Eklutna Tailrace and Knik River: Mat-Su’s only king salmon option

When I talked with Evan at 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle on Tuesday June 28, he said anglers were having good success catching king salmon at Eklutna Tailrace. I’ve heard other direct reports from the tailrace and the Knik River side-channel below it (where king salmon fishing and harvest are allowed) that led me to believe the fishing was fair at best. Take your pick, whether this fishery is good or fair at best, at present it is just about the only salmon fishery in the entire Mat-Su Valley providing some type of harvest opportunity.

As reported last week the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) closed the Little Susitna River and Deshka River king salmon fisheries to all king salmon fishing. Later in the week, as mentioned in Howard Delo’s Outdoors column, ADF&G closed the entire Susitna River drainage to king salmon fishing — with provisions that fishing in Little Susitna River and the Susitna River drainage for other species could be done with single-hook artificial lures only through July 13.

Large Fresh King Salmon

This past week I’ve seen pictures of several larger ocean-chrome king salmon that were harvested in the Knik River side-channel below the tailrace posted on the internet. Earlier most of the king salmon caught seemed to be in the 10 — 15 pound or smaller range, while this past week some 20-pound plus king salmon were taken. Most of the fish getting caught in the Knik River are caught on bait or bait behind a Spin-n-glo. In the tailrace bait is a top producer, but in the past a fair amount of king salmon have also been caught on spinners.

Little Susitna River and Deshka River

Low king salmon passage past Little Susitna River and Deshka River weirs have continued for the past week since these fisheries were closed to all king salmon fishing. It appears likely final king salmon spawning escapements to these two rivers may come in below ADF&G’s established goal levels. The Little Susitna River goal is 2,100 — 4,300 king salmon and only 1,024 have been counted passing the weir through Monday June 27. The Deshka River king salmon goal is 9,000 — 18,000 king salmon with only 4,469 counted passing Deshka River weir through Monday June 27. Only catch and release king salmon fishing was allowed at both fisheries starting May 1 until their closure on at 11 p.m. June 19 during the 2022 season.

Other Fish Species

With Little Susitna River remaining open for other fish species, I guided two fishing trips, and also fished it once with my wife, since king salmon fishing was closed. During those 3 trips a single rainbow trout, caught by one of my guests, was the only other fish species caught. 875 sockeye salmon have already swum past Little Susitna River weir this summer, and in past years I’ve had guests catch a few sockeye and even fewer early—arriving chum and coho salmon from the Little Susitna River during the month of June. The first few coho, chum, and pink salmon have already been caught in Upper Cook Inlet commercial fisheries, however, none have been counted passing either Little Susitna River or Deshka River weir as of Monday.

When I spoke with Jim Tilton of Deshka Landing Charters and Lodge he said without the king salmon there simply was not much to catch. He mentioned cancelling and refunding trips for 4 groups with exclusive bookings, rescheduling opportunities for a similar number of exclusive groups to fish next year, and being in discussion with about another third of his king salmon groups concerning how they would like to proceed. Jim mentioned that ADF&G had done such a good job netting pike from sloughs in the lower Deshka River this spring that he could only find a very few. This may be good for future king and coho salmon production from the Deshka River, but did not leave much for Jim and his guests to fish for between now and the second or third week of July in the lower Deshka River.

Evan with 3 Rivers Flay and Tackle told me some of the Susitna River tributary streams along the Parks Highway were now running quite clear and were producing better action for trout than they had been earlier in the season. Water levels at some streams may still be a bit high, but this coming weekend might be a good time to explore some of these streams for trout.

In addition to guiding some king salmon trips on the Knik River, Dan Suprak with Alaska Chinook Charters told me he had a couple pike trips scheduled in lower Susitna River waters during the coming week. Catch numbers had varied for him on these trips earlier this year, but at least pike are now providing another fishing option — and harvest is encouraged.

Fish Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Wasilla Creek, will all be open in their lower reaches to salmon fishing (for all salmon except king salmon) on Saturday and Sunday, however very limited — if any— salmon are likely to be available. They may provide an option for anglers looking to wet a line close to home.

Best Fishing for the 4th of July Holiday Weekend

Even when king salmon fishing and harvest is allowed in Susitna and Little Susitna River, early July can often be slower fishing with declining numbers of king salmon available at lower Little Susitna River and Deshka River —- further up the Susitna River and Talkeetna River drainages this was once the time to go. There may be a few sockeye salmon starting to show up in the Talkeetna area by this weekend for those wanting to enjoy fishing without a crowd. Eklutna Tailrace / Knik River is a quick and easily accessible fishery for those in the Palmer — Wasilla core area.

Significant Salmon Harvest Opportunities — Ready for a Road Trip?

The Copper River fisheries provide action to the north. Good numbers of both sockeye and king salmon area available in the Chitina area dip net fishery. A personal use or subsistence permit is required and the fishery is for Alaska residents only. Permits are available online through the ADF&G website. Starting Monday June 27 the Chitina district personal use fishery was re-opened to king salmon harvest — only one king salmon may be taken per household permit, The Upper Copper River sport fisheries were also re-opened to king salmon harvest starting Monday June 27 with a one-fish per angler daily / 2- fish seasonal limit. The July 4 weekend is considered by many to be peak time for catching Gulkana River king salmon.

Sockeye South

Big news for the Russian River sockeye salmon fishery: ADF&G increased the daily bag limit to 6 per day with 12 in possession starting June 25 — July 14. With king salmon fisheries closed at most Kenai Peninsula locations, however, a friend of mine fishing the Russian River early in the week said the fishery was very crowded — although he still caught his sockeye.

Have a great 4th of July weekend, Stay Safe, and Fish On!

Andy Couch is a Mat-Su Valley fishing guide who primarily targets ocean-run salmon during the summer months. You can read his daily fishing reports on his Fishtale River Guides website: https://www.fish4salmon.com