Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

July 25, 2024

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• Parks highway streams are producing catches of pinks, some chums, and a few coho.
• Try the weekend only fishery at the mouth of Cottonwood Creek for sockeye salmon this weekend. It’s open to fishing 5 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Anglers can also try Jim Creek for sockeye and early coho. Beginning August 1^st Jim Creek is closed to all fishing Mondays and Tuesdays for coho conservation and open Wednesday-Sundays 5 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Sockeye are beginning to arrive at Larson Creek and this is a good week to fish it.
• Coho counts on both Deshka and Little Su continue to be low. Deshka is seeing daily pink passage and there are some chum headed up Little Su.
• West Cook Inlet sockeye fishing continues to be good at Big River Lakes with the occasional coho catch.

Personal Use – Alaska Resident only fisheries

• The Fish Creek dip net fishery is open daily at 6 a.m. and will close Wednesday, July 31 at 11 p.m. Try fishing the incoming tides and please be considerate of private property postings. Please be safe and take heed of the 30-foot tides, strong tidal currents, and the mud.
  • The Susitna personal use dipnet fishery is now open on the lower Susitna River. This fishery runs 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Wednesdays only until July 31. The designated area for fishing is between regulatory markers posted approximately one mile downstream of Susitna Station (just below the Yentna River mouth) down to markers posted just below the Alexander Creek cut-off/northern tip of Bell Island. Access is by boat or plane only.

Rainbow Trout, Arctic Grayling, and Dolly Varden

• Fishing is good on Parks Highway streams, as well as Clear Creek of the Talkeetna River. Fishing will be good all the way to the Chulitna river as the salmon make their way upstream. This is a good time for egg patterns, egg sucking leaches, and flesh flies. Also try sculpins, leeches, mice, and dolly llamas. Olive and white are good color choices.

Northern Pike:

• Anglers may retain as many pike as they catch - there is no bag or possession limit. In the freshwaters of West Cook Inlet the Knik Arm, and Susitna River drainage, anglers are not allowed to release live pike back into the water.
• Roadside, try Nancy, Big, Horseshoe, West Beaver, Long, and Rainbow Lakes.
• Fly-in to Trapper, Shell, Alexander, or Sucker Lakes.

Local Lakes

Lake fishing has been consistently excellent. There are almost 90 stocked lakes in the Mat-Su. Visit the Alaska Lake Database to find a wild or stocked lake near you.

Sport Fishing Angler Access Sites:

• Sheep Creek Slough: walk in angler access and camping are OPEN.
• Susitna Landing (Kashwitna): Boat Launch & Campground are OPEN.
  • Campground reservations are only available online: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
  • Boat Launch & Day Use Parking payment via T2 kiosk (Credit Card Only)
  • Season Boat Launch passes can only be purchased in person at the Palmer ADFG office.
• Bonnie Lake: Boat Launch OPEN, Day Use Only.
• Caswell Creek: Walk in angler access and camping are OPEN.
• Eklutna Tailrace, Facility is OPEN, Day Use Only.
• Little Susitna Public Use Facility (LSPUF): Boat Launch & Campground are OPEN.
  • Campground reservations are only available online: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
  • Boat Launch & Day Use Parking payment via T2 kiosk (Credit Card Only)

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-RS-2-43-24 opens Fish Creek to dipnetting Saturday, July 20 at 6:00am - Wednesday July 31 at 11:00pm. Dipnetting for salmon, except king salmon, will be allowed only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. each day. Dipnetters may harvest salmon off the shore or a boat from the ADF&G markers located on both sides of the terminus of Fish Creek, upstream to ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately one-quarter mile upstream from Knik-Goose Bay Road.
• 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.