Tailracing for open water fishing

On the first Monday morning in May I was casting and retrieving at Eklutna Tailrace after a series of high tides between 29 - 30 feet with another one coming in the morning I was “fishing.” Rain the previous evening and that morning while I was casting #4 single hook spinners into the emerald water flowing down the tailrace from Eklutna Power Plant was also potentially raising the water level. There was plenty of water flowing in the tailrace, however, I figured I would need as much water as possible to entice a fish to swim all the way up the Knik River side-channel to the tailrace. As it turned out nearly the entire side-channel flow was coming from the tailrace, as I could not see even a hint of current from the standing water in the side-channel upstream of the tailrace confluence.

With luck in choosing the best possible route, there may have even been enough water in the Knik River side-channel to jet boat all the way to the tailrace without getting stuck on a shallow bar. I’ve done that before early in May, however, I‘ve also run out of water while zooming through the shallows and beached the boat so hard it required Herculean effort over time just to get float it back to deeper water. There is currently about two miles of marginally shallow side-channel water, upstream of the mainstream Knik River, before even a fish may arrive at the tailrace. Therefore, even a decent-sized fish could have to squirt through several stretches shallow enough that its back might be sticking out of the water to reach the place I was “fishing.”

Quotation marks around the term “fishing,” because in reality I consider the tailrace experience at this time of year more of an opportunity to get outdoors, cast into open water, and swing lures in moving water. For that reason I had brought 4 different rod and reel set ups with me, but all of them were rigged with identical lures. I was using the same lure on each rod / reel combination to provide the fairest comparison of how each combo casted for both distance and accuracy, and also to compare the combos’ sensitivity for feeling the subtle lure action, as I retrieved and swung my presentations through the current.

I compared two new rods I had built this winter and two additional rods that I had rewrapped with better guide trains. I was pleased with the sensitivity of three of the four rods, and somewhat disappointed with the fourth, which I had expected to possibly shine in the sensitivity department. Considering the spinning reels I was comparing: I had three identical reels that had been previously employed on my salmon fishing charters — all of which performed flawlessly. I had purchased the final reel this winter, and while it worked well, and was lighter in weight than the other reels, it definitely took more cranking power to operate, so I was disappointed with that outcome — especially considering the newcomer’s price point. Its color / trim scheme, however, looked cool on the matching custom-wrapped rod.

While casting , retrieving, and checking out my gear, I was also observant of my surrounding looking for any sign of a fish. My fishiest observation however was a smallish moldy-looking salmon carcass drifting out of the tailrace and into the Knik side-channel below. I also watched a pair of paddling ducks paddling that exploded from the water to fly away from the crazy man waving all those fishing rods.

The gate to the lower Eklutna Tailrace parking lot had been open, so I was able to drive down from the Old Glenn Highway and park very close to where I was fishing. There was no one in the parking area when I arrived, but drivers in a couple different vehicles motored down and observed without joining me outside in the rain. The dumpsters and fish cleaning table were not in place yet, and I did not check to see if any of the outhouse were unlocked. Even though it was raining the gravel parking lot was good and firm. Since I had solid ideas of what to expect before venturing over to the tailrace, each of my expectations was met, and I had a good time. It is with the spirit of providing other Mat-Su anglers realistic tailrace fishing expectations for the coming week that I am reporting on one of the earliest open water fishing locations in the Mat-Su Valley. About the earliest a person could reasonably expect to see an ocean-run salmon splashing in the tailrace — end of May. Even that timeframe is dependent upon enough water flowing down the side-channel to lure a salmon home.

Finger Lake ice free

Talking with Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) fisheries biologist, Samantha Oslund on Monday — Finger Lake wis now ice-free. ADF&G staff figured extra wind at Finger Lake over the weekend likely had a huge role in breaking up the ice. Samantha also mentioned Lucille Lake in Wasilla as another location she expected to be ice-free soon. ADF&G has not stocked any additional Mat-Su Valley lakes since stocking Kepler - Bradley Lakes during the Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show weekend, however, staff has been out looking for locations that could be stocked depending upon the stocking truck schedule from the Jack Hernandez State Sportfish hatchery in Anchorage. She had no confirmed location(s) or stocking timeline — except to say stocking was dependent upon scheduling from the hatchery.

Deshka Landing Outdoor Association Annual Meeting

The meeting is for member / owners and scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Saturday May 9 at the landing. When I talked with Deshka Landing manager, Amy Davis on Sunday she mentioned that she did not expect the landing boat launch to be open to members and season pass-holders until sometime after the meeting weekend. Day use parking and boat launching for the general public is usually scheduled to open later, after all or most of the parking lot has had a chance to dry out / firm up for the season.

Hooligan at Turnagain Again?

It is that time of year folks. Dustin Slinker with the Bait Shack on Ship Creek and Saul Correa with 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla mentioned that Alaskans are already out along Turnagain Arm, south of Anchorage, dip netting for these small schooling oily fish —which also catch the attention of hungry whales each May. No word as to what is being caught, but if you go, be careful with sticky mud flats and quickly changing tide levels. In previous years both hooliganning whales and people have experienced serious problems — when they focussed too much on the fish, and not enough on the fishing conditions. With some careful attention, however, hooligan dipping along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage may provide road-tripping Mat-Su anglers one of the better fish-catching opportunities for the May 9 - 10 weekend.

Fish On!

While Andy Couch is a member of the Matanuska - Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee the thoughts and opinions expressed in this column are his own - unless noted otherwise.