Mike Lunde
Minto Flats
June 10, 2016

Northern pike fishing has recently opened again following the spring closure by the ADF&G to protect them for spawning. During reproduction, pike physically suppress their conditioning which is the reasoning behind this spring closure. In Fairbanks, fishing action has been decent on Tanana Lakes with the average size pike around 18 inches and a legitimate opportunity at a 30-incher. Downsized lures and flies are the recipe for success as this watershed receives a substantial amount of fishing pressure. Minto Flats, a remote chain of lakes interconnected by the Tolovana and Chatanika Rivers has experimented average to slightly-above average action. It is required in the first week of June to explore a fair amount of water to find aggressive pike as they move frequently to find food following the conclusion of their spawning cycles in late April or May. A recent floatplane excursion undertaken by personal friends, Kristen and Josh Maddox of Fairbanks, yielded a successful pike trip. A combination of 5-inch streamers on the fly rod coupled with soft plastic swimbaits and spoons yielded catches of 25 to 35-inch pike. Larger fish in the 40-inch plus range are available. As the upcoming weeks approach, pike fishing will continue to heat up as they are highly eager to forage on almost anything that swims to fill up their bellies after all the energy used to satisfy reproduction.

Fish Alaska’s 2016 Fishing Report
for Minto Flats

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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