakes. 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 various sized, flashy spoons off weed beds and shoreline drop offs to attract their attention. Just a reminder that the bag and possession limit for northern pike in the Tolovana River drainage, including Minto Flats, Minto Lakes and the Chatanika River, has been reduced from five fish a day to two fish a day, only one of which may be 30 inches or longer. The water levels in Minto Flats are high and there is limited dry land available for onshore use and/or camping.
• Bait is currently not allowed in any tributaries of the Tanana River due to the closure of the king salmon fishery this summer. Bait may be used in the Tanana River and burbot fishing downstream from the mouths of tributaries in the Tanana remains good this time of year, although will slow down as temperature and water levels rise. Try fishing bait on the bottom of the river in back eddy areas, at along seams of the Tanana River and tributary mouths, 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 29^th 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.

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.
• 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. Admission is free so 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.