Lake Fishing in the Mat-Su

We have phenomenal lake fishing within the Mat-Su Borough. It’s a secret we’ve been trying to tell for years. Given the spring we are currently having, which feels more like a well-prayed-for day in June, we hope it lends to an even greater interest in discovering the more than 80 fishable lakes in our back yard.

Here’s some information to get you hooked on the idea. With any luck, we’ll see you on the water this weekend.

For fishermen, the most anticipated part of spring is how quickly lakes transition from thick ice to open water. This year, the ice on Finger Lake made this transition over the course of three days.

Two Sundays ago, we were standing on Finger Lake ice fishing. The next day the ice was no longer suitable to walk on. The following day, half the lake was open. And by Wednesday, we had our boat unwrapped and in the water. We still can’t believe it.

Typically we are left with time to detangle and pack away our ice fishing gear, dig out our summer gear, and stare at the receding lake ice through April and into May. Not the case this year, and fisherman everywhere are springing into action.

Our luck doesn’t end there. Other factors, such as water clarity, also slow progress for spring stillwater fishing.

Typically, when the ice goes out, there will be a period of poor water clarity, making it more difficult to find a bite. When it clears, some of the best fishing of the entire year takes place. This year we noticed, at least on Finger Lake, if there was a time with cloudy, poor water clarity, it went by almost undetected. More good news.

There are lakes in the Valley that still have ice coverage to some degree. With this weekend’s warm weather, hopefully your favorite lake will have open water by Monday. With this said, a word of caution should be extended. If you must go on the ice, have a good enough reason to justify falling through, and a plan to get yourself out.

We watched anxiously as a teen walked across rotten honeycomb ice to fish a natural wide open spring in the middle of the lake, of all places. We also cringed watching a husky run across the ice, luckily falling through close enough to a public boat launch to make the swim to shore only to have his owner call him back across the ice that he just fell through.

Both the teen and the dog are safe, and luckily the ice went out. But seriously, common sense comes in handy in both these situations. If you don’t have that handy, heed the free advice being hollered your direction.

To set yourself up for a successful day of fishing, take into consideration some key factors that come into play in the spring. Water temp is certainly important and plays a huge roll on so many levels. Increasing water temps affect bug hatches, weed-bed growth, bite frequency and activity levels.

Lighting is another critical component. Fish can be finicky when the lake ice has recently gone out. On Finger, while there were still large islands of ice floating around, the fish seemed to favor holding up under the ice, and we had success while targeting these ice edges.

Lighting is also going to play a major role in your lure selection. We haven’t had many cloudy days this spring, but even a cloud bank covering the sun for 20 minutes can have an effect on the bite. We recommend switching from dark lures to light lures, and various types of flies.

The other key to success is changing presentation. Fish may respond to casting and retrieving. But if not, try a still presentation with a bobber and bait, if allowed.

We also switch out our line in the spring and on most lakes use 6-pound test monofilament. There is nothing worse than knowing you hooked the biggest fish you’ve ever caught and having the line break before you even get to confirm it. Old line is worth the effort it takes to replace, and a tiny knot in your leader truly can ruin your day.

Lastly, two things you can easily check to see which lakes offer the best chance at success are stocking reports and lake access. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game does a great job updating its stocking reports on its website, which can be found at www.adfg.alaska.gov.

Not many thing are guaranteed in fishing. But a lake that just had 74,798 rainbows stocked is going to be better fishing than the day before, guaranteed.

Lake access is also an important part of trip planning. Good information can again be found on the Fish and Game website. It even lists specific information about parking and terrain that will help you to determine if you need a boat or can fish from shore.

Hopefully you find your favorite lake to put this information to good use on. Please remember to wear your life jackets, and bring your family so you can introduce the tradition of fishing to the next generation.

If you would like more information about lake fishing, we have two upcoming seminars we would like to invite you too. The evening of May 16 at Cabela’s in Anchorage, we will be hosting a Spring Stillwater Fishing Seminar and a Kids Intro To Fishing Seminar. The kids seminar includes hands-on opportunities to practice casting, tie fishing knots, and dig around in fish eggs.

Check our Facebook Page at Ehmann Outdoors for updates on these seminars.

Butch and Jehnifer Ehmann are the owners of Ehmann Outdoors and specialize in youth outdoor education. They are born and raised in Palmer and enjoy fishing year-round with their daughters Kaylee and Callie.