Rain, flooding ends primary Mat-Su coho salmon counts

Heavy rain and rapidly rising waters flooded Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) salmon counting weir projects at Little Susitna River and Deshka River starting Saturday August 26. According to information posted on ADF&G’s website Little Susitna River Weir was pulled Saturday. When I talked with ADF&G biologist, Samantha Oslund on Tuesday she said they used a dive team to remove Little Susitna River Weir, while it was still safe to do so. The total 2023 coho salmon count passing Little Susitna River through August 25 is 3,726 fish — considerably less than half of the minimum threshold of ADF&G’s 9,200 — 17,700 Little Susitna River Sustainable Escapement Goal for coho salmon.

Although some unknown number of upstream migrating coho went uncounted, coho were counted passing Little Susitna weir on 37 days, covering a period when most coho salmon passage has historically occurred. During the past two weeks before weir removal, the largest daily coho count was 70 fish, occurring on August 24.

Deshka River Weir

With a rapidly rising water level, the second largest daily coho salmon passage of 2023, through Deshka River Weir (226 fish), occurred on August 25. Deshka Weir was flooded on August 26, and with flooding and continued rain in the forecast, it is problematic how much addition coho salmon passage may be counted through Deshka Weir this season. Through August 25 a total of 1,817 coho have been counted through Deshka Weir — this is less than 20% of the minimum threshold of ADF&G’s 10,200 — 24,100 Deshka River Sustainable Goal for Coho Salmon.

Historic Low Deshka Coho Count

Through August 25 coho salmon have been counted passing through Deshka River Weir on 30 days during 2023, the season total (1,817) through August 25 is the second lowest coho salmon passage in 28 years of Deshka River coho counts listed on ADF&G’s website. The only listed year with a lower Deshka River coho salmon count is 2016 —when a total of 1,394 coho salmon were counted passing the weir during 14 total days only through July 27.

Jim Creek Weir

According to Samantha Oslund the water level at Jim Creek Weir was somewhat flooding that weir on Tuesday, however at that time Jim Creek coho salmon passage was still being fully counted. Through Monday August 28 — 721 coho salmon had been counted passing Jim Creek Weir. Through August 28, Jim Creek Weir has been fish-tight for 36 consecutive days with actual coho salmon passage occurring during 24 of those days. Although salmon passage through Jim Creek Weir has been used to manage the Jim Creek coho salmon sport fishery for a number of years now, ADF&G’s 450 — 1400 fish McRobert’s Creek Sustainable Escapement Goal indexes a portion of the Jim Creek drainage coho salmon spawning population and is conducted by a post-season foot count.

Fish Creek Weir

Oslund said rain and rising water through Monday August 28 had affected Fish Creek Weir the least. Fish Creek Weir has been fish-tight for 56 consecutive days and through August 28 has counted 1,458 coho salmon passing the weir, to meet the lower end of ADF&G’s 1,200 —4,400 fish Fish Creek Sustainable Escapement Goal for Coho Salmon. Fish Creek remains open to coho salmon sport fishing and harvest in a small area near Knik-Goose Bay Road on Saturdays and Sundays only. Coho salmon passage has average less than a dozen fish daily for the 10 days from August 19 - 28, however, water conditions remain reasonable and the use of bait is allowed at this location.

Flooding Hits Susitna River Drainage

Jonathan Rockey told me he had some guests visiting this past week and they managed to hunt and scratch up some coho salmon with hit and miss fishing in the Susitna Drainage. One day they each harvested a coho salmon from Little Willow Creek. Another day they found a few at Caswell Creek, but the following day the little bit of clear water they had been fishing at Caswell was flooded out. They ventured all the way up to mile 160 on the Parks Highway without finding any salmon to catch that day.

Just last week I reported that Phantom Tri-River Charters in Talkeetna intended to continue running their guided fishing trips until October, however, when I phoned them on Monday, Danielle told me that flooding had damaged their boat dock, which they needed to repair. With the flooding and associated damage their plans had changed significantly, and they were calling and cancelling all their remaining fall charters.

There are still a few locations where salmon may be caught and harvested in the Mat-Su Valley, including Eklutna Tailrace, but opportunities to catch and harvest have decreased to the point that this is may be the last time I mention ocean-run salmon fishing opportunities in the Mat-Su Valley this season.

With high water in many Mat-Su streams late summer can be a time of less people traffic and increased fish activity in shallow waters of many Mat-Su lakes.

Road Trip Salmon for Labor Day Weekend

Rain and water will likely be abundant, but every year some Valley folk venture to Valdez to fish for returning hatchery coho salmon over this holiday weekend. The limit is six per day.

Gene Sandone texted me about some good fishing for late-run coho salmon he experienced this week on the Kenai River. In portions of the river the coho limit increases to 3 fish daily on September 1. That is also the day portions of the Kenai River drainage open to the use of bait. The lower river remains open to sockeye salmon fishing with reasonable numbers of sockeye continuing to enter the lower river. Regulations vary for specific portions of the Kenai River drainage and for different species, so be sure to read regulations for specific areas you may intend to fish if you are unfamiliar with them.

Good Luck and Fish On!