06-16-2004, 03:04 PM
Mat-Su Area Fresh Waters
King Salmon [ul] [li]King salmon are now spread throughout the entire Susitna River drainage. Anglers have a choice of streams where they will find good king fishing. [li]Kings are being caught at the Eklutna Power Plant Tailrace. Don't expect to find any big fish here because the kings returning this year have had only two years of ocean growth, so they are only about 10 pounds. The limit for king salmon less than 20 inches is 10 per day/10 in possession. [li]King salmon fishing at the mouth of Alexander Creek is slowing. Upstream fishing should continue to be productive until the season closure June 30. Fishing for kings is allowed in the first seven miles, up to a marker at Trail Creek. [li]The Deshka River has produced a good harvest of kings and should continue. Anglers are successful both at the mouth and upstream. [li]King fishing is good in the Little Susitna River. They can be found both up- and downstream of the Little Susitna Public Use Facility (LSPUF). Fish are now also caught at the Parks Highway bridge near Houston. This should be a good time to float the river from the Parks Highway down to the LSPUF. [li]The Yentna River is also producing some good king fishing. Lake Creek and the Talachulitna River are good, or try fishing some of the smaller tributaries and sloughs off the Yentna River, such as Moose Creek, Indian Creek, Fish Creek, or Hewitt Creek. [li]The kings have made their way to Willow Creek, and fishing has been good. Other Parks Highway systems are producing a few kings, and fishing should improve steadily this week. [li]By the end of this week the Talkeetna River may see its first few kings harvested. Clear Creek generally doesn't get hot until the last week of June. [li]As for the West Cook Inlet streams, the Theodore and Lewis rivers are open to catch-and-release king fishing and should provide plenty of action this week. The Chuit River is clear and is providing good fishing. Kings are also being taken in the Beluga River tributaries. [/li][/ul]
Resident Fish [ul] [li]The Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north will provide action for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling. [/li][/ul] Lake Fishing [ul] [li]Looking for open spaces, no crowds and lots of fish? Try one of the 90 stocked lakes in the Mat-Su Valley. [li]Best bets for rainbows include Beverly, Christiansen, Crystal, Knob, Loon, Marion, Ruby, Seventeenmile, Tanaina, and South Rolly lakes. [li]Canoe, Finger, Florence, Ida, Kepler/Bradley, Knik, Lorraine, Meirs, Mile 180, Weiner and Reed lakes have Arctic grayling. [li]Benka, Echo, Irene, Lynne, Marion, Matanuska, Memory, Prator, and Seventeenmile lakes are stocked with Arctic char. [li]For a single lake with a wide variety of fish, try Finger Lake. It has rainbow trout, Arctic grayling, Arctic char and landlocked king salmon. [/li][/ul] Northern Pike [ul] [li]Pike fishing is excellent in June. [li]Anglers may keep as many pike as they catch, since, with the exception of Alexander Lake, there is no bag or possession limit. [li]For road-accessible pike fishing, try the Nancy Lake Recreation Area lakes, Long Lake near Willow, or Memory Lake. [li]If you have a boat, try the sloughs off the Deshka River, Alexander Creek, Fish Creek (especially Kroto Slough), or Hewitt Lake. [li]For fly-in pike fishing try Alexander, Eightmile, Trapper, Flathorn and Sucker lakes. [/li][/ul]
King Salmon [ul] [li]King salmon are now spread throughout the entire Susitna River drainage. Anglers have a choice of streams where they will find good king fishing. [li]Kings are being caught at the Eklutna Power Plant Tailrace. Don't expect to find any big fish here because the kings returning this year have had only two years of ocean growth, so they are only about 10 pounds. The limit for king salmon less than 20 inches is 10 per day/10 in possession. [li]King salmon fishing at the mouth of Alexander Creek is slowing. Upstream fishing should continue to be productive until the season closure June 30. Fishing for kings is allowed in the first seven miles, up to a marker at Trail Creek. [li]The Deshka River has produced a good harvest of kings and should continue. Anglers are successful both at the mouth and upstream. [li]King fishing is good in the Little Susitna River. They can be found both up- and downstream of the Little Susitna Public Use Facility (LSPUF). Fish are now also caught at the Parks Highway bridge near Houston. This should be a good time to float the river from the Parks Highway down to the LSPUF. [li]The Yentna River is also producing some good king fishing. Lake Creek and the Talachulitna River are good, or try fishing some of the smaller tributaries and sloughs off the Yentna River, such as Moose Creek, Indian Creek, Fish Creek, or Hewitt Creek. [li]The kings have made their way to Willow Creek, and fishing has been good. Other Parks Highway systems are producing a few kings, and fishing should improve steadily this week. [li]By the end of this week the Talkeetna River may see its first few kings harvested. Clear Creek generally doesn't get hot until the last week of June. [li]As for the West Cook Inlet streams, the Theodore and Lewis rivers are open to catch-and-release king fishing and should provide plenty of action this week. The Chuit River is clear and is providing good fishing. Kings are also being taken in the Beluga River tributaries. [/li][/ul]
Resident Fish [ul] [li]The Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north will provide action for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling. [/li][/ul] Lake Fishing [ul] [li]Looking for open spaces, no crowds and lots of fish? Try one of the 90 stocked lakes in the Mat-Su Valley. [li]Best bets for rainbows include Beverly, Christiansen, Crystal, Knob, Loon, Marion, Ruby, Seventeenmile, Tanaina, and South Rolly lakes. [li]Canoe, Finger, Florence, Ida, Kepler/Bradley, Knik, Lorraine, Meirs, Mile 180, Weiner and Reed lakes have Arctic grayling. [li]Benka, Echo, Irene, Lynne, Marion, Matanuska, Memory, Prator, and Seventeenmile lakes are stocked with Arctic char. [li]For a single lake with a wide variety of fish, try Finger Lake. It has rainbow trout, Arctic grayling, Arctic char and landlocked king salmon. [/li][/ul] Northern Pike [ul] [li]Pike fishing is excellent in June. [li]Anglers may keep as many pike as they catch, since, with the exception of Alexander Lake, there is no bag or possession limit. [li]For road-accessible pike fishing, try the Nancy Lake Recreation Area lakes, Long Lake near Willow, or Memory Lake. [li]If you have a boat, try the sloughs off the Deshka River, Alexander Creek, Fish Creek (especially Kroto Slough), or Hewitt Lake. [li]For fly-in pike fishing try Alexander, Eightmile, Trapper, Flathorn and Sucker lakes. [/li][/ul]