Mat-Su Fall fishing opportunities

I’ve been chronicling slow Mat-Su Valley coho fishing for a number of weeks now, but on Labor Day I pulled my guide boat off the Little Susitna River. Although I’d had calls form interested anglers nearly every day, I had not guided a trip since Sept. 1.

When folks called we felt it best to advise them of what we expected of a September Mat-Su salmon fishing trip before taking their money and signing them up. My expectation was that any particular trip would likely catch about one to three coho salmon, with few other fish hooked, and only a few opportunities to see fish (either in the water or surfacing) during the trip. In addition, most of the salmon were also getting dark in preparation for spawning. Heading that report only a few single anglers were interested in fishing, so it was time to switch to other fall activities.

Two Mat-Su salmon opportunities

While I expect most salmon fishing opportunities would be similar to what I’ve experience on the Little Susitna River, if someone was looking for an easy opportunity for a couple hours of fishing, I would suggest trying Eklutna Tailrace along the Old Glenn Highway or Fish Creek about 16 miles out Knik-Goose Bay Road.

The fishing area at both of these locations is rather small, but it can be covered quickly, and in the past I’ve seen some September salmon caught from each location. Both locations are road accessible with no need to bring a boat. I would not necessarily expect banner fishing, but if you went at the right time on the right day you might still have some good silver salmon action and could end up with some good keeper silver salmon. Both locations are currently open to seven-day-per-week fishing, with a three-coho salmon limit.

Remember, however, that the daily hours when fishing is allowed at Fish Creek only run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Susitna River Drainage

Mike Hudson with 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla (373-5434) told me earlier this week that the streams crossing the Parks Highway had been fishing very well for trout and grayling, but action had slowed down a bit with some recent rising water.

Marg Nealis with Phantom Tri River Charters in Talkeetna (733-2300) told me they were running some drop off trips at Clear Creek on the Talkeetna River drainage as well as a few rainbow trout charters. She reported that trout fishing has been decent, and they expect to continue running charters through Sept. 19. Margo also told me that they were no long running salmon fishing trips, and switched over to trout when regulations on the Susitna River drainage switched to artificial lures only on Sep. 1.

Ben Allen asked if I would like to go on a drift boat trout fishing trip with him on one of the streams between Willow and Talkeetna, and I was quite tempted since I enjoyed great fishing catching action with Ben on the same stream a few years ago. Ben had been watching a water chart and the stream level was dropping on this particular stream at the time. If you choose to fish one of these streams, fishing is often better when the water gets lower, as it concentrates the fish in smaller areas, and lower flows provide more slow easy to fish runs. Smaller single hook lures or flies seem to be the best produces of rainbow trout, arctic grayling, and, in some locations, Dolly Varden.

Susitna River Drainage pike

The best pike fishing I know of in the Susitna River drainage requires a boat ride from Deshka Landing. Most of the pike I’ve caught in the fall had something to do with moose hunting trips. At times decent numbers of pike can be found in sloughs off the Deshka River. I’ve also had good fall pike success at Flathorn Lake off the lower Susitna River, and in a lake connected to the Yentna River drainage. If you are going on a moose hunt to one of these locations, or willing to put in some significant boating time there may be great pike fishing available, and fishing tackle requirements are minimal. I’ve had good success casting spinners on one of my salmon fishing outfits. Remember, that invasive northern pike may not be release alive in these waters. If you catch even one over-sized fish you may already have more than enough fish for several meals.

If you like uncrowded fishing opportunities fall is definitely a time when you can fish many lakes or streams without seeing even one other angler. Valley lakes stocked by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game often provide some of the better fish catching/keeping opportunities for fall as well.

Many of these lakes are just of the road and close enough that they can be fished with just a few hours time. It only takes a short period of sunny weather at such locations. As water start to cool in the fall, fish often become more accessible in some of the deeper lakes as they move into shallow near shore areas to feed. Lakes that have spawning salmon often have trout actively feeding near these fish. It goes without saying that single salmon eggs match the trout’s preferred food source in these situations.

As most Mat-Su salmon fishing in now a memory, and my thoughts turn to moose hunting, I’m anticipating this should be my last fishing column for a while.

For those who may have been wondering about Mat-Su salmon weir counts through Sept. 7, 2016:

Little Sustina River coho count was 9,998 fish — within 102 fish of achieving the threshold of the spawning escapement goal of 10,100 — 17,700 fish.

Deshka River coho count was listed at 6,816 fish — the Deshka is currently a system with no goal, but often times the coho run can exceed the run to Little Susitna River.

Jim Creek coho count is 1,087 fish — still less than one third of the 3,461 fish counted last year through the same date. Note: In both 2015 and 2016 the Jim Creek sport salmon fishery was shut down in efforts to meet minimum coho salmon spawning numbers for the system. If this year’s weir counts are any indication the goal of 450-1,400 coho in the McRoberts Creek index count area could be missed by a substantial margin.

The Mat-Su Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission has scheduled a Mat-Su Valley fishing season wrap-up meeting with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Oct. 27.

Stay tuned for an update on time and place.

Andy Couch is a member of the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee and the Matanuska Susitna Borough Fsh and Wildlife Commission.