Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 22, 2024

Freshwater Fishing

• The Eklutna Tailrace is open. Typically, the first king salmon is caught at the end of May or early June. Water levels are very low, fishing will improve as waters rise. Remember to purchase your 2024 king salmon stamp along with your license for this fishery. You can record your catch with the new mobile app.
• The Little Su Public Use Facility (LSPUF) and Susitna Landing (Kashwitna River) boat launch, and camping are now open. Reservations are online only. Boat launch and season passes are available in the Palmer office.
• The Little Su weir is up and running, fish counts are available online.
• The Deshka weir will be installed as soon as river waters are low enough to be safe for crew.
• Anglers are reminded that flowing waters in the Palmer-Wasilla Zone are CLOSED to all fishing until June 15. This includes Cottonwood Creek off Seward Meridian.
• Many flowing waters along the Parks Highway are catch-and-release ONLY for rainbow trout until June 15.
• Deception Creek is closed to all fishing until June 15.
• Northern Pike:
  • Try Big Lake, Memory, Nancy or Prator lakes. Stick to the grassy areas where these fish spawn. This is a great time of year to try bowfishing. Try top-water lures or weedless leeches.
  • If you want a boat trip for pike try the side channel sloughs of the Deshka River, Fish Creek (Kroto Slough), or Moose and Indian creeks on the Yentna River.
• Rainbow Trout
  • Rainbow fishing will pick up near the mouths of the Parks Highway streams, such as Willow, Kashwitna, Sheep, Montana, and the Talkeetna. Try smolt patterns, leaches, flesh flies, apricot beads, and sculpins.

Local Lakes

Lakes recently stocked with rainbow trout include: Matanuska, Meirs, Loberg, Lucile, Canoe, Anderson, Bruce, Rocky, Crystal, and Kepler/Bradley.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-05-24 Closes the Susitna River drainage to sport fishing for king salmon. In addition, sport fishing gear is limited to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure with a gap between the point and shank of the hook that is one-half inch or less in the Susitna River drainage (Units 1-6).
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-06-24 Closes the Little Susitna to sport fishing for king salmon and limits gear to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure with a gap of one-half inch or less when fishing for other species.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-11-24 Closes all waters of West Cook Inlet Management Area to sport fishing for king salmon.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-2-19-24 extends the area open to sport fishing at the Eklutna Tailrace downstream to the upstream edge of the Alaska Railroad bridge.

Don't forget to purchase your 2024 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today. You can also purchase licenses through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2024 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Palmer Area Office at 907-746-6300.