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Alaska Lakes Guide Service LLC
Jason Perrego
Mat­Su Valley Lakes
July 7, 2016 

Fishing for Northern Pike is beneficial to both conservation of the states salmon and trout populations, and your taste buds. Many Mat­Su Valley lakes on the road system have been infested with this delicious tasting fish. Pike can be caught in a variety of ways; our preference is topwater frogs. Anywhere you have vegetation and pike, you have the opportunity for consistent, explosive action.

 
 

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Alaska Lakes Guide Service LLC
Jason Perrego
Eklutna Tailrace
June 29, 2016

The Tailrace has seen definitive decline in the number of kings landed the past few days. With that said, the opportunities are still there to land a good quality fish. All methods of fishing such as Vibrax, bait on the bottom, and bait under a float are producing. These ladies caught their first Kings of the year. Angela’s came on the 27th and Brooke caught hers this morning. Both were using G-Loomis E6X 853 JWR 7’1″ spinning rods, 2500 Shimano Sedona Reels, 30-pound Power Pro braid, and a #5 Vibrax.

 
 

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Alaska Lakes Guide Service LLC
Jason Perrego
Mat Su Lakes
June 21, 2016

Luke and Justin took advantage of an early morning bite bringing over 20 Rainbows to the boat using a G-Loomis 6’4” Kokanee Spinning Rod with 6lb Trilene Xt on a Shimano spinning reel using various color patterns of Rooster Tails. Justin was visiting from Ohio and said he never experienced such fast paced fishing action. They took home 6 trout to grill for his first Alaskan dinner.  

The Mat Su lakes are in summer mode as the water temps steadily climb. While action can be good all day, there are definitive windows where the big trout come shallow to feed. Hitting these windows just right will produce some quality fish. The use of my Lowrance structure scan really helps in identifying off shore structure critical to their feeding frenzies.

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Alaska Lakes Guide Service LLC
Jason Perrego
Eklutna Tailrace
June 21, 2016

The Tailrace is in full swing. Best times to fish are early mornings or high tide windows. Slow retrieve speeds will almost guarantee an arm-jarring strike. It is safe to downsize equipment as long the drag is set properly. The Kings never run out to the main branch, so take your time and enjoy the fight. We used a 7’ G-Loomis JWR Spinning Rod with 30lb Power Pro Braid on a Shimano Sedona reel with #5 Vibrax.

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Melissa Norris
Alexander Lake
June 16, 2016

We flew out from Lake Hood in Anchorage with the great folks at Trail Ridge Air. My husband Wayne and I headed to Alexander lake on a super hot summer day. Mt. Mckinley and Mt. Foraker were stunning in the background. We slayed pike using Eppinger Dardevle, Sebil Pivot Frogs and homemade hoochies. We caught about fifty pike between both of us.

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Alaska Lakes Guide Service LLC
Jason Perrego
Long Lake
May 29, 2016

It was a sunny day with light winds and temperatures in the 50’s & 60’s. The water clarity was 8 feet with temperatures of 45 degrees. The Char were actively schooling and feeding near the surface in 30 feet of water along with several longnose suckers. The fish were caught using a variety methods, 1/8 oz Rooster Tails and small plastic swimbaits seemed to work the best on our G Loomis 6’4” Kokanee Spinning Rods with Shimano Sedona Reels. Together they caught 5 char along with some Rainbows and Grayling.

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Alaska Lakes Guide Service LLC
Jason Perrego
Lake Lucille
May 21, 2016

John from Ohio came to Alaska to sell his property. The weather was cloudy with 10mph winds. Needless to say he may want to reconsider his decision to sell as he was able to hook into this monster rainbow on Lake Lucille. We used the reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper Swimbait on 1/8oz VM half moon jighead on our G Loomis 6’4” Kokanee Spinning Rods with Shimano Sedona Reels. This fish proved to be a challenge on 6lb Flourocarbon Line with heavy aquatic vegetation 3-5ft deep. 

Fish Alaska’s 2016 Fishing Report 
for the Mat-Su Valley

Check back for updates from around the state all summer! Submit your local fishing reports here, be sure to include all pertinent information.
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Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Northern Cook Inlet area
August 18, 2016 

Week of August 17 to August 23
Issued August 18, 2016

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

  • Use of bait remains prohibited by EO on the Little Susitna River.
  • Jim Creek is closed to salmon fishing beginning Saturday, August 20, by EO. The area closed includes Jim Creek and all waters downstream to the Knik River and continuing downstream on the Knik River to within 100 yards of its confluence with Bodenburg Creek.
  • By Emergency Order, the bag and possession limit for coho (silver) salmon 16 inches or greater in length has been increased to three fish in those waters of Fish Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Wasilla Creek open to salmon fishing. Mondays were added to the weekend-only fisheries of Cottonwood and Wasilla Creeks, allowing fishing to occur on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, and Fish Creek is liberalized to 7 days per week. Anglers are reminded that sport fishing is only allowed in these waters from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and that the coho salmon limit is combined with the bag and possession limit of sockeye, chum, and pink salmon.
  • A youth-only fishery at the Eklutna Tailrace from the confluence with the Knik River, up-stream to the pedestrian bridge, will be open to anglers age 15 and younger on Saturday, August 20th from 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. This is an excellent opportunity to take a youngster fishing and fishing is expected to be good.
  • Coho salmon 16 inches or longer once removed from fresh water must be retained and become part of the bag limit of the person who originally hooked the fish. A person may not remove a coho salmon 16 inches or longer from the water before releasing it.

Fresh waters

Salmon

  • Fishing for coho salmon on the Parks Highway streams is sporadic. Some limits are being taken, but plan to put in some time. For highway accessible spots try the mouths of Willow, Kashwitna, Caswell, sheep, and Montana creeks. For boat accessible spots fish the mouth of Little Willow, Bull Frog Slough, and Clear Creek on the Talkeetna River.
  • Fishing for coho at the Eklutna Tailrace is fair. Early morning fishing is best.
  • Little Su coho fishing continues to be below average.
  • Some limits of coho are being taken on the Deshka River. Try fishing with bait under a bobber and plan to move around to locate fish.
  • Coho fishing is expected to be fair to good in Fish Creek and Wasilla Creek/Rabbit Slough this next weekend. Remember Wasilla and Cottonwood creeks are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays – Mondays and Fish Creek open 7 days per week through the rest of the season.
  • Yentna River sloughs such as Moose and Indian creeks are good places to fish for coho. Lake Creek mouth should be fair to good this week. For floatplane access, land in Bulchitna Lake and hike a short distance to fish lower Lake Creek.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

  • Fishing for rainbow trout on the Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north and including the Talkeetna River is excellent. Fishing for Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling should be good.
  • Try fishing egg and flesh fly patterns as rainbow trout are now targeting king eggs and feeding on king carcasses; don’t forget the occasional leech or sculpin pattern.

Northern Pike

  • Pike fishing has been good in the Nancy Lake canoe system lakes; try using a weedless mouse or frog lure through the weedy areas. Fishing is best when water temperatures are lowest, such as early inthe morning or late in the day.
  • For road-accessible pike fishing, try just about any lake in the Nancy Lake canoe system, plus Memory and Prator lakes.
  •  Fly-in fishing for pike can be excellent. Try Alexander, Trapper, Hewitt, Whiskey, Vern, and Donkey lakes.
  • Anglers may retain as many pike as they catch — there is no bag or possession limit. In the freshwaters of West Cook Inlet and Susitna River drainage, anglers are not allowed to release live pike back into the water.

Lake Fishing

  • It’s a beautiful time of year for Lake fishing. Cooler temperatures have fish coming in shallow early in the morning and late in the evening.
  • Combine blueberry picking and rainbow trout fishing with some of our alpine lakes up the Glenn Hwy: Knob and North Knob lakes, Ravine, Weiner, and Long Lake (mile 86).