Memorial Weekend camping, fishing, boating

With wonderful sunny weather this May, a fair amount of people have already been utilizing Mat-Su campgrounds, and in particular on the weekends. The Memorial Day holiday weekend is a traditional time for camping, and school is out for summer, so expect Mat-Su’s more popular campgrounds to be busy this weekend. When considering a place to camp / fish at one of the more popular spots, you may want to make a phone call or possibly an online reservation before heading to your favorite spot on Friday or Saturday evening. Big Lake, Finger Lake, Matanuska Lakes, Willow Creek Recreation Area, Susitna Landing, and Talkeetna Boat Launch / Campground are camping /fishing locations that often fill up over this particular weekend. Some local anglers / families go camping on Memorial weekend more to getaway, and use their camping vehicles / new gear in preparation for future summer adventures, rather than as a full on fishing trip. For others it may provide their first opportunity to put a boat on the water / take a shakedown cruise after a long winter offseason. Canoers, kayakers, and even a few paddle boarders will get in on the weekend action. Expect popular boat launches to be busy, and be prepared for wait times to use the ramps.

Deshka Landing Open and Running

Last week I reported Deshka Landing had experienced issues with their gate/ computer system. That issue has been resolved, and the landing should be fully operational over the weekend. With plenty of remote cabin owners launching from Deshka Landing, expect this to be the busiest launch in the Susitna River drainage. As mentioned in last week’s column the hooligan were already running near the Susitna / Yentna River confluence. Hooligan have also been mentioned on the Deshka Landing Facebook page recently. I’ve observed and caught hooligan along the Susitna River all the way from the Deshka River confluence up to Susitna Landing by Memorial Day weekend during good years. Hooligan numbers in locations along the Susitna River can vary considerably from one year to the next, however,this Memorial weekend will likely provide the best hooligan dip netting weekend of the entire season for Susitna River drainage waters upstream of the Deshka River confluence. When I was in Sportsmans Warehouse recently they had a plethora of hooligan nets, but a salesperson commented, "Those nets have been selling briskly and could sell out soon."

For Mat-Su anglers the lakes stocked by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) will continue to provide some of the best fish catching opportunities over the holiday weekend. I continue to hear reports of anglers catching holdover rainbow trout in the 15 - 20 inch range from several Mat-Su lake locations. For anglers searching out locations with larger fish, consider lakes where sterile triploid fish have been stocked. For up-to-date stocking reports on Mat-Su Valley lakes, I advise bookmarking and running stocking searches throughout the season on this ADF&G website page: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=SportStockingHatcheriesSearch.main

King Salmon. While a few anglers fish Upper Cook Inlet freshwaters for Alaska’s largest salmon during the entire month of May, Memorial Day weekend is often seen as the unofficial start of the king salmon season. With a poor preseason outlook for king salmon returns throughout Upper Cook Inlet, all saltwater fishing for king salmon north of Bluff Point down by Homer has been closed by ADF&G emergency order. Additionally, in Upper Cook Inlet freshwaters, king salmon sport fishing is only legal this season in locations that have a hatchery return of king salmon.

In the Mat-Su Valley the only legal king salmon fishery is the Knik River / Eklutna Tailrace fishery. The legal fishing area consists of the 1/4 mile long tailrace below the Eklutna Power Plant, all waters of the Knik River within 1/2 mile of the tailrace confluence, and then downstream to the upstream edge of the Alaska Railroad bridge. Note: this legal fishing area was expanded by ADF&G by emergency order this year, but the expanded area will expire on December 31, 2024. This fishing area is open 24 hours a day / 7 days per week. Bait and multiple hooks are allowed, and anglers may harvest one king salmon daily — with a seasonal limit of 5 king salmon per year. Immediately upon harvesting a king salmon, the harvest must be recorded in ink on a harvest card. I believe ADF&G has a new electronic app this season where harvest may also be reported (anglers considering this option should know ahead of time how it works). To be sure you are legal I would suggest having a paper harvest card and ink pen along for backup. An Alaska fishing license and king salmon stamp is also required for most anglers.

King Salmon Updates. The earliest I have ever seen a king salmon in the Knik River was May 16, several years ago. The earliest my wife and I each caught king salmon from the Knik River was May 24, so I expect there may already be a few king salmon available at this fishery. Before the downriver boat fishery became popular, a few king salmon were sometimes caught upstream at the tailrace during late May. Until Knik River water flow raises enough to put significant river flow down the side-channel leading to the tailrace, expect very few king salmon reaching the tailrace. Most (if not all ) king salmon taken from the Eklutna Tailrace / Knik River fishery through June 1 will likely be caught in the last 1/4 mile of the side-channele or along the south bank of the mainstream Knik River, below the side-channel and above the railroad bridge.

While I had heard no reports of king salmon being taken from the Knik River when this column was written, ADF&G recorded a king salmon swimming past Little Susitna River weir on May 19 (supporting the concept that king salmon may be available at the Knik River at this time). Dustin Slinker, owner of the Bait Shack on Ship Creek in downtown Anchorage, did not know of no king salmon being taken from that fishery on Monday May 20, however, he is expecting the first Ship Creek king salmon to be taken, before this column will be published. News of the first Ship Creek king salmon provides an additional indicator that king salmon may also be available at the Knik River fishery. Find the most up-to-date information about the Ship Creek salmon fishery at the Bait Shack Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thebaitshack/

Additional Salmon Fishery Information. On the Kenai Peninsula a few sockeye salmon have already been caught in the saltwater fishery targeting hatchery fish at Seward, the first sockeye and king salmon have been taken from the Kasilof River, and Ninilchik River will be open to harvest of hatchery fin-clipped king salmon over Memorial Day weekend. A few king salmon salmon have already been observed upstream of the legal fishing area at Ninilchik River, so king salmon will be present when the fishery opens for the 3-day holiday weekend.

This weekend, remember to thank military members for their service, drive safely, enjoy the Memorial holiday, and Fish On!