Mat-Su silvers, chums, sockeye make showing

Earlier this week while fishing the Little Susitna River, charter-fishing guests caught the first silver salmon taken on my guide boat in 2011. Additionally, my charter guests have also caught a few chum salmon from the same location.

Just a reminder for those who may want to fish Little Susinta River — salmon fishing is restricted to that portion of the river below the Parks Highway. Anglers are required to use artificial lures only through Aug. 5, and anglers must quit fishing for the remainder of the day on Little Susinta River after harvesting a limit of salmon. As in all Mat-Su Valley locations (except the Eklutna Tailrace fishery area) anglers are prohibited from fishing for king salmon, and any king salmon incidentally caught must be released without removing the fish from the water.

On Deshka River, Ben Allen, owner of Miller’s Riverboat Service (892-6872) reports there are now schools of silver and pink salmon in the mouth of the river, but cautions anglers fishing upriver must be careful where they attempt to catch silver salmon or they may end up catching pre-spawning and spawning king salmon. On a recent guide trip, Ben moved his guests five times in an attempt to avoid kings, and on that trip the group was able to catch a couple of early silver salmon.

In addition, the first six silver salmon of the season finally passed through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Deshka River Weir on July 19.

For Mat-Su residents interested in personal use dip net fishing for sockeye salmon, the first 1,098 sockeye salmon passed through the ADF&G’s Fish Creek Weir on from July 16-19. Remember that this fishery will remain closed until ADF&G can project that 50,000 sockeye will pass upstream of the weir — at which time the department may open the fishery by emergency order.

Without rapid and dramatic improvements in Fish Creek sockeye salmon escapements it remains to be seen if the fishery will even open in 2011. Also at Fish Creek Aug. 6-7, a weekend-only sport salmon fishery is scheduled to open for kids age 15 and younger. On the second weekend, in August the Fish Creek weekend-only salmon spot fishery will open to people of all ages, as has happened in the recent past.

While reports of salmon returning to the Little Susitna River, Deshka River and Fish Creek have been quite low, other road-accessible Mat-Su salmon fisheries may have even less salmon available at this time. Contrast that with the boom of sockeye salmon into the Kenai River, where more than 500,000 sockeye salmon passed the ADF&G sonar counter during the same July 16-19 period when only 1,098 Mat-Su sockeyes were swimming past the Fish Creek Weir.

Kenai River dip net and sportfishing opportunity

As a person whose short weekly column focuses on Mat-Su Valley fisheries, I like to keep mention fisheries in other areas to a minimum; however, for Mat-Su Valley residents who would like to harvest significant numbers of personal use sockeye salmon, or for those who would like to see and possibly catch good numbers of salmon on a rod and reel, making the long drive to the Kenai Peninsula and the Kenai River may be your best option over the July 23-24 weekend.

For those unfamiliar with personal use dip net regulations, a free permit is required and can be picked up at the Mat-Su Valley, Anchorage or Soldotna ADF&G office during regular business hours. ADF&G recently expanded the Kenai River sockeye salmon sport fishery to 24 hours a day and also expanded the Kenai River sport sockeye salmon limit to six per day. For more information, contact an ADF&G office or visit http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.R2&year=2011.

Best time to go

From reports I’ve read on the Alaska Outdoor Journal website, the July 23-24 weekend may represent that best remaining opportunity to dip net Kenai River sockeye salmon, as ADF&G test net results from out in Cook Inlet indicate large numbers of sockeye salmon could reach the Kenai River on Saturday morning, but sockeye numbers could fall off dramatically after the weekend. Expect this fishery to be crowded with fish and those attempting to catch them.

With ADF&G commercial managers attempting to harvest Kenai River and Kasiloff River sockeye salmon at maximum harvest rates, it remains to be seen what kind of salmon numbers will make it past the commercial nets to return to Mat-Su Valley streams. Hopefully late July and early August will see better numbers of salmon arriving here.

Read this column next week for an update on Mat-Su salmon fisheries that may be peaking at that time.

Andy Couch owns and operates Fishtale River Guides (fish4salmon.com), is a Mat-Su Anglers Club member (matsuanglers.org) and member of the Mat-Su Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Sportsmen’s Committee. Email this column at sports@frontiersman.com if you have Mat-Su fishing questions or information readers may find useful.