Hooligan week on the Susitna River

While setting out for a king salmon fishing trip on Wednesday (May 20), I spotted a large flock of gulls along the Susitna River, upstream of the Deshka River confluence, for the first time this year. I figured that meant significant numbers of hooligan must now be upstream of the Deshka.

While I was putting away fishing gear and loading my boat at the landing, people fishing from shore near the end of the boat launch dipped a few hooligan. Another boatload of hooligan dippers strained to offload heavy coolers full of the small fish, then lift them into a pickup for transport from the river.

At the landing I also talked with Mike Wood, a Talkeetna-area resident, who told me commercial fishermen from the Kenai Peninsula were now out targeting Susitna hooligan as well. Another boater spoke of scooping coolers of the fish with his bare hands on the Yentna River tributary to the Susitna River.

By this point I’m sure some readers are wondering why I’ve headlined this article writing about a soft, oily, little fish like hooligan. While not for everyone, hooligan are one of the most available resources for fishermen and women in the entire Mat-Su Valley at this time. But Alaskan residents who would like to harvest Susitna hooligan better do it soon, as the abundance of fish often only lasts until about the end of May.

For more information about the fishery or how to harvest a cooler full of hooligan, call Ben Allen of Miller’s Riverboat Service at 715-1095, or Pat Donelson of I Fish Alaska Guide Service at 357-0131.

About trout

Mike Hudson of 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle and Jeff Boatright at Susitna Landing both reported that good fishing for rainbow trout and grayling is still available in streams along the Parks Highway between Willow and Talkeetna. Mike mentioned that good fishing continues near stream confluences with the Susitna River, however, fish are migrating and available in spots further upstream as well. (Remember that all rainbow trout fishing on these streams until mid-June is regulated on a catch-and-release basis.)

Fishing the Parks Highway streams may also provide an opportunity to land a king salmon, in addition to trout. Jeff said three trout anglers have hooked into king salmon from Susitna Landing during the past week, although none of the fish were landed. If you should experience the thrill of one of these big bruisers taking your lure or fly, and you are fortunate enough to land the fish, remember: all king salmon fishing on Susitna River tributary drainages upstream of the Deshka River are also being regulated on a catch-and-release basis from May 1 to July 13. Single-hook artificial lures are also required when fishing these streams during this time period.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Samantha Oslund was excited to let anglers know that with the early spring weather this year, Fish and Game has been able to stock Valley lakes with larger rainbow trout, arctic char, and arctic grayling earlier than usual. Therefore, stocked lakes in the Mat-Su should provide excellent fish catching opportunities for those wanting to get out over Memorial Day weekend.

Samantha also mentioned that the lakes provide a chance for guests to get outdoors, camp, fish and boat in a more relaxed setting than what is normally associated with king salmon fisheries.

King salmon fishing

Last week I reported that Larry Engel and Lois Swensen caught the earliest Mat-Su Valley king salmon from my boat taken in the last decade (May 12). Since then I have run eight more king salmon trips to the Deshka River, and on Wednesday, a guest caught only the third king salmon from my boat this season. During those trips my guests caught some pike, grayling and a rainbow trout, but at present, the number of anglers fishing for king salmon at the Deshka RIver mouth seems to greatly outnumber the king salmon available to be caught.

Each day I’ve gone to the Deshka this year, we’ve seen at least a few king salmon surface, and that is a more positive sign than I normally see this time of year. However, with the number of boat anglers fishing the mouth area, the number of king salmon harvested each day has been far less than one per boat. I expect overall king salmon catch rates will continue to average less than one fish per boat or group of anglers through Memorial Day.

Fish and Game has now installed salmon counting weirs on both the Deshka and Little Susitna Rivers. As I write, no king salmon counts have yet been posted for Deshka, and there have been no king salmon passing the Little Susitna weir in its first nine days of operation. Nothing unusual for this time of year, so I’ve been starting each trip with some fishful thinking — if we find a small concentration of kings, everyone on my boat could catch a fish! It’s due to happen some trip. May you enjoy a safe and fishful Memorial Day weekend.

Andy Couch owns and operates Fishtale River Guides fish4salmon.com and is a member of the Mat-Su Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission.