Fish on: Summer forecast looks good

Anglers looking to hook into a monster king salmon this year will be encouraged by the season's outlook.

Biologist Dana Sweet, with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Palmer office, said king fishing should be good this year, based on past results.

"That's been the pattern the last six years, and we should see it to continue," Sweet said. "The last six years, the Deshka [River] has been in the upper range in the escapement numbers, so there's no reason to think it won't continue."

The kings will be in, but when is a good question. The last few weeks have been slow, as is the case early in the season every year. This year, however, great weather has meant slow fishing.

Unusually warm weather has been enjoyed by everyone, but it comes at a cost to anglers -- rivers rise and turn muddy, which in turn makes fishing a little more difficult.

A good rule of thumb is to follow the fish north as the days go by. Fish are starting to show up in the Little Su and the mouth of Alexander Creek, so angling opportunities are the best in the "southern" part of the streams.

"You have to start down river and move up with the dates," Sweet said. "The mouth of Alexander is best around the first week of June, and then they move up to the mouth of the Deshka."

Sweet said the peak fishing time for kings at the mouth of the Deshka should be around June 15, and then the circus begins -- the mouth of Willow Creek gets hot.

Around the last two weekends in June, the kings get to Willow Creek, along with hundreds of people. The road-accessible spot is one of the most popular in the state for

anglers.

During the last weekend in June and the first weekend in July, the best king fishing can be found at Montana Creek, Sheep Creek and then the Talkeetna River.

While the mass of anglers target the kings, there are other opportunities to catch fish and avoid the people. Thanks to the solid runs of salmon, trout fishing has picked up.

"Fishing for trout has become excellent because of those runs," Sweet said.

That's because trout feed on the eggs of spawning salmon, as well as the flesh of dead salmon that is floating down the river. Large salmon runs mean more meal opportunities for trout -- and better fishing opportunities.

Fly fishers use egg and flesh patterns to fish for trout holding behind the spawning salmon, enjoying success throughout the summer.

One fish, two fish … regulations change

By CASEY RESSLER-Frontiersman Valley Life editor

There have been two minor changes to the fishing regulations for streams near the Susitna Valley for the 2002 season.

As of last Wednesday, the possession limit for king salmon 20 inches and longer in the western Susitna River streams was increased from one fish to two fish, although the one fish per day bag limit is still in effect.

"They are a little farther away, and people take boats there and usually don't come back every night," said Dana Sweet, a biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Palmer office.

The new regulations apply to waters from the mouth of the Susitna River upstream to its confluence with the Deshka River, including the Deshka River, but excluding Alexander Creek.

Alexander Creek was not included in the new possession limit because escapement numbers there have been low. ADF&G biologists think that may be due to northern pike predation in the stream.

Possession limits on the eastern Susitna River streams remain at one fish.

In the Lewis and Theodore rivers, catch-and-release fishing for king salmon is permitted through June 30. Only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure or fly may be used, and fishing is only allowed from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. All fish must be released immediately and may not be taken from the water.

According to the ADF&G order, king salmon returns to the two rivers have been high during the last five years, and they expect between 500 and 700 kings to be caught and released, with a mortality rate of less than 100 released fish.

Both changes were adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries during its February meeting, but they have not been signed into law yet, forcing ADF&G to issue emergency press releases.

The rest of the regulations are the same, but can change on a day-to-day basis, depending on run returns and escapement goals. Always make sure to have a current copy of the regulations with you as you head to the water.

For more information about emergency orders, interested anglers can call the ADF&G Palmer office at 746-6300.