Mat-Su Fishing Corner: Arrival of Truck Trout

As mentioned in last week’s column catchable-sized rainbow trout started trucking to Mat-Su Valley lakes on Saturday May 7. Kepler- Bradley lakes, Lucille Lake in Wasilla, and Loberg Lake near the Parks Highway / Glenn Highway junction were each stocked over the weekend with fish averaging about 10 inches in length. Since fishing had been slow up to that point, these newly stocked lakes are likely providing some of the best fish catching opportunities in the valley. Often times soon after the fish are stocked they may tend to hang together in a large group(s). Sometimes they will hang out right near the stocking locations for a day or several days. Catch one 10-inch fish and you are likely into a bunch of them. On the other hand if you are having no luck you may need to move around in order to find the big group or groups of fish. A canoe, float tube, or other small portable boat greater increases anglers opportunities to fish various parts of a lake, as public access on many of the stocked lakes is limited to a small park or area near a rough or improved boat launch, Private property may otherwise encircle a lake.

For those wanting to know a history of when specific lakes were stocked they can use the stocking search tool on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=Sport StockingHatcheriesSearch.areaSearchResults

When I ran a search for Mat-Su Valley lakes that had been stocked through May 10, 2022, in addition to the lakes mentioned earlier in this column, Canoe Lake and Meiers Lake had also been stocked on Monday May 9 with the same approximately 10 inch catchable rainbow trout. When I talked with Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) fisheries biologist, Sam Ivey this week, he mentioned more fish should keep coming to the valley for a while, so a search after this column publishes on Friday, May 13 will likely yield additional May 2022 stockings. If looking for just recent stockings be sure to adjust the search dates or you will end up with a long list of lakes that were stocked many months.

Another option, if you know of an ice-free lake that usually does not get much pressure it may be good for holdover fish that may have also grown to a larger size. My friend and fishing guide, Dan Suprak knows of just such a lake that he likes to fly fish with his wife. They have made the trip 3 times already since ice out, and have caught fish each time, with the least amount of trout caught on their first open-water trip. The largest fish they caught was approximately 22 inches in length, and released to be fished for again.

Finger Lake Boat Launch

I’ve heard from three different people that the Alaska State Parks Finger Lake boat launch will be closed for upgrading. My three sources did not have a specific date, however, boaters may want to consider a different lake or call Alaska State Parks in hopes of learning the construction schedule: 907-745-3975.

Pike in the Shallows

Both Sam Ivey and A.J. with 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle told me that anglers may want to start looking for pike in the shallow by this weekend. Dan Suprak told me that both boat launches at Big Lake were still iced up, but there was open water a bit further down the shore so he figured the launches should open in the next few days and most likely by the weekend. A.J. had mentioned that some of the lakes in the Nancy Lake system were starting to open up —- and when I drove by Nancy Lake on Tuesday there was a bit of open water on the North end. Once again, it may be open by this weekend, or there could still be a significant bit of ice on the lake. Jason Perrego, who has since moved to Florida, told me that pike fishing early in the season is often better later in the day when the shallow water has had a chance to warm up — he definitely advised against starting too early in the morning on an early season pike trip.

King Salmon

While break up is a bit late on the Susitna drainage, mid-June is about the time I usually expect someone to catch an early king salmon at Deshka or Little Susitna River. Bites are few and far between this time of year, but I certainly expect a few king salmon to be caught — if not this weekend, then during the week. If river levels come up too quickly on Deshka and Little Susitna River, then this may be a year where someone catches the first king salmon in the Knik River side-channel before a king is caught at Deshka or Little Su.

Hooligan

Pete Imhoff told me a friend of his had already caught a cooler full of hooligan from the 20-mile river recently — and that there were already plenty of people out fishing for hooligan along Turnagain Arm south of Anchorage. A person can get there with a highway drive —- meanwhile, Deshka Landing has been closed to boat launches through the Tuesday deadline for this column. Once the Susitna River is clear of ice below Deshka Landing, hooligan should be showing up in short order down by the Yentna River confluence. Hooligan fishing will be better later in May, and also further upstream closer to or even upstream from Deshka Landing.

Willow Area Creek Cleanup

A.J. and Jackie both with 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle told me they were planning on having a community effort clean up of Willow Creek and likely Little Willow Creek. They are planning to meet up at Willow Creek Resort (just North of the Willow Creek Bridge on the Parks Highway) around 9-10 o’clock Sunday morning May 15. For more information call 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle at 907-373-5434.

Take your pick, but if you really want to catch fish, the stocked lakes may be your best bet.

Good Luck and Fish On!

Andy Couch is a Mat-Su Valley fishing guide who writes a weekly Frontiersman fishing column during the open-water fishing season. You may read Mat-Su Valley fishing report updates at his Fishtale River Guides website: fish4salmon.com