Chill out: Ice fishing conditions ripe in the Valley

MAT-SU — With about a foot of ice on most Valley lakes and long holiday weekends the next two weeks, conditions are ripe for ice fishing.

“It’s been pretty chilly and we have plenty of ice now,” said Samantha Oslund, a fish biologist at the Palmer office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “We have about a foot on most lakes, so ice conditions are perfect.”

Holiday time is not only a perfect opportunity to buy gifts for the ice fishermen and women in the family, but to take care of some important business, Oslund said — renewing fishing licenses. The state is urging outdoors enthusiasts to remember that current licenses expire Dec. 31.

“If you’re looking for a great stocking-suffer, many vendors sell licenses as a gift,” she said.

For those planning to go out on the ice in the next couple of weeks, there are plenty of great spots, the state reports.

Although ice is thick on many lakes, the ADF&G doesn’t actively monitor thickness, so those attempting to walk or drive on the ice need to be cautious, Oslund said. In the Mat-Su, there are 80 stocked lakes and another 31 not stocked, classified as wild. A complete list can be found on the state’s website, sf.adfg.state.ak.us.

For many who ice fish, northern pike is the prime target. Because pike are considered an invasive species, anglers are allowed to drop five lines at a time instead of the two allowed for other species, Oslund said.

Locally, one of the hot spots for pike is Nancy Lake.

“It has pike and is receiving quite a bit of effort,” she said. “It’s a nice lake, because it has more than just pike.”

Pike is what Greg Busch usually fishes for. Co-owner of BuschWhacker Decoys and a Mat-Su Angler’s Club member, Busch said anglers don’t stop their favorite activity just because it gets a little cold outside.

“For people who like to fish, there’s no reason to stop fishing just because it’s cold,” he said. “Ice fishing just extends the fishing time rather than sitting in the house.”

Busch was last out on the ice a couple weeks ago on Finger Lake.

“At that time, there was about 14 inches of clear ice and they were just starting to drive out on it,” he said. “I imagine there’s another eight or nine inches of ice now.”

The fishing then “was fair,” he said. “There are a lot of fish in there, but they’re nibblers, didn’t get anything big.”

The state’s latest fishing report lauds the pike fishing in the Valley and also has some tips for landing them.

“Pike respond well to decoys, shiny silver jigs and lures through the ice,” the report says. “Check the sport fishing regulations before you use bait. Where bait is allowed, chunks of herring work well, as do whole sardines or hooligan. Remember to keep your bait off the bottom and use steel leaders. When fishing with tip-ups, be extra sure you have your bait set at the correct depth.”

Because pike are considered an invasive species, anglers are doing the state and environment a favor by fishing for them, Busch said.

“I’m generally a pike fisherman,” he said. “They’re pretty much vermin, but they’re very good eating. There’s a big misconception that they’re bony and they taste bad, but that’s not the case.”

Winter is also a great time to ice fish for rainbow trout, with a limit of five per day (of which only one can exceed 20 inches in length).

“To catch rainbow trout and landlocked salmon, try jigging lures or lowering bait (if allowed) near drop-off areas and around underwater contours,” the state report says. “Popular baits include fresh (not frozen) cocktail shrimp, canned clams, single salmon eggs, or preserved salmon egg clusters. For lake trout/char, fish the bottom of the deepest hole you can find. Some lakes have more restrictive tackle and bag limits than others, so check the regulations before you go fishing.”

While there are dozens of stocked and wild lakes, Big Lake is an exception to many of the regulations, Oslund said. Through spring, Big Lake fishing is limited to single-hook with no bait with a bag limit of one per day for Arctic char and dolly varden.

“That’s a big question we’re getting right now, what’s up with Big Lake,” she said, adding anglers also want to know about ice thickness.

“We don’t monitor ice thickness, so we go off the state parks and keep in contact with them,” she said. “What we recommend is you drill a few holes as you work your way out. There are some lakes that are spring-fed and may have some weak spots, so travel at your own risk.”

Busch said ice fishing in the Valley is good “pretty much everywhere. Any one of these stocked lakes in the Valley are usually pretty good.”

Busch’s top tip? Patience.

“Your mobility is limited by how many holes you want to drill,” he said. “You just try different lures and bait. They’re all full of fish, it’s just a matter of finding them.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.