Area Sport Fishing Reports
Tanana
Archived Sport Fishing Report
July 20, 2023
Sport Fishing
- Recent rains have caused some rivers to rise and become murky, while others remain clear and low. Forecast is for spotty rain showers but a return to hot and dry weather. Local rivers will likely clear by weekend but the Delta Clearwater, Tangle, and Delta Rivers are good bets for a great fishing experience when other rivers are difficult to fish.
- Due to the rains in the Alaska Range and the warm weather intensifying melt water from glaciers, the Tanana River is near bankfull and under a flood advisory.
Salmon
- Although salmon are currently returning in the Chena and Salcha rivers, the sport fishery for chinook and chum salmon in the Tanana River drainage is closed to conserve the retuning spawning population. The closure includes the Chena and Salcha Rivers.Anglers who hook a salmon while fishing for other species may not remove the salmon from the water and any salmon caught incidentally must be released immediately.
- The first king and chum salmon were counted in both the Chena and Salcha Rivers on Friday, July 7. As of Tuesday, July 18, a total of 727 kings and 132 chums have been counted at the Chena River counting tower near the Moose Creek Dam and 709 kings and 132 chum have been counted at the Salcha River counting tower. You can track the number of king and chum salmon being counted in both rivers at the ADF&G fish counts page.
Arctic grayling
- Arctic grayling are actively foraging while aquatic insect activity has increased during the warm summer days. For fly fishing, any number of dry flies usually produce good results attracting the interest of grayling. Try small spinners and Mr. Twister jigs if spin fishing and dry flies or nymphs will produce good results for fly anglers.
- Learn other grayling fishing techniques by watching the video, How to Fish for Arctic Grayling, on the ADF&G Youtube channel.
Burbot
- Bait is currently not allowed in any tributaries of the Tanana River due to the closure of the king and chum salmon fisheries this summer but bait may be used for burbot fishing in the mainstem Tanana River. Burbot fishing 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.
Lake trout
- Lake Trout are more likely to be found in the deeper water due to the warm weather. Bathymetric maps can help you find the deeper water and structure. Maps can be found at the Alaska Lake Database.
Northern pike
- Northern pike 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.
- Northern pike fishing in the Tolovana River drainage, including Minto Flats, Minto Lakes and the Chatanika River, opened June 1. By Emergency Order, the bag and possession limit for northern pike in those waters has been reduced from 5 fish a day to 2 fish a day, only one of which may be 30 inches or longer. The water levels in Minto Flats remains fairly high and there may be limited dry land available for onshore use and/or camping.
Stocked lakes
- Stocked lakes provide great fishing opportunities for rainbow trout as well as arctic char, salmon, and lake trout. 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.
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.
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.