Catch more fish with free information sources, part 2

Last week I mentioned the Alaska Department of FIsh and Game (ADF&G) online licensing page, ADF&G’s online salmon escapement count page and ADF&G’s online daily and cumulative harvest page for the Upper Cook Inlet commercial salmon fishery. There is much more information to be found on the ADF&G website, including the emergency regulation changes page and the weekly fishing report page, but let’s move on to some other information sources valuable to anglers.

Alaska Outdoor Journal’s online private angler fishing reports located at alaskaoutdoorjournal.com provide a wealth of fishing report information from locations throughout south central Alaska, including the Mat-Su Valley. Some reports are better than others, but I know of no other source with the number of reports for so many different locations. If there is something hot going on, there will likely be a report posted here, and often as soon as the good fishing starts to occur — rather than a week later.

Remember that some anglers stretch their fish tales (fishing reports) a bit, and read several on the same location, when available, for a better overall picture of fishing conditions. The editor of the website also at times adds important regulation or additional information to reports that increases their usefulness. There is much additional fishing information available on this website, but for me the private angler fishing report page is the most useful.

Knowing what water conditions exist in present time and what is likely to occur within the next day or two on specific streams may help determine where an angler would like to plan a trip. Finding this type data available anywhere has been difficult for me, however, the Untied States Geological Survey (USGS) website at usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=AK has proven most beneficial, and in particular the information about water flows on the Little Susitna RIver — where most of my guided salmon fishing trips occur.

Water flow is charted from the river above the Parks HIghway bridge, so there is at least a 24-hour lag between water conditions at the collection site and what occurs in the lower river near the Little Susitna River Public Use Facility Campground and Boat Launch. The lag time provides a way to predict what will likely occur before conditions exist on the lower river. Changes in water level usually occur as a direct result of weather conditions. For example, several hot days in a row early in the season may cause considerable more snow melt or large rain events may also cause the water level to swell. High water flows on a salmon stream may be both good and bad for fishing success, since increased flow often triggers salmon migration into some streams, but at the same time if water flows are high enough turbidity may increase to the point that salmon can not find an angler’s lure.

Another problem with high water flows is that they can dramatically increase the amount of debris floating down river in the current. It has been a theory of mine that when high levels of debris are floating down river, salmon are so busy getting out of the way, that they often respond the same way to an angler’s offering. Great places to look for salmon during periods of high flows include slower water areas off to the side of main current flows, and areas where clearer waters enter the swollen stream. During periods of high water flows salmon may hold up in such areas in extreme numbers. Finding even one such area may be the difference between a whole boat of salmon anglers catching limits limits or getting skunked.

Like usual, I’ve digressed from the discussion to mention a specific fishing tip. The biggest problem with the information available from the above mentioned USGS water data site is the lack of data from additional streams an angler may want to visit. Since weather conditions often trigger water conditions, however, a very up to date weather report may at times work as a substitute. I like to use a online weather report that is updated and readily available at nearly all times; wunderground.com is my site of choice, although I would mention, as we should all know, weather predictions are not as accurate as the USGS water flow data.

Hopefully these columns have started anglers thinking about additional information sources that may be useful for their own specific fisheries. A few easy online searches may provide treasured information that increases your success rates.

Andy Couch owns and operates Fishtale River Guides (fish4salmon.com) is a Mat-Su Anglers Club member (matsuanglers.org) and member of the Matanuska-Susitna Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Sportsmen’s Committee.