Mat-Su salmon fishing tapering off

When this article is released on Friday, there will be less than one day of bait fishing left for most waters of the Susitna River drainage.

With the high waters we’ve had throughout nearly the entire month of August, the opportunity to use bait has helped provide much of the sport silver salmon harvest along the Susitna River drainage streams. Combine that with the fact that the 2019 Susitna River drainage silver salmon run seems to be on a more historical run timing or even possibly an earlier than normal run timing which has put many of the silver salmon further up river near the end of August.

When I talked with Margo Nealis of Phantom Tri River Charters in Talkeetna on Tuesday she mentioned that high waters had made Clear Creek nearly unfishable lately, but they were still running charters and catching silver salmon along the Talkeetna/Susitna River drainage. Margo said they were sorting through silver salmon to select better fish for harvest. Most females and even some of the males were being released. When I asked how long Phantom Tri River Charters intended to run salmon trips her thought was as long as their guests could catch some decent quality silver salmon. She mentioned that they had been catching salmon on both lures and bait, but agreed that not having bait would remove one of the better ways of harvesting silver salmon.

A little further south in the Susitna River drainage, Joe Rouswell at Susitna Landing (mile 82.5 Parks Highway turnoff) said he thought the salmon fishing would be just about wrapped up after Labor Day Weekend. Salmon fishing had never recovered to pre high water levels at Susitna Landing according to Rouswell. The landing has had decent number of campers each weekend, and recently moose hunters have been launching and taking off from the landing. Joe and Marilynn Rouswell have done an excellent job running Susitna Landing, but will be retiring from that position at the end of September. If you are one of the many folks that has enjoyed the opportunity to camp of boat out of Susitna Landing in the past few years, you might want to say a big “Thank You!” to Joe and Marilynn. The phone number for Susitna Landing is 495-7700.

In addition to Talkeetna River drainage — if I were looking for salmon along the Parks Highway this weekend, I might try Montana Creek, Sheep Creek, or Willow Creek and especially near the stream confluence areas if I were looking for prime harvestable silver salmon. There are likely still a few fresh arriving chrome fish, although most fish are getting a rosy blush.

For moose hunters headed down the Susitna River and up the Yentna River there are often a few late chrome silver salmon especially near the tributary confluence areas with the large glacial rivers. A bit of fishing is a good way to spend some of the mid day time while on a moose hunt. I’ve both caught salmon dinner, and harvested a moose while attempting to fish during mid-day hours on Susitna Valley moose hunts. Long ago my dad taught me that it can pay off if a person keeps their rifle at hand just in case a legal moose shows up at an odd hour.

Although my guided salmon fishing business has enjoyed an excellent silver salmon season fishing mainly the Little Susitna River, the salmon quality is fading with the summer season. Moat of the silver salmon anglers are catching out of Little Susitna River Public Use Facility are either dark in color or darker. If a person is attempting to harvest better quality fish, the males are often in better shape than the female salmon — even though the males may be a bit darker in color. Fishing pressure has dropped off significantly although there are still boat anglers out fishing at this location on a daily basis. Hunters are also out along the river, and Saturday September 1 is the opening day of waterfowl season, so that will bring more hunters — especially for opening day and the entire Labor Day weekend.

Fish Creek

As I’ve driven over Fish Creek headed for Little Susitna River I’ve been seeing vehicles of salmon anglers every day. I have not personally talked to anyone recently who has been fishing at Fish Creek, however, it is impressive how many sockeye salmon continue to pass through the Fish Creek weir and silver salmon are migrating past that weir as well. I suspect some or most of these salmon may be getting dark this late in the season, but there may also be a few bright fish entering this system.

Jim Creek

I mentioned in last week’s column the possibility of finding bright silver salmon late in the season at this popular destination. On Monday I talked with Luke Warta, my nephew who is working for the Alaska Department of FIsh and Game at the Jim Creek Weir. Luke told me that although salmon are still migrating past the weir most of them are getting dark in color. Luke mentioned that when he goes fishing now he is only looking to harvest one of the better looking male coho.

With the passing of the season I’m thinking this is likely my last fishing column of the season or at least my last fishing column talking mostly about current salmon fishing conditions. I still have a few salmon charters to guide, but I’m only attempting to guide one trip a day, and we are advising people making new reservation that the number of quality salmon is limited. If people want to harvest quality fish it is doubtful that they will catch an entire limit of quality silver salmon during one of our September Mat-Su salmon trips.

Although I rarely talk about other fisheries in this Mat-Su fishing column — I am making and exception and mentioning that some Mat-Su anglers head to Valdez to harvest ocean fresh silver salmon over the Labor Day weekend. There is also a late run of silver salmon that people travel to catch in the Kenai River during September and October.

Good Luck and Fish On!

Andy Couch is a member of the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee, a member of the Matanuska -Susitna Borough FIsh and Wildlife Commission and owner / guide of Fishtale River Guide — you may read his daily fishing reports at http://www.fish4salmon.com