Anchorage Area Fresh Waters
Salmon: Ship Creek & Eagle River
- Water conditions are very good to excellent at Ship Creek. - Fishing is good to excellent; depending upon how many fish come in on each tide. - The best time to fish is just as the tide turns and starts to flood. - This is the last weekend open to king salmon fishing on Eagle River. Fishing is allowed only from the Bailey Bridge on Fort Richardson upstream to ADF&G markers in the Chugach State Park Eagle River campground. Water conditions are normal for Eagle River right now - poor visibility. Expect very slow fishing.
Resident Fish - Rainbow fishing on Campbell and Chester creeks is good. Both creeks have excellent conditions. - On Campbell Creek you may keep rainbow trout only if you are downstream of the forks located by Piper Street. - If you fish anywhere in the Campbell Tract from Lake Otis upstream, expect to encounter bears, so be prepared. See the bear safety link below for helpful information.
Lake Fishing - A few area lakes have received an additional stocking of rainbow trout catchables: Campbell Point, Taku-Campbell, and Alder Pond (in Portage). - To find out if your favorite lake has been stocked go to "Lake Stocking, " below. This website is updated weekly with the type and size of fish stocked. Maps to the lakes are also available on the website.
Northern Pike - Lower Fire Lake, Sand Lake and Cheney Lake all contain pike, and Lower Fire Lake is the hot spot. - Pike fishing continues to be good, and is best in the evening, in shallow, nearshore waters. - A bobber and frozen herring, or a surface lure both work well. Spears and bow and arrow (the arrow must be attached to the bow) are also legal methods in the Anchorage area. - There is no bag limit on pike: you may take as many as you will use.