In between fishing seasons

On Monday I drove to Willow and Deshka Landing one last time before freeze-up. Starting near my home in Palmer, I drove past Kepler-Bradley Lakes and Echo Lake along the Glenn Highway then past Junction (Loberg) Lake along the Parks Highway. Conditions at each of those lakes looked reasonable for fishing, but as I approached Wasilla the highway was wet with misty rain, and passing Wasilla and Lucille Lakes I saw ice blown up along the shores of the lakes. As I headed north temperatures dropped and a small lake near the Big Lake turn off was frozen over. Little Susitna River near Houston had ice along both shores, and the Parks Highway started getting slicker and traffic was driving slower as I passed through the Nancy Lake area. Driving through Willow the highway was sanded with increasing precipitation (a cold rain) falling. Willow Lake was frozen over with what appeared to be a small amount of water on top of the ice.

Turning off the Parks Highway and onto Willow Creek Parkway, I made the turn slowly and kept my speed low. Sand had been spread on the roads all the way from here into Deshka Landing. There was an icy layer on the parking lot at Deshka Landing, and one vehicle with a boat trailer in the entire main parking lot. I did not even attempt to drive down to the boat launch for fear I would spin out and not make it back up the hill, I wondered if the owners of the vehicle and boat in the parking lot might be confined by ice, somewhere out on the river. Did I mention I did not see any boaters or anglers at any of the many fishing locations I drove past? I do not know of any Mat-Su fishing guides currently operating at this time, and suspect most (or all of them) are either done for the season, or waiting for good ice to form on some of the local or more northern lakes before venturing out again. I did not stop anywhere along my trip, and therefore did not wet a line at any location.

Driving home, I stopped at 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla in search of some rod building supplies. I asked what they had heard recently about Mat-Su Valley fishing, but was only told that nobody had any reports from fishing over the weekend.

On Tuesday I took a newly built trout rod out to the back yard and made several test casts. If the weather stays above freezing I may take it out on one of the Palmer area lakes later this week, but the weather forecast was calling for snow Tuesday evening / overnight, so my open water fishing may be over for the season. If the snow and cooler weather hold off, it would definitely be fun for me to do some hiking and casting around one of the stocked lakes. I’ve done this in late October before, and would expect to see very few — if any other anglers. I’ve also caught both rainbow trout and landlocked salmon by casting small spinners into shallow waters along the sides of different lakes shortly before freeze-up. With salmon in our freezer for the winter, this is strictly a catch and release fall fishery for me. Focussing on pleasant, I prefer to fish with temperatures above freezing and no ice forming in my fishing rod guides. I’ve done my share of "toughing it out" fishing, but don’t need any, at this time, while searching for smallish trout or landlocked salmon.

Recently, I mentioned the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee meeting that occurred last Thursday evening in Wasilla, and which I attended and participated in. While this was a in person meeting, it is my hope that Advisory Committee meetings in the Mat-Su for Matanuska Valley, Susitna Valley, and Mount Yenlo Advisory Committees may start providing an online attendance option, providing the public an opportunity to attend or check in and see what is happening without driving considerable distances by highway or off road vehicles. At the Thursday meeting, Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee supported submitting record copies (RCs) to the Alaska Board of Fisheries at their Work Session in Anchorage on October 29 and 30 in support of the board scheduling Agenda Change Request (ACR) 2 submitted by the Matanuska - Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission for a meeting and also supporting scheduling ACR 3 submitted by the Mat-Su legislative delegation for a board meeting. The Matanuska - Susitna Borough Assembly had earlier agreed to submit a resolution in support of both of those ACRs as well.

In hopes of more Sustainable Northern Cook Inlet / Mat-Su Valley Salmon Fishing Opportunities next summer! Fish On!

Local fishing guide, Andy Couch, is also a member of the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission.