Action heating up in Valley lakes and streams

MAT-SU — The salmon are still a few weeks away from storming up Mat-Su waters, but there’s still plenty of fishing to be done in the Valley.

Until salmon become the catch of choice, local anglers are focusing their efforts on the trout, Dolly Varden and grayling of the nearby lakes and streams.

Dave Rutz, of Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s sport fish division, said the month is certainly a time to break out the rods and reels and venture out to any of a number of Mat-Su waters in search of the smaller species.

Rutz said the rivers and creeks that runner perpendicular to the Parks Highway are looking very good right now, thanks mostly to the water levels that continue to come down.

Rutz reports good success fishing for Dolly Varden on the Talkeetna River and rainbow trout on the Kashwitna.

“Things are shaping up really good,” Rutz said.

Although the flowing waters along the Parks are only open to catch and release fishing through June 15, Rutz said that area is very popular for anglers.

Those toting the fly rod can have some success with black leaches, purple egg sucking leaches and the ever-popular woolly bugger.

Rutz said the water levels Parks Highway creeks and rivers were really high last week.

“The rivers really dirty up,” Rutz said of when the water is high. “It’s just starting to come down substantially. It’s starting to clear up and become real fishable.”

Rutz also said good fishing for rainbows has also been reported from Caswell Creek.

All but three lakes in the Mat-Su Valley are also open to fishing. Rutz said the fishing for rainbow trout has been really good at Finger Lake, and lakes in the Kepler-Bradley area are always local hot spots.

Those using spinning rods can try either No. 0 or No. 1 Vibrex or Mepps lures, Rutz said. Rutz did warn that Long Lake in the Kepler-Bradley area is open to only catch and release fishing. The same applies for X Lake in the Talkeetna area and Wishbone Lake, located off Buffalo Mine Road.

Flowing waters in the Palmer-Wasilla zone — such as Cottonwood Creek and Wasilla Creek — are also closed until June 15.

For more information related to Mat-Su Valley fishing, see www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.